Services

Amazing workshop. Our team found the worksheets so so helpful! The participants were so excited about learning from you.

City of Tempe Staff Member Sharing Insights

This is one of the most powerful webinars I've been on. Love it...

Detroit, MI Community Based Organization Staff Member Sharing Insights

Working with you has been one of my most favorite parts of USDN. You are among the smartest and most insightful people I know in this work. You are an incredible thought partner and inspiration.

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

I am so beyond impressed! The way that you all pulled everything together is really fantastic and so appreciated. Really great work.

BayREN Staff Member Facilitating Decision Making

I welcome thoughts, guidance and feedback from you since you are not only so connected, but excellent and passionate about your work.

City of Nashville, TN Staff Member Connecting

Great session! You provide so many helpful tips about how to approach my work - beyond just how to access funding. Thanks for letting me listen in.

USDN Member Sharing Insights

Thanks so very much for your time and generosity! It was really helpful to speak with you and get some very valuable insights and advice. Most importantly, it was so meaningful to feel your genuine support of sustainability practitioners.

Montgomery County, MD Staff Member Connecting

Thank you for your time. You were generous and candid with your advice. I really appreciate that!

The Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange Staff Member Sharing Insights

Your adaptability makes a difference. I appreciate how aware your team is of the challenges local governments often face. That showed in the simplicity of the grant application as well as in the flexibility of the award process.

City of Sacramento, CA Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

Thank you SO Much for the remarkable amount of time you spent going through the Living Systems paper. That was a lot of work. You’re a great editor. So helpful, with comments honest like a true friend.

City of Boulder, CO Staff Member Inspiring shifts in thinking

Wow, a lot of great feedback! We’re still reviewing the recommendations with the USGBC to improve our next steps. Thank you very much. I really appreciate it!

City of San Antonio Staff Member Organizing for Action

So great to speak with you yesterday! I am so pleased with your work and the progress to date. Thank you so so much for all of this! Onward we go.

BayREN Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

I just want to thank you again for all of your guidance and insights when you were coaching me. All of that work helped to get the Equitable Building Electrification Fund to where it is today.

Energy Foundation Staff Member Sharing Insights

It is incredible to me the amount of work you are able to move through these pipelines. These highlights really bring that home for me.

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

Working with you over the past four years has been nothing but fantastic. Your diligence and no-nonsense approach make for things getting done properly and in time, and your ability to reflect, suggest, guide and support has been invaluable. I can't thank you enough!

City of Oslo, Norway Staff Member Connecting

BRAVO!!! I LOVE the fund design from head to toe, in particular the scoring criteria. This is some next level stuff that will really push the network into thinking holistically about their work and challenge network members to show up in their communities and within their organization.

USDN Peer Learning Exchange Committee Chair Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

Wow. Lighting Fast. You're just brilliant. I feel truly lucky and grateful to be the beneficiary of your guidance. If we were in Japan, I would give you a thousand bows. Thanks, as always.

Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

Thank you very much for your time this evening. I found our discussion incredibly useful, and I can’t wait to learn more from you.

ReLoop North America Staff Member Sharing Insights

You jumped in without a lot of support and did a fabulous job. Couldn’t have done it without you. SO much gratitude. I would have to be told not to continue to badger, plead and beg for your good advice and strategic counsel.

Urban Drawdown Initiative Staff Member Facilitating Decision-Making

I just had a chance to read this start to finish, and IT IS SO GOOD!!!!!! I am really excited about the content, and how this could influence some of our work in other contexts as well. Could we add my staff team to our next call? I want them to hear this.

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

Thank you so much for this impactful and useful overview. The data and alignment with the goals are really helpful. I can see that a ton of effort went into it and really appreciate both the work and the amazing product. This is going to be super helpful in conversation with potential funders.

Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

A huge thank you to Sutherland & Associates for all your work keeping us organized and prepared. You truly excel at your work and have made serving on the Committee a painless process (and mostly even a fun one!). I hope we get to work with you again in the future on similar endeavors.

City of Oakland, CA Staff Member Facilitating Decision-Making

It was so great to talk with you! Thanks for sharing. I always feel like I’m heard and understood after we talk. Thank you so much for giving me such a safe and constructive space to think out loud.

City of Tucson Staff Member Connecting

We owe this success to the member's thoughtful care and stewardship, along with the amazing Sutherland & Associates - whose incredible guidance we have all depended on for years. Without their contributions to the organization and management of the Funds, we never could have achieved the scale we did. Beyond that, their strategic analysis and facilitation have created the container for members to do their best work. We are forever grateful for their contributions.

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Facilitating Decision-Making

I look forward to hearing about what future funding opportunities may look like. Until then, special thanks to the amazingly organized, smart and talented Sutherland & Associates team for making the magic happen.

City of Burlington, VT Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

Thank you so much for all of your support with facilitation throughout both versions of the meetings! Really appreciate your time preparing and facilitating - plus all your time supporting me with the workshop. You're the best!!

Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance Staff Member Organizing for Action

Thank you for such an amazing presentation and webinar yesterday. Loved so many of the principles put forward as part of this grant and the value placed on genuine relationship building and collaboration.

Watersheds Canada Staff Member Sharing Insights

Thank you so much for these resources! They are great and I appreciate the time you took to put them together, especially the information on the evaluation RFPs.

The Russell Family Foundation Staff Member Sharing Insights

The strategy framework we built together has helped to expose some holes, especially in the equity pillar. We have become more deliberate in discussing disparity issues and HR is even hosting an intensive training on the impacts of poverty.

City of Las Cruces, NM Staff Member Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

That was terrific! Thanks so much for eliciting some good conversation and for planting that seed with me, and with the group today. I'll definitely keep you posted and will probably reach out now and again for words of wisdom as things progress. Thank you for sharing your experience with us!

University of Alaska Staff Member Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

It was incredibly helpful and exciting to see what is already being done. I think there is so much opportunity to make our processes even more efficient using the systems you have already built and implemented.

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

We really appreciate the great advice and practical actions that you suggested. Our at-risk communities are on the frontline of the life and death situations that result from rising heat and our sector has a long way to go to address this. We are going to retool our approach in a few key areas based on this conversation.

Global Cool Cities Alliance Staff Member Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

Besides being the most organized on the planet and knowing cities deeply, you have been a steady mentor and thought partner to me all these years. I just wanted to say thank you, my friend. I'm really going to miss working with you, but leave knowing that you remain a vital part of the team and thus, that all is in good hands. I hope our paths will cross again at some point in the near future. Thank you!!

Building Decarbonization Coalition Staff Member Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

All that is to say thank you! I have credited you out loud many times now as having prompted me to take a new approach to my work.

City Scale Staff Member Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

THANK YOU. I thought it was an excellent retreat - I really liked the creative approaches to opening the conversation on Thursday. You are expert shepherds of the fund and our committee. Thank you for that.

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

A quick email to say ‘thank you’ again for helping facilitate such a positive experience. I appreciate your time and effort to provide an environment where we were able to thoughtfully consider strategic innovation investments to further the work of our sustainability field and the value of the network. I look forward to working with you all in the future!

City of Alexandria, VA Staff Member Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

This is extremely important and useful advice. I'm going to reflect on it and let you know what we decide to do. Proud to call you a friend and mentor. Especially when you give me gold like this!

Natural Resources Defense Council’s Sustainable FERC Project Member Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

You are truly wise. This is really spot-on. Going to rework my answers. You're absolutely right that this response is the way to go here. Thank you, always, for the input.

City of Bloomington, IN Staff Member Inspiring Shifts in Thinking

It was great to talk with you yesterday. So refreshing and enlightening!

Water Environment Federation Board of Trustees member Sharing Insights

Thank you so much for your time on the phone on Friday. Your thoughts and insights were invaluable, much appreciated, and changed my approach.

California Environmental Associates Staff Member Sharing Insights

This is most excellent work. Thank you so much for compiling this rich analysis of the impacts of our funding investments!!

Innovation Fund Committee Member Sharing Insights

I've just read your final report and the attachments. Well done. You are formidable.

Summit Foundation Staff Member Sharing Insights

Just wanted to say I really enjoyed listening to your descriptions of where the urban sustainability / climate effort stands these days. Very smart and thought provoking. Thanks!

Innovation Network for Communities Staff Member Sharing Insights

Very helpful. Very, very helpful - thank you! As a founder and an integral part of overall network expansion, your perspective is super helpful to our planning work. I really value your 30,000 ft. view of the funding landscape, and as always, you've been invaluable in supporting my understanding of how we fit into the big picture.

Southeast Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Sharing Insights

Amazing feedback. I really enjoy getting to sit in on these calls and learn from you. As complicated as things can get, I feel honored to be navigating these waters with you.

The Funders Network Staff Member Sharing Insights

One thing that I so much respect in your work is your ability to keep your eye on the big picture and being very thoughtful without losing the ability to get deep in the weeds in a way that builds the big picture.

City of Northampton, MA Staff Member Sharing Insights

As usual very insightful. Many thanks for this terrific advice. Will do.

Michigan Municipal Association for Utility Issues Board Member Sharing Insights

I looked over your document, it looks great, and is very timely. We’ve advanced our conversations around funding and accountability quite a bit and I think we could really build on this. I’ll share with my steering committee, they’ll love it.

City of Austin, TX Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

These materials are awesome! Thank you so much for all of your time and thoughtful review and deliverables – it’s like you read our minds and knew exactly what we needed.

City of Columbus, OH Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

Thank you for facilitating a very meaningful dialogue with the City and our partners and thank you for this draft. All of your support and your extra time are very much appreciated in this effort.

City of Chicago, IL Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

Thank you for all of your help with the Digital Annual Meeting, especially working such surprise crazy hours last week. I truly value your partnership!

Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

Thanks so much for sending this over! We recently sat down to discuss next steps. This doc has some great suggestions and ideas for us to start with in drafting up a proposal.

City of Honolulu, HI Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

Thank you so much! This is incredibly helpful and just what I was needing. I love your work.

Social Venture Partners International Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

Just like you, this is spectacular and exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much!

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Anticipating and Meeting Needs

I presented the facilitation tool to administration. They were thrilled with its elegance in understanding the relationship of proposed initiatives to the Comp plan and other City policies, tools, stakeholders and operations. They loved how it could encourage deeper discussions without getting into implementation details. They felt the metrics would be a rich repository to align our reporting. The tool established everything we hoped for!

City of Las Cruces, NM Staff Member Problem Solving

I loved hearing about your work. It’s tough sledding with so many different stakeholders involved, but breaking out of everyone’s silo is the only way we’re going to really make progress.

Cascade Energy Staff Member Problem Solving

I just wanted to send a very quick thank you for your leadership in NYC last week. I thought the meeting was really helpful and it was very valuable to have you with us. Thank you as well for helping with the proposal right now!

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Problem Solving

I really value and respect the excellent work you do. You are part of the glue that keeps this all functioning so seamlessly. One never knows the challenges you face and resolve on a daily basis.

City of Boulder, CO Staff Member Problem Solving

Terrific - thanks so much. One thing is clear -- and that is you have greatly exceeded any hope or expectation I had for support and assistance on this project. I've so enjoyed working with you!

City of St. Louis, MO Staff Member Problem Solving

Thank you. You brought clarity where fog reigned.

Summit Foundation Staff Member Organizing for Action

I have so much respect for who and how you are in the world. You have a very important role in these times. It’s critical that those with essential skills at helping to manage and guide constructive works be recognized and brought into positions from which they can enable such systems to scale work.

Urban Drawdown Initiative Staff Member Organizing for Action

You have clearly put a lot of work into making processes as frictionless as possible. Your ready availability, generous and patient assistance, concise and clear explanatory materials, understanding of our limitations and pressures in government, and enthusiastic support made this stress-free. I am very grateful, and know that we will continue to leverage this work as we assist other jurisdictions on their policy development and implementation journeys.

City of Vancouver, BC, Canada Staff Member Organizing for Action

Thank you so much for this tremendous effort. We are so appreciative of your help.

Natural Resources Defense Council Staff Member Organizing for Action

Thank you for all your work during this off-the-map year. Goes to show that you always can be counted on. Knowing that is something I am extremely grateful for.

Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance Staff Member Organizing for Action

This is extremely helpful. Thank you deeply for taking the time to explain all of this. I know you manage other funds as well, so I’m constantly amazed at how well you manage and track all of that - you are so on top of things!

The Funders Network Staff Member Organizing for Action

I just wanted to say thank you again for all of the work you did to help the meeting go so well. The Fund session was a big success, as always, and your contributions to the breakout sessions, note taking, and analysis was greatly appreciated as well.

Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance Staff Member Organizing for Action

Thanks for such able coordination of this process. You are so well organized!

TransitCenter Staff Member Organizing for Action

You are always a breeze to coordinate with, and very concise and easy to understand.

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Organizing for Action

Since the water-energy workshop we hosted together, we have expanded our decision-making discussion to looking at water and energy nexus and woven it in our resiliency narrative. It continues to surprise people to think beyond the faucet or switch. I am also working to expand our utility's thinking when testifying at the Public Regulation cases.

City of Las Cruces, NM Staff Member Facilitating Decision-Making

A huge thank you for all your superb efforts making the review process so much simpler and more enjoyable! I also learn from you as we discuss proposals.

City of Nashville, TN Staff Member Facilitating Decision-Making

I want to thank you for the opportunity and honor to serve alongside you. The work that you do is of the highest importance, and you do it with skill, smarts and style. I've learned so much, and hopefully contributed a little.

City of Missoula, MT Staff Member Facilitating Decision-Making

I wanted to extend a warm thanks to you for expertly ushering us through proposals and discussions this year. For those that are new to this committee, Sutherland & Associates took over at the end of last year and have used their talents of fund management to help us unbiasedly discern proposals this year. They’ve brought a fantastic additional perspective and lens to the process and have expeditiously applied feedback from this group into the proposal for each new round.

City of Hollywood, CA Staff Member Facilitating Decision-Making

Thank you for the difficult task of managing our committee’s review of those proposals in two groups. I think your organizational and preparation really facilitated our coming to a solid decision point in under two hours. Thank you. It’s a pleasure to work with you all.

City of Fort Lauderdale, FL Staff Member Facilitating Decision-Making

That was an epic funding round artfully shepherded to a very solid outcome. Fantastic work!

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Facilitating Decision-Making

You are rock stars! Thank you for all the work preparing for this round of proposals--for everything behind the scenes as well as in front of the curtains, like the call this afternoon. We are so harmonious and productive as a team because of the thoughtful and strategic work you do to get us there. We simply cannot thank you enough, but I wanted to be sure to let you know how much we appreciate everything you do.

Washington, D.C. Staff Member Facilitating Decision-Making

As usual you did all the front end work for us and ran a super tight meeting so it was a pleasure to participate. I’ll miss how super organized you are and how effectively you run the program. Thanks for letting me be a part of it.

City of Tucson, AZ Staff Member Facilitating Decision-Making

Sutherland and Associates work adroitly behind the scenes to make our retreats and meetings run so smoothly and they are both so talented that it runs like clockwork. Grazie mille!

Innovation Fund Committee Member Facilitating Decision-Making

Your team is not only capable, but also kind. I feel very accomplished on everything we built together. THANK YOU for all your support and friendship over the years. I’m excited to continue the journey and so grateful to have you in my life!

City of Miami Beach, FL Staff Member Connecting

Your leadership of our funds have been such an integral part of our journey. I will always be grateful for your commitment to our members.

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Connecting

Thank you on so many levels. Mostly just for being who you are, holding the space you hold so skillfully in this work.

City of Boulder, CO Staff Member Connecting

Thank you again for all you do! You are an integral element to make sure so many have the opportunity to impact their communities. And, you’re the best registration desk wingman EVER. Many thanks for your heartwarming patience and sense of humor. Many, many thanks!

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Connecting

Thank you for taking the time to write such a lovely note. It's important to me that my staff feel appreciated for their work.

City of San Francisco, CA Staff Member Connecting

Thanks for the pep talk! Super helpful and very appreciated. I strive to get to your level of time management skills.

Urban Sustainability Directors Network Staff Member Connecting

Just wanted to circle back and say how much I appreciate your attendance and contribution today. Your vote of confidence and guidance on next steps has been and continues to be essential. Thank you for being awesome!

City of Boston, MA Staff Member Connecting