Grounded Strategies

Data 101 Introduction to Mapping
2017-09-11 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Halifax) | Hillman Library, Digital Scholarship Commons, Ground Floor, 3960 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, United States
Hosted by the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center
Mapping is a great way to visualize and analyze information – and to tell stories. In this installment of our Data 101 training series, you’ll learn the principles of mapmaking using the latest in paper and marker-based technologies. You’ll learn how computers are used to plot addresses on a map, conduct basic spatial analysis, and update records in a database based on location. Along with a deeper-appreciation for computers, this class will provide you with a solid foundation of mapping concepts and processes, and get you prepared to take your first computer-based mapping class.
No computers will be used in this class, and there are no prerequisites.
RSVP

Inspire Speakers Series: Pittsburgh to Paris
2017-09-12 18:30 - 20:00 | David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222, United States
The Inspire Speakers Series is a sequence of lectures that brings fresh, innovative thinking on topics of sustainability to Pittsburgh, with the goal of inspiring and motivating our citizens and leaders to think bigger and bolder about what is possible for our region.

The series features nationally renowned thought-leaders from various sustainability fields, as well as local experts who can share their experiences of promoting environmental quality, social equity, and economic vitality in Western Pennsylvania.

Join the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) and GBA for ILFI’s Living Product Expo Opening Keynote, featuring Paul Hawken!
Paul Hawken is an environmentalist, entrepreneur, journalist, and author who has dedicated his life to sustainability and changing the relationship between business and the environment. His practice has included starting and running ecological businesses, writing and teaching about the impact of commerce on living systems, and consulting with governments and corporations on economic development, industrial ecology, and environmental policy. Natural Capitalism, co-authored by Hawken, was cited by President Bill Clinton as one of the five most important books in the world.
About Project Drawdown:
Project Drawdown is a initiative by a coalition of scientists and researchers who aim to find the most impactful global warming reversal and reduction strategies that could be implemented in the next thirty years. Paul Hawken recently released a book, Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, which details the 100 most sizeable strategies for reducing climate change.
The Inspire Speakers Series is partnering with the International Living Future Institute’s Living Product Expo Opening Keynote.
Registration Notes:
-An Inspire Speakers Series ticket does not include access to the Opening Night Reception prior to the Keynote. To attend the Opening Night Reception and Keynote, please register via the Living Product Expo registration page.
-Scholarships to this Inspire Speakers Series event are available. Please email Jenna Cramer at jennac@gbapgh.org for more information.
-Registration will close at 12:00 noon on September 12. If you miss the window for online registration, not to worry! You can register at the door.
Register Now

Spring Garden Walking Tour
2017-09-23 11:00 - 15:00 | Wigle Whiskey Barrelhouse, 1055 Spring Garden Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15212, United States
Join us to celebrate and learn about the rich history of Spring Garden! Take a free guided tour through this historic neighborhood and finish off the afternoon with a catered after-party at Wigle Whiskey Barrelhouse and Whiskey Garden. Enjoy fun games, great food, music and the company of your neighbors. Even enter a raffle to win tickets for a Wigle Whiskey Tour!
The first 50 tour sign-ups will receive a $10 food truck voucher each.
Click HERE to reserve your spot!

In January 2016, community residents, One Northside and GTECH began working together to plan an urban trail system in the Northside that could begin to:

Create safe connections between Northside neighborhoods;
Beautify the Northside and explore placemaking opportunities;
Enhance existing assets in the neighborhoods; and
Promote the Northside as a hub for arts and culture.

The purpose of the trail is to connect neighbors to each other, make the Northside an inviting place for visitors, and show off the amazing treasures it has to offer.
Learn more about the creation of the Northside Neighborhood Connections Project HERE.

ReClaim Clairton Ambassador Graduation
2017-09-26 18:00 - 19:30 | City Hall Council Chambers, 551 Ravensburg Blvd, Clairton, PA, 15025
Presenting the GTECH ReClaim Clairton Ambassadors and the completion of their 2016-2017 vacant lot projects!
Our partnership with these Ambassadors began back in August 2016, and we cannot wait to share their amazing vacant lot activation projects to the Clairton community.

Green Playces: Clairton Dedication Ceremony
2017-09-27 17:00 - 18:00 | Morningstar baptist Church, Clairton, PA 15025, 307 Shaw Ave, Clairton, PA, 15025

LEED Green Associate Training
2017-09-28 18:00 - 22:00 | Carnegie Mellon University, Doherty Hall, Room 1211, 5000 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is simply a sustainability scorecard for green buildings. The LEED Green Associate is the only professional designation to show employers and clients you have certified knowledge in the field
To date, this course and its materials have proven to be instrumental in helping over 8000 students pass their respective exam at a 100% pass rate. This course is offered at a quarter of the price and time as the competition and is geared at allowing students to graduate with letters after their name!
A new LEED rating system (v4) was introduced last month and this training course is one of the few that has been updated to teach the current rating system.
LEED Green Associate Training Information

6th Annual Two Wheels Lots of Green: Bike Tour & Block Party
2017-10-07 10:00 - 16:00 | Grounded Strategies’ Office, 6587 Hamilton Ave., Pittsburgh, 15206, United States
On a sunny October day, GTECH celebrated Pittsburgh’s greenspace community with a guided bike tour and block party! This year’s Two Wheels Lots of Green event featured Pittsburgh’s East End. We rode 6.5 miles and made stops in Larimer, Homewood, and Wilkinsburg.
2017 Featured Greenspace Projects & Partners
At each stop, we spoke to community partners, learning about their journey and the transformation of vacant spaces into activated places.
Stop 1: Ms. Betty Lane’s African Healing Garden & Chatman Properties for the URA LandCare Program
Stop 2: Grow Pittsburgh’s Garden Resource Center
Stop 3: Homewood Green Playce with Bible Center Church
Stop 4: Wilkinsburg Green Playce with Hosanna House
Stop 5: Sankofa Village Community Garden
Stop 6: Tioga Play Yard with Operation Better Block

We’re excited to present a new design by our friend and local artist, Seth Storck. Get the GTECH bike shirt at our store.
After the guided bike tour, we celebrated with our friends and community partners at a block party outside of GTECH’s office on Julius St. Thanks to all of our sponsors and vendors for an incredible afternoon! See pictures from the event below:

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Special thank you to our generous sponsors:

Conversation. Connections. Impact: Making Change in Our Backyards, an ioby Convening in Pittsburgh
2017-10-14 14:00 - 18:00 | Hill House Association, 1835 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, United States
Conversations. Connections. Impact: Making change in our backyards, an ioby convening in Pittsburgh.
ioby’s first-ever convening in Pittsburgh will celebrate neighbors who are building and investing in positive local change that creates a future for all in Pittsburgh. Learn from our city’s resident leaders who are raising funds with ioby, and share your hopes for your neighborhood.
The program will feature an interactive PLACE IT! workshop by James Rojas, an urban planner, grassroots activist, and artist who facilitates hands-on community visioning sessions to help residents connect and develop ideas together about equitable public space.
We can’t wait to have you with us!
Questions? Please contact dana@ioby.org, or 917.817.2070
Draft Program Schedule:
12:00 – 1:00 Hill District Walking Tour (Come along for this tour to hear from local ioby project collaborators and long-time neighborhood leaders – Please email dana@ioby.org if you plan to attend this special part of the day)
2:00 – 2:25 Arrivals, Welcome, and Intros
2:25 – 3:05 James Rojas hands-on PLACE IT! group workshop, Part 1 (Build your favorite childhood memory)
3:05 – 3:10 Break and Announcements
3:10 – 4:20 ioby Leader Panel Presentations and Discussion (hear successes, challenges and strategies for making positive change on the ground in Pittsburgh from project leaders working on murals, community gardens and more – as well as from an ioby coach who can also share some tools and tricks)
Panelists include:
Dwayne Barker, Fineview & Perry Hilltop Community Pride Project
Lisa Freeman, Manchester Growing Together Farm
Ramo Lord, Exploring Labor’s Safety and Health Concerns
Barbara Rudiak, South Side Community Murals
Tacumba Turner, Allendale Acres, where we ‘eat to live’
Linda Wallen, Pigeon Positivity
Dominique Williams, ioby Leader Success Strategist
Eleanor Williams, Northside Resource Mall
4:20 – 5:00 James Rojas hands-on PLACE IT! group workshop, Part 2 (Build your vision for an ideal Pittsburgh)
5:00 – 6:00 Food, Drink, Mingle and Share Project Ideas

REGISTER

Green Playces: Hill District Dedication and Mosaic Unveiling
2017-10-17 17:30 - 18:30 | Jeron X. Grayson Community Center, 1839 Wylie Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, United States

August Wilson Park Volunteering + Garden Class
2017-10-21 09:00 - 11:00 | August Wilson Park, 1801 Cliff Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, United States
Join Parks Conservancy staff at the newly re-opened August Wilson Park for these regularly scheduled group volunteer events! At this event, participants will get a basic overview of soil and nutrients. We’ll talk about soil amendments plus how and when to apply them.

Tools, gloves and training are provided.

REGISTER

ReClaim Central Ambassador Graduation
2017-10-24 18:00 - 20:00 | The Blakey Center, 1908 Wyle Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219

Land Lab - Larimer
2017-11-04 08:30 - 14:30 | St. James AME Church, 444 Lincoln Ave,, East Liberty, PA, 15206, United States
Spinning off from the successful city-wide Blight Bootcamp Conferences of the last two years, GTECH is launching a series of Land Labs that will target the specific blight issues of a particular neighborhood.
The first Land Lab is taking place on Saturday, November 4, in Larimer at St. James AME Church – a neighborhood that is seeing significant development but is still dealing with high numbers of blighted, vacant lots. Any resident or community organization in the city or county that faces the issues of vacant lot blight is invited to attend. The mini-conference distills the most valuable knowledge shared at the earlier Bootcamps, while tackling a few of the particular challenges of the host neighborhood. The Land Lab is designed to offer residents the opportunity to get involved in their neighborhood’s efforts to help manage the negative aspects of vacant lots, while sharing strategies and resources for improvement.
8:30am Registration and Catered Breakfast
9:00am Opening Statements and Introductions
9:30am Session 1: Who you gonna call? Lets chat about who can help with your communities needs.
11:00am Session 2: Don’t Do it Alone! Learn how to engage new and existing volunteers and who is already willing to lend a hand.
12:15pm Catered Lunch and Tabling
1:15pm Session 3: Finding the Funds. What is already in motion and how can your project play a role in your communities development!
Funding for this effort was made possible by the Colcom Foundation

Urban EcoSteward Quarterly Training
2017-11-04 10:00 - 13:00 | Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, 321 Pennwood Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15221, United States
Interested in becoming a long-term Urban EcoSteward volunteer? Join program partners at this free training to learn about the Urban EcoSteward program, choose a site that you’d like to adopt long-term, and pick up skills that you can use on your site.
This event is required for all new Urban EcoStewards and is free and open to all. Learn more about the program here.
The Urban EcoStewards program is a partnership between the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, Tree Pittsburgh, Allegheny CleanWays, and Allegheny Land Trust.
REGISTER

Happy Hour at Threadbare to Benefit GTECH
2017-11-08 17:00 - 20:00 | Threadbare, 1291 Spring Garden Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15212, United States
Are you as excited as we are about Wigle Whiskey’s newest venture? Been waiting to check out the newest addition to Pittsburgh’s local scene?
Then join us for a fall happy hour at Threadbare, Wigle’s Northside Ciderhouse and Meadery. 12% of sales will go to benefit GTECH’s programs so join us for an enjoyable evening out and bring a friend (or two)!

GTECH GSI: RUPC Project Dedication Ceremony
2017-11-12 13:00 - 15:00 | Riverview United Presbyterian Church, 3505 Perrysville Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15214, United States
Come join GTECH and the Riverview United Presbyterian Church GTECH green stormwater infrastructure project dedication ceremony! We have come a long way with this amazing project and would like to celebrate its completion with GTECH friends, partners, and project participants!
You can look forward to live music, food trucks, ribbon cutting, cake, and so much more!

LIGHT UP POINT BREEZE!
2017-12-02 17:00 - 20:00
Join the PBO in dreaming of a green Point Breeze on Saturday, December 2, at the corner of Reynolds and Gettysburg — and join them in an aim to reduce, reuse, and recycle!
Balloon animals (5 to 6 p.m.)
Steel drums (6 to 7 p.m.)
Food, drink, and holiday music
Kids’ crafts and cookie decorating
“Doc McStephins” stuffed animal clinic
Photos with Santa Paws & Frosty
Specials from Point Breeze businesses
Electric car display
Adam’s E-bikes demo
Eco-friendly info tables
In the spirit of giving, please bring a book for a child between the ages of 5 and 13 to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Western PA.

​Don’t miss our pre- and post-event festivities as well:
4 to 5 p.m. Happy Hour at Pino’s
8 to 9 p.m. Grow Pittsburgh Shiloh Garden solar night tour, 7211 Thomas Blvd.

Urban Leadership Series: Grant Writing
2017-12-04 18:00 - 20:00 | Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 North Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Metro-Urban Institute Presents the Urban Leadership Series. The Urban Leadership Series is comprised of workshops and lectures aimed at equipping organizations and individuals with the tools to address issues in urban communities.
Sessions are held the first Monday of every month and will be led by various community leaders. Sessions are an excellent networking opportunity and free and open to the public.

Environmental Justice Caucus
2017-12-04 18:00 - 21:00 | David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222, United States
Join history makers and community leaders to share success stories and discuss important environmental justice issues at the Environmental Justice Caucus, co-sponsored by Homewood Children’s Village. Take this opportunity to network with your peers and discuss community highlights and visions for your community as well as environmental justice and brownfields issues.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Cost: Free to attend
Sign Up to Attend

90 Years of Allegheny County Parks: Celebrating their Legacy, Imagining their Future
2018-01-10 17:00 - 19:00
Honoring County Executive Rich Fitzgerald
Featured Speakers – Thomas Woltz
Woltz is the award-winning landscape architect leading the design of public parks nationally and internationally. The event will also feature University of Michigan Professor Robert Grese on Jens Jensen, Paul Riis and the design that influenced our
Allegheny County Parks system.
Registration is $10 and includes refreshments and free parking.

Poetry Unplugged: MLK Jr. Tribute
2018-01-12 20:00 - 21:30 | August Wilson Center for African-American Culture, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
The second annual Poetry Unplugged is a spoken word, poetic tribute to the legacy and teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. featuring host Mahogany Browne of the Nuyoricans Poets Café in NYC. Screens make the poetry visible in lobby and cafe. Featured poets are award-winning spoken word artists known for their fierce delivery and ability to move the crowd. Featuring DJ Selecta before and after the show.

Urban Leadership Series: Trauma Informed Community Development
2018-02-05 18:00 - 20:00 | Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 North Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States

Stack'd Fundraiser
2018-02-21 08:00 - 17:00
Make dinner a selfless act by joining us for a fundraiser to support GTECH Strategies. Come in to Stack’d at 728 Copeland Street in Pittsburgh on Friday, September 7th between 4:00pm and 8:00pm. Mention our name or tell the cashier you’re supporting the cause to make sure that 20% of the proceeds will be donated to GTECH Strategies.

Resilience Generation Deadline
2018-03-02
Beginning in Fall 2016 through June 2019, GTECH will offer a range of custom interventions in partnership with 24 organizations in the effort to increase the resilience of communities across Allegheny County.
If your organization works with residents to build community health and resilience, you could apply for technical support ranging from $5 – 30k of direct and indirect resources.

2018 GIS Class Registration Deadline
2018-03-09 | Grounded Strategies’ Office, 6587 Hamilton Ave., Pittsburgh, 15206, United States
Registration is now FULL

Classes from March 19 – May 21
Cost: $500

Instructed by Evaine K. Sing from GTECH
A ten-week course to learn the basics of GIS technologies (Geographic Information Systems), with a focus on the industry-standard ArcGIS platform by ESRI. Classes will be held every Monday from March 19th-May 21st from 6:30-8:30 PM.
The course will cover:
An overview to GIS, Finding, Downloading, Cleaning Data, File Geodatabases, GIS Outputs, Map Design, Spatial Data, Geoprocessing, Spatial Analysis, Application
We will utilize lecture, hands on tutorials in the program, readings and application with a Community Project and Partner.

Frequently Asked Questions:
What do I need?

We use the text “GIS Tutorial 1, 10.3 Edition” by Kurland and Gorr. There are electronic versions available, but this is a great reference book and it can be easier to have something to flip through when you need a reminder of what you’ve learned.
A free trial of the software is available online, but limited to 90 days which should get you through the class if you are looking to evaluate the system. I believe a 180 day trial is available with the purchase of a new copy of the text. Alternatively, if you would like to purchase a personal copy of the software, ESRI offers a personal license for $100/year though the text will still be required.
An external hard drive or jump drive with at least 2GB of free space.
Plan to have your own Laptop and ArcGIS software for the course. The desktop version of this software (which is what this class will focus on) only works in the Windows Operating System. So, if you have a Mac, you can run a Windows virtual machine through your Mac or try and borrow a PC.

If I don’t own a laptop, can I borrow one?

There are 3 desktops on location (with ArcGIS installed) for students who cannot provide their own computer but this means you will only be able to work during the class hours.

What should I expect?

This professional development class is designed so that students can work at their own pace. We will work to get you familiar with concepts and tools during the class time, and provide ample time to work on modules while we are available to help troubleshoot and answer questions. That said, the more time you are able to commit to finishing the in class exercises and applying what you’ve learned in a practical project, the more you will retain.
Each year, we adjust the class based on feedback of previous students to ensure you get a strong understanding of the system, its potential for use in your field of interest or work, and a starting point for data and analytics.
We work to solidify the individual lessons through project application – if you have a project in mind, we can work with you to make that happen, if you need a project, we will connect you with a community partner who may need some support – as mentioned, the more you use it, the easier it gets and the project is a great way to apply what you learn.
We get that this is something extra and we want to make sure it is worth your time! If you have additional questions, or need more time, we can work with you so that you don’t get overwhelmed. We also want to make it fun, we provide snacks during each class and spend plenty of time commiserating over the challenges of clean data and imperfect technology!

Do you offer a flexible payment schedule?

If you are interested in a flexible payment schedule or need to pay in installments, just let us know and we can make arrangements. Email s.bailey@gtechstrategies.org.

What kind of projects can I do?

The only limitations for project applications are your commitment to time and access to the data. We can work to connect you to many data sources, but occasionally due to privacy concerns or disconnected systems, certain data may be hard to obtain – such as detailed crime or health information – but we will do our best to help you work on something that is relevant to you.

Is there a certificate for completing this course?

While this course is not accredited in any way, we will provide a certificate to acknowledge your completion of study. Successful completion includes the expectation of attendance in all classes (or making up the work if you miss it), successful completion of all assignments, and an applied project to be on the final day of class.

2018 GIS Class
2018-03-19 18:30 - 20:30, 2018-03-26 18:30 - 20:30, 2018-04-02 18:30 - 20:30, 2018-04-09 18:30 - 20:30 | Grounded Strategies’ Office, 6587 Hamilton Ave., Pittsburgh, 15206, United States
Classes from March 19 – May 21

Instructed by Evaine K. Sing from GTECH
A ten-week course to learn the basics of GIS technologies (Geographic Information Systems), with a focus on the industry-standard ArcGIS platform by ESRI. Classes will be held every Monday from March 19th-May 21st from 6:30-8:30 PM.
The course will cover:
An overview to GIS, Finding, Downloading, Cleaning Data, File Geodatabases, GIS Outputs, Map Design, Spatial Data, Geoprocessing, Spatial Analysis, Application
We will utilize lecture, hands on tutorials in the program, readings and application with a Community Project and Partner.

Frequently Asked Questions:
What do I need?

We use the text “GIS Tutorial 1, 10.3 Edition” by Kurland and Gorr. There are electronic versions available, but this is a great reference book and it can be easier to have something to flip through when you need a reminder of what you’ve learned.
A free trial of the software is available online, but limited to 90 days which should get you through the class if you are looking to evaluate the system. I believe a 180 day trial is available with the purchase of a new copy of the text. Alternatively, if you would like to purchase a personal copy of the software, ESRI offers a personal license for $100/year though the text will still be required.
An external hard drive or jump drive with at least 2GB of free space.
Plan to have your own Laptop and ArcGIS software for the course. The desktop version of this software (which is what this class will focus on) only works in the Windows Operating System. So, if you have a Mac, you can run a Windows virtual machine through your Mac or try and borrow a PC.

If I don’t own a laptop, can I borrow one?

There are 3 desktops on location (with ArcGIS installed) for students who cannot provide their own computer but this means you will only be able to work during the class hours.

What should I expect?

This professional development class is designed so that students can work at their own pace. We will work to get you familiar with concepts and tools during the class time, and provide ample time to work on modules while we are available to help troubleshoot and answer questions. That said, the more time you are able to commit to finishing the in class exercises and applying what you’ve learned in a practical project, the more you will retain.
Each year, we adjust the class based on feedback of previous students to ensure you get a strong understanding of the system, its potential for use in your field of interest or work, and a starting point for data and analytics.
We work to solidify the individual lessons through project application – if you have a project in mind, we can work with you to make that happen, if you need a project, we will connect you with a community partner who may need some support – as mentioned, the more you use it, the easier it gets and the project is a great way to apply what you learn.
We get that this is something extra and we want to make sure it is worth your time! If you have additional questions, or need more time, we can work with you so that you don’t get overwhelmed. We also want to make it fun, we provide snacks during each class and spend plenty of time commiserating over the challenges of clean data and imperfect technology!

What kind of projects can I do?

The only limitations for project applications are your commitment to time and access to the data. We can work to connect you to many data sources, but occasionally due to privacy concerns or disconnected systems, certain data may be hard to obtain – such as detailed crime or health information – but we will do our best to help you work on something that is relevant to you.

Is there a certificate for completing this course?

While this course is not accredited in any way, we will provide a certificate to acknowledge your completion of study. Successful completion includes the expectation of attendance in all classes (or making up the work if you miss it), successful completion of all assignments, and an applied project to be on the final day of class.

Community Stormwater Roundtable - Homewood Library
2018-03-27 18:00 - 20:00 | Homewood Library, 7101 Hamilton Ave, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15208
Click Here to RSVP

Community Stormwater Roundtable - EECO Center
2018-04-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Environment & Energy Community Outreach Center, 200 Larimer Ave, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15206
