USAID/ICMA Planning for Climate Adaptation Program – Quarterly Report April to June 2016

Agency for International Development/Dominican Republic and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). The program aims to support the Dominican Republic in adapting to climate change by enhancing the capacity of municipalities to incorporate climate change impacts into their territorial diagnostic and land use planning processes. During the April-June quarter, the program successfully presented vulnerability assessment results to each municipality, marking a significant milestone in the project. The draft results were validated with local stakeholders through working group meetings, and delegations from Santiago and San Pedro de Macoris visited Dubuque, Iowa, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, respectively, to learn about their US counterparts' climate change and sustainability action plans. The program also initiated the process for selecting projects to be supported through its small grants program, which aims to increase community participation in adaptation by supporting local community-based organizations. Ten project profiles were received by the May 5th deadline, and a selection committee reviewed and selected eight profiles to move into the next phase of the selection process. A project preparation workshop was held on May 22nd, and final proposals are due on July 15th. Training activities during the April-June quarter included a four-day training of trainers on land use planning using the DGODT's PMOT Guide and a two-day training of trainers on Adaptation Planning and Adaptive Management. These trainings were targeted mainly to FEDOMU and DGODT staff, who are expected to replicate similar processes in other municipalities. The program's activities advanced as planned during the April-June period, with municipal technical team meetings held as scheduled and work on the territorial diagnostic proceeding as planned. Technical team meetings are scheduled for the next quarter, and the program continues to build national capacity in land use planning and climate change adaptation. The program's small grants program aims to support six small projects from this round of proposals, which will be selected based on their potential to increase community participation in adaptation. The program's activities are expected to continue advancing as planned, with a focus on building national capacity in land use planning and climate change adaptation. The program's geographic focus is on the Dominican Republic, with a specific emphasis on the municipalities of Santiago and San Pedro de Macoris. The program's timeframes are quarterly, with the current report covering the April-June period. The program's recommendations include continuing to build national capacity in land use planning and climate change adaptation, as well as supporting community-based organizations through the small grants program. The program's implementation details include working with FEDOMU and DGODT to replicate similar processes in other municipalities, as well as providing training and technical assistance to municipal technical teams. The program's financial summary and expenditure projection are not provided in this report, but are expected to be included in future reports. The program's performance indicators include the number of municipalities that have completed their territorial diagnostic, the number of community-based organizations that have received support through the small grants program, and the number of training activities conducted. The program's environmental compliance is also a key focus area, with a focus on ensuring that the program's activities do not have a negative impact on the environment. The program's upcoming events include technical team meetings scheduled for the next quarter, as well as the selection of final proposals for the small grants program. The program's planned performance objectives for the next quarter include continuing to build national capacity in land use planning and climate change adaptation, as well as supporting community-based organizations through the small grants program.