Resilient Initiatives

EASE's 2007 conference birthed a new type of business design that has matured into the EASE Initiative Empowerment System (IES). IES is a complete system that supports grassroots-level innovation, project development and economic prosperity. It enables local work to align with larger goals of a regional or organization. It also generates a continuous flow of dialog and knowledge sharing from general planning to local implementation and vice versa.

This system engages business and other fee-paying members to tie their brand and values to social purposes by using IES for business operations, commerce, advertising and sponsorships. IES enables members to create a branded fund pool that receives money tax free from EASE Marketplace transactions to fund community projects and programs. For any IES participant who requests help, IES makes available many success-oriented support services that include financial, planning, marketing, administration and other types of assistance.

EASE uses the IES model as the basis for the large-scale programs it will inaugurate under the banner of “Resilient Initiatives.” The first three of these EASE initiatives are described here.

Resilient Cities Initiative™

Resilient Cities Initiative (RCI) operates in the context of municipal settings.  RCI brings varied interest groups together to develop city-focused programs for needs such as climate and energy adaptation, disaster mitigation and response, economic development and jobs creation, safety and security, education and other purposes.

Resilient Universities™

Resilient Universities (RU) operates in the context of universities and secondary schools.  It brings administration, faculty, students, parents, businesses and the local community into alignment for projects and purposes around university-oriented interests.  RU can be used to operate and fund programs such as research, athletics, academic programming, climate action, individualized student education planning and tracking, tuition and other purposes.

Resilient Youth™

Resilient Youth Initiative (RYI) operates in the context of people between the ages of 15-35.  It enables youth’s creativity, energy and passion to be aligned for purpose by helping participants find one another, share interests and work together. RYI provides support, financing and other resources to develop youth develop programs they believe can create the world they wish to see.