From Planning to Progress: How PCFO's CAP Cohort is Preparing Communities for Climate Action
Written by PCFO Program Manager Maggie Heiser.
Here at PCFO, we have seen how valuable a Climate Action Plan (CAP) can be for the communities we serve. CAPs serve as roadmaps for communities as they engage in climate and sustainability work - defining goals, interim targets, and specific actions that need to be taken. When a CAP is adopted by City Council, it not only validates the sustainability work of a community, but also empowers staff - and residents - to push action forward. When applying for grants and potential funding streams, already having an established Greenhouse Gas Inventory as part of a CAP can set a community up to be a competitive applicant.
However, when it comes to writing Climate and Sustainability Plans, many communities face challenges related to capacity, resources, and competing priorities - even when great climate work is already being done. These constraints can be felt even more in small and mid-sized communities. The complexity of the CAP drafting process can serve as a barrier to folks embarking on this process with already limited capacity. From gathering data, engaging the community and stakeholders, establishing goals and targets, to drafting and designing the final document - there’s a lot of work that goes into creating a Climate Action Plan.
In early 2025, PCFO began conceptualizing a new program designed to support small- to mid-sized municipalities in advancing Climate and Sustainability Planning. This effort ultimately resulted in the development of a year-long Climate Action Planning Cohort, featuring monthly convenings and ongoing technical assistance. The program provides participating communities with hands-on support in data analysis, research, writing, and implementation planning.
We began the recruitment process in the Summer of 2025, advertising the cohort opportunity to our members and holding lots of one-on-one conversations to discuss the program. We wanted to make sure that participating communities received the support that would be most useful to them. These discussions allowed us to shape the Cohort’s curriculum to reflect what participating municipalities desired.
In October 2025, PCFO officially launched its inaugural Climate Action Planning Cohort. 10 communities eager to strengthen their climate action efforts joined: Bowling Green, Gahanna, Green, Garfield Heights, Kettering, Lucas County, Granville, Cuyahoga Falls, University Heights, and Worthington. These communities have been participating in the year-long program, attending monthly Cohort meetings, and completing independent work along the way.
Throughout the Cohort, PCFO staff and technical partners are providing data and research tools, project management documents, stakeholder engagement tracking documents, and community engagement materials so that participants don’t have to reinvent the wheel, especially when capacity is limited. Each of the participating communities is in a different phase of the CAP development process. Whether they’re drafting language, exploring how a Climate Action Plan would fit into their residents’ interests, or engaging stakeholders, the tools provided can be adapted to fit their needs.
Beyond the in-depth learning the Cohort has provided, members have shared that one of the biggest benefits of the program is the network of peer support and relationship building. Many of the participants are the only members of their municipal staff pushing sustainability work forward - the opportunity to connect with like-minded folks who celebrate similar wins and face familiar barriers has been encouraging, motivating, and grounding.
When the Cohort concludes in September 2026, participating communities will have developed a tailored framework for a local community climate action plan, positioning them to move from planning to implementation.