We guide projects and programs from concept to launch, including grant writing partnerships and custom micro-teaching on sustainability topics. We help define problems within a systems framework and create actionable plans that move initiatives from good intentions to measurable progress.
Plans don’t move communities forward. Implementation does. We help partners get there by defining problems within a systems framework, identifying the interventions most likely to create lasting change, and building the capacity to act on them.
That might look like helping a city integrate resilience into its comprehensive plan so it’s reflected in every decision that follows, directing resources like tree plantings to the neighborhoods where they’ll do the most good, conducting a deep analysis that surfaces concrete strategies for protecting a neighborhood from displacement, or running focused workshops that sharpen a team’s ability to navigate complex challenges.
Projects
Examples of Ideas to Action:
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Driving Local Resilience Action in Greenwood, SC
Most communities don’t know where their plans fall short — until a crisis reveals it. When Greenwood launched its new Resilience and Sustainability Council, the Shi Institute analyzed seven existing plans, coded nearly 500 actions against 50 climate shocks and stressors, and facilitated workshops that turned the findings into a road map for action.
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Extreme Heat Is a Health Crisis. The Hard Part Is Knowing Exactly Where
South Carolina already endures about 15 days a year above 95°F—and that number is expected to grow dramatically. Extreme heat kills, worsens chronic illness, and strains communities in ways that vary dramatically from block to block. The Shi Institute is helping municipalities see exactly where the threat is greatest, and act on it.
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A Trusted Guide for Climate Resilience Action in SC Communities
South Carolina is home to 10 federally designated Community Disaster Resilience Zones — communities where climate risk and social vulnerability are high, but resources to act are often limited. Finding the right funding, technical expertise, and partners can feel like navigating a maze. That is the problem the Southeast Navigator Network program was built to…
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Protecting Spartanburg’s Northside Neighborhood from Displacement
Rising property values in Spartanburg’s Northside neighborhood bring both opportunities and risks. Our research reveals how strategic interventions can preserve community stability while residents benefit from increased equity.
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Preserving the Farms That Define Our Communities
South Carolina stands to lose 586,000 acres of farmland by 2036. That’s 67 acres disappearing every single day. Shi’s mapping tools can help change this trajectory.
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Protecting Sterling’s Community Character Amid Intense Market Pressure
Sterling sits in one of Greenville’s fastest-growing real estate markets, where community leaders’ foresight in acquiring key properties years ago now provides crucial protection against displacement pressures.