Elevate AVL Last updated or reviewed on January 20, 2026 The Elevate AVL project seeks to learn from Asheville communities to inform neighborhood-led and city-supported initiatives to develop shared resources and ideas to thrive in a changing climate. In Phase 1 of the project (2024), community leaders participated on an advisory committee and as neighborhood engagement agents to inform content and purpose for the Elevate AVL project and to support the development of a Climate Action Toolkit. The final toolkit resources were refined and updated following Tropical Storm Helene and published in the spring of 2025. Toolkit contents are available on the website, as downloadable PDFs in English, Spanish, or as a hardcopy at the following locations. These resources are designed to spark climate conversations between Asheville residents, build neighborhood resilience and activate personal and community climate action. During Phase 2 of the project (2025), in addition to supporting the distribution of toolkits in neighborhoods throughout the city, program participants designed and implemented individual community impact projects. The projects focused on mental health resources, climate literacy, household water system innovation, climate art, and emergency preparedness in the community. Read this blog post for more information about the innovative work and impactful leaders at the heart of the movement to support community-led resilience building across neighborhoods, sectors, and communities. Phase 3 of this project includes an “Explore Resilience Hubs” Organizational Work Plan (OWP) project that seeks to connect relevant internal and external projects to develop shared language, recommended policy frameworks, and a clearer definition of the City’s role in the development and maintenance of a connected, community-led Resilience Hub Network. The OWP contains multiple projects: Community Space Upfit, Community Engagement Academy, Resilient Power Systems development at critical facilities, and Resilience Hub Mapping. The mapping project looks to document the emergent community resilience response that unfolded during Tropical Storm Helene while clarifying possible gaps that can be filled with future projects. Recommended next steps and future work will be developed through the OWP, the cross departmental project team, and will incorporate feedback from the People and Environment Recovery board and City Council leadership. Actions Taken Declared a Climate Emergency through Resolution 20-25 Established the Climate Justice Initiative to collaborate with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) leaders and community members to create a locally relevant definition of Climate Equity and to develop resources like the Climate Justice Data Map, Story Map, and Screening Tool to embed climate justice considerations in City planning and implementation. Established community Advisory Committee and Engagement Agent pilot program to reconnect with community members and inform Climate Action Toolkit and resource development Published Climate Action Toolkit and resource webpages Completed Engagement Agent community projects program Launched Resilience Hub Mapping Project Supporting Documents Blog post – Elevate AVL Engagement Agents implement community impact projects Blog post – City of Asheville working towards a proactive plan in the face of climate change Final Assessment Report – April 2018 Resolution 20-25 Climate Emergency Declaration Climate Justice Data Map to understand and visualize ‘hot spots’ and intersecting stressors Climate Action Toolkit
