History Overview
Sustain Dane is a non-profit organization located in Madison, Wisconsin. In 1998, over 80 community members participated in a half-day session with Torbjorn Lahti, the father of the Swedish eco-municipality movement. Inspired by what they heard and what they knew to be possible, the group formed what eventually became our Sustain Dane non-profit organization.
The first year of Sustain Dane was an experiment in open participation, with relatively little formal organization and no officers or official documents; all who signed up at the first presentation by Torbjorn were notified and invited to all meetings; different people would take leadership for what they were interested in and the others would work collaboratively to help organize and execute projects.
As interest in the group increased, Sustain Dane created a set of bylaws and articles of incorporation, and established a Board of Directors. Early on, Sustain Dane assisted in the formation of several other new organizations, and organized events, workshops, courses and presentations by various guest speakers on different aspects of sustainability.
In 2002, Sustain Dane received 501 c3 non-profit status and hired its first full-time staff member. Since then, the group has continued to grow its core activities along with developing several impacting programs and initiatives. This has been accomplished with the generous support of Madison Community Foundation, individual and organizational financial and in-kind contributions, and the outpouring of participation and volunteerism from the community. The total involvement in our activities including volunteers, attendees of events, discussion courses participants, rain barrel customers, listserv subscribers, and neighbornation.net participants, adds up to thousands of local citizens.
Our list of supporters and partners for past activities includes environment, housing, education, agriculture, health/well-being, community development, culturally focused non-profit organizations, businesses and business associations, neighborhood and neighborhood planning associations, city and county governments and departments, academic institutions, national and international non-profit organizations, and prominent community and sustainability leaders.
Now in 2006, the problems we all face at the community level are clear and are being recognized as a global priority. Excessive resource use, climate change, and energy shortage are seriously effecting the environment, the economy and human life. Change on the local community level is the strategy that cities throughout the United States are using to reverse these negative sustainability trends. Good examples of this trend to local action are the recent surge in mayors signing the U.S. Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement and the more widespread establishment of community-based sustainability organizations.
To help bring about the wide-ranging changes that will be required to create a truly sustainable ecology, economy, and social equity structure in our community, Sustain Dane will continue to awaken, inspire, educate and support individuals and communities through our current programs and initiatives and when and where possible, create new opportunities for involvement in sustainability.