Trainings & Events

Nonprofits are increasingly concerned about how sensitive government and federal data are accessed, and how this may violate laws and regulations while undermining the trust people place in organizations when seeking critical services. How can we provide services without risking people's safety when sharing sensitive information?

Building on the Quick Improvements to Data Privacy tip sheet, Dr. Eric Giannella of the Massive Data Institute will share practical safeguards to protect sensitive data without requiring new technology. He will outline steps for assessing whether certain personal data can be stored separately or made less sensitive while still meeting mission needs, and methods for deciding whether to retain or delete sensitive information to balance program effectiveness with privacy protection.

This webinar will be especially helpful for executive directors and program managers, but it will also benefit anyone who manages client data and needs practical solutions they can share with colleagues. Register here.
 

The Hixon Center is pleased to announce its Fall 2025 Speaker Series on Sustainable Transportation. Webinars will take place on Tuesdays from September 9 to November 11, from 12:00-1:00pm U.S. ET. Join us for a ten-part weekly lecture series on Sustainable Transportation, exploring forward-thinking solutions in response to climate change, rapid urbanization, and growing global mobility. Experts will share practical insights and real-world examples from across the globe, shedding light on policies and innovations for a more sustainable, connected world. Visit hixon.yale.edu/event-series/sustainable-transportation to see a full list of upcoming speakers. All lectures are free and open to the public. Recordings of each session will be available on the event page by the following Tuesday.
 

Placemaking goes beyond beautification —it is a process that fosters connection and community activation. Join us in New Haven on Wednesday, October 8th for a dynamic summit that explores how placemaking can reflect a community’s unique geography, cultural identity, and history—while driving pride, investment, and growth.

Why Attend?

• Hear from Fred Kent, founder of the global placemaking movement, as he shares his insights and actionable strategies for transforming main streets into vibrant, people-centered places.


• Explore real-world case studies from downtowns across Connecticut that demonstrate how municipalities and stakeholders are successfully implementing community-led placemaking.


• Engage with New Haven leaders in a live panel discussion showcasing impactful local initiatives and lessons learned.


• Connect with decision makers and doers— main street professionals, planners, city officials, economic developers, arts & culture professionals, and entrepreneurs—who are shaping the future of Connecticut’s downtowns.

Whether you’re looking to spark reinvestment, strengthen local identity, or activate underused public spaces, you will leave this summit with the inspiration and practical tools to make it happen!
 

Join UConn TAB as they summarize the changes in the EPA MAC Grant Guidelines.
 

Help Connecticut shape its path to net-zero by 2050! Join the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection’s upcoming virtual public meeting to review progress towards the state’s climate goals and proposed strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and share your climate implementation action priorities. Your voice will help build a more affordable, resilient, and low-carbon future for Connecticut.

This meeting is open to all who are interested in climate action in Connecticut. For those who cannot attend the meeting, DEEP will post a recording of the meeting on its website.

When: Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Where: Virtual
 

During this hands-on workshop, we will focus on the principles of data visualization and apply them with free data visualization tools. By learning the principles of data visualization, you will be able to create simple, compelling charts that effectively convey insights you gain from data, no matter what tool you use.

By the end of this session, you will:

• Learn how to choose a chart based on what is most important in your analysis.
• Be able to make decisions about color and design to communicate your message.
• Be able to create graphs in free data visualization tools.
• Understand how much detail to show depending on your audience.

Lunch will be served!

Accessibility: CTData is committed to making our workshops as accessible and barrier-free as possible. If you have any accessibility needs or require accommodations to participate, please contact Jackie at [email protected]. Our goal is to make our workshops accessible to everyone, and we welcome feedback on how we can improve.

A note about the fee: We offer our workshops at a low price to ensure they are accessible to everyone. Fees cover the instruction time of the instructor and refreshments (in-person only). If you are unable to pay, please contact Jackie ([email protected]) to attend this training free of charge.

Please contact Jackie at [email protected] with any questions.
 

Join the Connecticut Equity and Environmental Justice Advisory Council’s Air & Transportation Subcommittee as we tour portions of DEEP’s air monitoring lab and meet analysts, engineers, and program managers from DEEP’s Air Bureau. Additionally, this subcommittee will be holding a shortened meeting to learn about how to create and implement a Community Air Monitoring Program and how youth advocates are engaging on reduced transit fare legislation.

To view the meeting agenda click here.
 

Please join Rebekah Fraser’s Trash to Fashion programming. Learn from her ongoing dedication to using less, reusing more with concrete and accessible ways to achieve it.

Fraser (artist, writer, activist and educator) has spent years creating wearable garments and accessories out of items such as plastic wrappers, torn ‘beyond use’ clothing, and even glass (seen as a decorative element in her skirt to the left.)

If you want to help make our environment safe but don’t know where to start, learn how to upcycle with flair to refashion our environment at the Trash to Fashion Workshop, led by Fraser and other fashion designers. Whether wild, ridiculous, or glamorous, wear your creation at the Trash to Fashion Ball immediately following the workshop.
 

Join Kevin Moss, Senior Manager for Clean Transportation at Connecticut Green Bank for an informative one-hour Coffee Hour to discuss the Fleet Electrification Accelerator, regulatory updates, and information to sign up for their Spring 2026 Cohort. This free program supports Connecticut school districts—especially those in distressed municipalities—in planning and deploying electric school bus fleets.

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

Please join the Connecticut Water Planning Council's Outreach and Education Workgroup for a continuation of the Extreme Weather and Our Watershed Webinar Series 2025. The series will wrap up this fall with two workshops centered on the impacts of extreme weather on drinking water quality. This final workshop will focus on drought and its impacts on water quality, including challenges with algal blooms and cyanobacteria.
 

Join Nylab Noori, from New England Rural Health Association for a discussion on how rural communities are impacted by brownfields.
 

The EPA is hosting a webinar for assistance agreement (grant) applicants and recipients. During the webinar, EPA staff will review key aspects of EPA’s grants processes and requirements, and you will have the opportunity to submit questions. You must register in advance for the webinar using the link provided below.
 

SWAC membership is open to all. Meetings held in an open stakeholder forum.

For more information or agenda: https://portal.ct.gov/deep/waste-management-and-disposal/solid-waste-management-plan/state-solid-waste-advisory-committee-information-and-schedule
 

Save the Date!

We'll be honoring all of our 2025 certified towns and a brand new cohort of Climate Leaders at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam on Tuesday, October 28, from 4-7 p.m.

The Goodspeed opened its doors as a professional musical theatre in 1963 in an historic building on the banks of the Connecticut River in East Haddam. This exceptional venue has hosted over 250 musicals, including over 70 world premieres, and has exported 21 productions to Broadway.

Please do save the date to hit the high notes with us. Better yet, REGISTER EARLY because - you guessed it - space is limited. Your hard work and continuing support are of vital importance to us, so we hope to see you on October 28th!

The 2025 Sustainable CT Awards Celebration is generously sponsored by Reworld, Clean Transportation Communities of Southern Connecticut, Envest Asset Management, Casella Waste Systems, PowerOptions, Titan Energy New England, and Energia.

Sponsorship Opportunities are Available!

Join us in working for a better Connecticut. By sponsoring our 2025 Awards Celebration, you'll be aligned with our reputation as a trusted and valuable support program for municipal leaders and an innovative thought-leader in building thriving, sustainable communities. Don't wait: contact Jessica LeClair, 860-259-4767, to discuss options and details.
 

Jump on UConn TAB's link to get help and support with your EPA MAC Grant!
 

As nonprofits face funding cuts and rising expenses, it is more crucial than ever to have access to accurate data that helps us manage our resources and meet the growing needs in our communities. As the availability and reliability of federal data becomes unpredictable, nonprofit and public sector professionals must think creatively about how to navigate this changing landscape and find partnerships that can help us maximize the resources available.

Join Norwalk ACTS and CTData for a 90-minute in-person event on navigating today’s changing data landscape. Hear from national and local experts, share solutions in small-group discussions, and connect with peers to strengthen our community’s use of reliable data.

During this event, you will hear from Meeta Anand, Senior Program Director for Census and Data Equity at The Leadership Conference Education Fund, on changes at the federal level and how they may affect data availability at the local level in the future. You will also hear about what changes you can expect at the state and local levels. You will have the chance in small group discussions to share challenges and brainstorm solutions for filling data gaps in your community.

The event will conclude with dedicated networking time to build relationships and strengthen the data community.

Whether you’re a nonprofit leader, data professional, or simply passionate about evidence-based social change, you’ll gain new insights, valuable resources, and stronger connections. Let’s create a more resilient, informed, and connected data ecosystem.
 

If your town is pursuing Sustainable CT certification, The Partnership for Strong Communities (The Partnership) Housing Data Profiles is a crucial resource. Developed with local leaders, planners, and advocates in mind, the The Partnership Housing Data Profiles tool delivers essential county and town-level metrics on housing stock, affordability, demographics, and other economic indicators for your municipal growth and business development. Each of these indicators are provided for every Connecticut town as well as the state and planning regions.

Join Sustainable CT, The Partnership and CTData for a webinar on how to use these Housing Data Profiles as you work on your Sustainable CT certification actions.

In this interactive session, you will:

• See a live demonstration of the Housing Data Profiles, with real-world examples tailored for economic development and Sustainable CT action points.
• Learn about the breadth of data readily available in this easy-to-use tool.
• Discuss how this tool can be used to support Sustainable CT certification requirements.

Join the UConn College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources for an exciting day of presentations featuring current science-based research and information on supporting pollinators in managed landscapes. Learn how native plants support pollinator health throughout the year!

This program is designed for growers and other green industry professionals, landscape service providers, landscape architects and designers, town commissions, municipalities, and home gardeners.

Session topics:

Who are Connecticut’s Specialist Bees: Tracy Zarillo MS., Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Come learn about Connecticut’s specialist bees and the plants they need, as well as other common bees to watch for in the yard. 

Soil Microbial Allies in Managed Systems: Mia Maltz, PhD., Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut
This presentation will highlight suburban soil ecology and how it impacts native plant and pollinator health. 

Knockout Natives: Sam Hoadley, Mt. Cuba Center Botanic Garden
Top performers and favorites of Phlox, Echinacea, wild hydrangea, Carex, Amsonia, and Vernonia from Mt. Cuba Center’s research trials will be discussed.

Seeing Nature: Andrew Brand, MS., Coastal Maine Botanical Garden
Draw gardening inspiration from images of plant and pollinator interactions captured beautifully and like you’ve never seen before.

Native Landscape Plants with Local Roots: Jessica Lubell-Brand, PhD., Professor, University of Connecticut
Native shrub selections that were discovered in and originate from New England will be covered

REGISTRATION AND MORE INFORMATION: s.uconn.edu/nppc2025

• Early Registration (by October 15): $70
• Regular Registration (after October 15): $80
• College/University Matriculated Students: $25

The Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation is hosting a one-day conference at the Branford House at UConn Avery Point in Groton. Please join to work toward a more Resilient Connecticut! Register for the event HERE, registration closes November 3. Agenda to follow.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

Connecticut’s data community faces new challenges and opportunities as access to critical information grows more complex and essential to our work. This year’s sudden loss of federal datasets (which were ultimately restored) underscored the urgent need for a strong and connected data ecosystem in Connecticut.

For this year's conference, CTData will focus on the theme of Data for Democracy. Bringing together more than 250 nonprofit and public sector leaders, data professionals, and advocates, we will strengthen our collective ability to use data for good.

Join CTData on December 3rd at the Hartford Marriott Downtown for a day of expert insights, hands-on learning, and networking with peers who share your commitment to ethical, transparent, and impactful data use.

This year’s event comes at a pivotal moment for our state and features keynote speaker Dr. Ismar Volić, Director of the Institute for Mathematics and Democracy, and author of “Making Democracy Count: How Mathematics Improves Voting, Electoral Maps, and Representation.” As an attendee you will:

• Gain practical skills through sessions such as Data Tools 101 and 202.

• Explore participatory strategies to authentically engage people with lived experience.

• Learn actionable frameworks like “before action reviews” and “in action reviews.”

• Connect with a vibrant professional community committed to advancing ethical data practices.

• Share solutions and advocate for the data that drives our missions and supports strong communities.

This is a paid in-person event.
 

Join Katie Malgioglio, UConn TAB Community Engagement Manager, for a conversation about UConn TAB's Municipal Assistance Program.
 

Join Sustainable CT for virtual, informal, discussions most third Thursdays of each month. We share program updates and resources, explore your questions, and strengthen the network of Sustainable CT champions. These sessions are free and open to all.
 

This informative day will include keynote speakers, breakout sessions, networking, a catered lunch, and exhibitors. Attendees will benefit from a variety of themed breakout sessions, providing education on composting related to the basics, home, farm, municipal, schools, and medium to large scale operations. The event will highlight how composting can benefit local communities, businesses, the environment, and improve climate resiliency.