The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, in partnership with its Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy and Arizona State University's Global Futures Laboratory (ASU), is seeking agricultural communities interested in participating in a scenario planning project. This effort will help your community develop strategies for addressing the effects of climate uncertainty and changes in water availability.

Exploratory scenario planning (XSP) is a visioning process that allows participants to discuss forces affecting their community (such as drought, population growth or decline, local or regional economic and market conditions, competition for water supplies, or climate change) and understand how those forces will affect their future. The process helps participants envision several plausible future scenarios — some ideal, and some disastrous — and identify specific strategies to prevent, mitigate, or even take advantage of the effects of each scenario. You can learn more about exploratory scenario planning by watching this short video.

The Lincoln Institute and ASU team, in collaboration with selected communities, will develop and run community-based workshops in 2022 and 2023 for stakeholders to envision and plan for the implications of uncertain economic, social, and climate trends in water and agriculture. Workshops will focus on the future of irrigated agriculture in the Colorado River Basin states and help the community identify promising, planning and policy changes. After the workshops participating communities will be eligible to apply for funding to implement recommendations resulting from the scenario planning effort.

The Lincoln Institute will cover all expenses of the workshops for participating communities. The workshops will provide hands-on guidance from leading researchers, experts, and practitioners in scenario planning and water use. The Lincoln team will run a series of three workshops in each selected community. The amount of staff time communities dedicate to the project can vary and will be determined based on capacity.

Submitting a letter of interest begins a dialogue with Lincoln staff to assess a community's fit for the program. Please note that the Institute's receipt of your letter of interest does not guarantee acceptance into the program of workshops. Similarly, please note that submitting a letter of interest does not commit a community, individual, agency or organization to the program. Evaluation Criteria Letters of interest will be evaluated based on how they address the requirements and requested information below.

Who can submit a letter of interest?

Any individual or group of individuals representing one or several of the following entities, agencies or organizations or governments:

• Governments and government agencies (municipal, county, state or tribal)
• Non-profit organizations
• Economic or Community Development groups
• Water/irrigation districts
• Group of unaffiliated community members (residents, business owners, etc.)

What communities are eligible?

Any group/individual expressing interest in the program must indicate that the community their government, organization or entity serves:

• Is located within one of the seven U.S. Colorado River Basin states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming, or Utah). The community need not be within or rely on the Colorado River Basin.
• Has water supply issues that affect agriculture, growth, or development.
• Can form and/or work with a group of other governments, organizations, entities or community residents during the program's three workshops.

What should a letter of interest address?

To express interest in the program, please submit a letter of interest that addresses the following:

• Your organization's role in water supply issues or water planning
• Water supply issues facing your organization and your community
• Why an exploratory scenario planning process would be beneficial for your community
  • Describe why you or your organization are interested in partnering with other local groups and residents to tackle water planning and policy
  • Describe why you or your organization are interested in considering various future scenarios to understand how issues in your community will evolve
• Describe why you or your organization are interested in facilitating a community dialogue on these topics. Identify organizations who have committed to cooperate on a scenario planning project and list any other potential partners (such as organizations, governments, agencies) who might be interested in participating alongside your organization. Identify other community organizations or local foundations that may fund follow-up planning activities or implementation efforts

RFP Schedule Submissions

The first review of letters of interest will begin on September 12, 2022. Letters of interest may be submitted to Nina Gruber at ngruber@lincolninst.edu.

Communities, individuals and organizations that have not been selected for the program will be notified by October 12, 2022.

Questions about this RFP

For questions regarding this request for proposals, please send an email to Jim Holway (jholway@lincolninst.edu) or Ryan Maye Handy (rhandy@lincolninst.edu).

About the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy seeks to improve quality of life through the effective use, taxation, and stewardship of land. A nonprofit private operating foundation whose origins date to 1946, the Lincoln Institute researches and recommends creative approaches to land as a solution to economic, social, and environmental challenges. Through education, training, publications, and events, we integrate theory and practice to inform public policy decisions worldwide.