Lawrence Selected for IU Urban Green Fellowship Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2026

CITY OF LAWRENCE SELECTED FOR URBAN GREEN GOVERNANCE COHORT
Mayor Whitfield to welcome climate fellow to support environmental initiatives
 
Lawrence, IN – Mayor Deb Whitfield announced today that the City of Lawrence has been awarded a Fellow by the Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute, through the McKinney Urban Green Fellowship program. Lawrence will be part of a cohort and is one of four Indiana communities selected for the 2026 program. Lawrence will join the City of Richmond, the City of Evansville, and Dearborn County, working with undergraduate and graduate students interested in climate, sustainability, and community resilience by providing real-world career experiences.

The Fellow will begin their work on May 18 and will work full-time through the summer, assisting the city in developing an urban forest and arbor program, among other environmental initiatives. The city will benefit from a full-time, skilled McKinney Climate Fellow with deliverables valued at over $80,000.

“We are honored to have been selected by Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute for this prestigious Fellowship”, stated Mayor Whitfield. “This is one of several environmental initiatives that our city has recently embarked upon, and initiatives such as this effectively support our Live Longer in Lawrence campaign.  A cleaner, more resilient environment means a healthier community, leading to longer life expectancy”, she added.

Indiana University’s Urban Green Governance Grant (UGG) was made possible by a $150,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Community and Urban Forestry (CUF) program. Its goal is to assist Indiana communities in elevating their urban forestry programming, making them more likely to receive tree-planting grants, helping IDNR secure additional funding to support communities with CUF grants, and increasing urban forestry resilience in Indiana.

Media Contact:
Denise Herd, Herd Strategies
Phone: (317) 796-0514 
Email: denise@herdstrategies.com
 
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About the City of Lawrence, Indiana:  

Located northeast of Indianapolis, the City of Lawrence is Indiana’s 20th largest city and home to approximately 50,000 residents. While its military base was decommissioned in 1996, Lawrence has grown into a vibrant community that blends rich history with modern amenities. Under Mayor Deb Whitfield's leadership, the city continues to thrive as a welcoming place to live, work, and play. Learn more at cityoflawrence.org.