The Smart Growth Alliances Information Network (SGAIN) is a forum, created by the Urban Land Institute with funding support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The SGAIN mission is to support the work of the smart growth alliances in the network, and give their leaders opportunities to learn from each other as they develop unique programs to promote and recognize smart growth in their regions. The network will meet once a year for an annual information sharing forum and the SGAIN website will provide useful information, contacts and program models relevant to the work of smart growth alliances around the country.

With their public, private and nonprofit sector leadership, smart growth alliances are building a broad-based, regional consensus around growth and development patterns to encourage healthy communities that are economically beneficial and environmentally responsible. ULI has worked with diverse local stakeholders in a number of communities to support the formation of regional smart growth alliances:

• Atlanta Livable Communities Coalition / ULI Atlanta
• Colorado Tomorrow Alliance / ULI Colorado 
• Delaware Valley Smart Growth Alliance / ULI Philadelphia 
• myregion.org / ULI Central Florida 
• Quality Growth Alliance / ULI Seattle 
• Smart Growth Partnership—A Southeast Florida Initiative / ULI Southeast Florida 
• Vision North Texas / ULI North Texas
• Washington Smart Growth Alliance / ULI Washington
• Ten at the Top / ULI South Carolina
• See 2030 / ULI South Carolina
• Envision Central Texas / ULI Houston
• Reality Check First Coast / ULI North Florida
• Research Triangle Region / ULI Triangle
• One Bay / ULI Tampa Bay
• Move AZ One / ULI Arizona

The formation of a smart growth alliance typically includes the adoption of a set of smart growth principles for the region, development of a common growth vision and implementation of programs that address smart growth challenges and opportunities in the region.

The goal of these alliances is to identify where there is consensus among public officials, developers, environmental groups and grassroots organization, as well as between urban, suburban and rural interests on growth issues, and to identify projects where the alliance can work more effectively than could individual organizations acting alone. 

Alliance partners often include, but are not limited to, the ULI District Council; local or regional homebuilder associations; representatives from environmental organizations, civic groups, businesses, and state, regional and local governments; the chamber of commerce; and academics.

For more information, please contact Heidi Sweetnam, Vice President of Community Outreach, at (202) 624-7170 or hsweetnam@uli.org.