Because I've worked in the climate-change sector for seven years -- at New York University on a Rockefeller Foundation grant, for the University of Maine, for the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future in Maine, and as the publisher of a monthly newsletter and legislative updates -- I have developed and engage with a network of public officials, policy makers, practitioners and community leaders.

I readily and often convene community members and experts to explore and act upon mutual concerns. For example, in 2019, I initiated and co-produced "Sea Level Rise: Who Pays and How," a daylong conference of 125 public officials in Maine. In 2020,

In 2020, I was the founding member of a 501(c)(3) that brought public attention to the need for Congressional extension of an expenditure deadline for nearly $2 billion of HUD-funded climate-adaptation projects in 10 states, California, Connecticut, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Tennessee and Virginia. I coordinated that educational effort with Congressional staff plus state and city officials. To supplement that initiative, I produced webinars featuring state and municipal officials from Connecticut, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C.

In 2021, I moderated the Urban Land Institute's Coastal Forum, "Preparing Communities for Federal Resilience Funding," featuring panelists from Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts and Virginia.

Each month, I facilitate a Zoom meeting of elected and appointed officials of nine small towns on Maine's Blue Hill Peninsula to address interlocal initiatives for climate mitigation and adaptation. For each meeting, I arrange for at least one state official to brief us on funding opportunities.

Allen Kratz, Principal

Allen Kratz offers four decades of experience in funding, community development, project management and historic preservation.  Most recently he worked for Rebuild by Design, tracking the progress of seven HUD-funded post-Superstorm Sandy flood-mitigation projects in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. 

In the coastal town of Brooksville, Maine, Allen serves on the Comprehensive Plan Committee, updating the master plan with an eye to coastal resilience and economic sustainability. 

Allen worked in real estate and economic development for the Finance Department of NJ Transit, the statewide transit agency.

Allen was a gubernatorial appointee to the New Jersey Historic Trust, which funds historic preservation. As president of the Hoboken Public Library’s board of trustees, Allen led a $3.2M rehabilitation project to preserve the historic library building and protect it from sea-level rise, coastal flooding and extreme weather.

Resilience Works, LLC

• provides on-demand Chief Resilience Officer services to municipalities

Resilience Works, LLC helps clients:

• envision and build community support for climate-resilience strategies

• support civic leaders in implementing and funding an ongoing resilience program

• gain insights about best practices for developing equitable resilience infrastructure

 Quick read: “I’m Allen Kratz. When it rains here in Hoboken, New Jersey – I can actually smile!  This flood gate keeps water outside the public library. I helped secure two million dollars in federal, state, county and municipal funding to protect this vital historic civic asset with a dozen different resilience upgrades. Because I know that resilience works, I am ready, willing and able to help you seek funding to reduce the risk of flooding in your community. So what’s a good day to meet? Tomorrow? Today? Funding deadlines come quickly. So, let’s get together and talk. I’m Allen Kratz, I look forward to talking with you.”

Recent and Current Experience

 City of Hoboken, New Jersey

• as Historic Preservation Commission member, helped N.J. Historic Preservation Office review 1,602 historic district properties as part of City’s effort to reduce flood risk + save historic legacy

• oversaw flood-proofing of historic municipal library with disaster-recovery funds

• served on Infrastructure and Transportation Task Force for mayoral transition

• appointed by Mayor Ravi Bhalla to Resiliency Advisory Committee

 Town of Brooksville, Maine

• appointed to Comprehensive Town Plan Committee; facilitate community engagement

• meets with State and County planners to strategize funding for coastal resilience

• serves on Ordinance Committee to review proposed ordinances

 State of New Jersey

• oversaw revenue-generating contracts in NJ Transit’s Finance Department

• prepared action items for review and approval by NJ Transit’s board of directors

• appointed by Governor to New Jersey Historic Trust, a grant-making agency 

 Rebuild by Design, in Partnership with 100 Resilient Cities

• tracked post-Sandy HUD projects in New York City, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut

• promoted Sandy projects’ best practices for community engagement

• briefed news media and international delegations Sandy projects’ progress

• prepared Rebuild by Design’s comments for environmental impact statements

 Embankment Preservation Coalition, Jersey City

• serve as historic preservation consultant for litigation support

 Prior Corporate and Non-Profit Employment

• AT&T

• Bank Street College of Education

• Lucent Technologies

• National Council of Churches

• Presbyterian Church (U.S.A. headquarters)

• Prudential Insurance

• The Palladium-Item (daily newspaper)

• The Reporter (daily newspaper)

Education

 American Univ., J.D.; Drexel Univ., M.L.S.; Earlham College, B.A.; Drew Univ., historic preservation certificate