By Ellen H. King
February 9, 2004

During the Conference of Mayors 72nd Winter Meeting, DuPont's Chief Administrative Officer, Senior Vice President and General Counsel Stacey J. Mobley announced $1 million in Lead-Safety grant funds available to cities in 2004 through the USCM/DuPont Cities United for Science Progress (CUSP) partnership.

"With a total of $500,000 committed to our third competition of the Lead-Safe...For Kids' Sake Grant Program Awards and an additional $500,000 to our recently launched USCM-DuPont Spotlight on Excellence Awards, we will be able to reach even more cities in 2004," noted Mobley. "By directly funding innovative Lead-Safety strategies in cities we hope to continue to serve as a trusted resource to our local leaders," she said.

Through the 2004 Lead-Safe...For Kids' Sake Grant Program, cities are encouraged to submit a 750-word executive summary outlining how their city would utilize grant funds to create a Lead-Safe environment in their community. Applications should address the issue of Lead-Safe practices through programs, public policy, education or joint efforts with local stakeholders. Awards will be presented at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting in Boston (MA) this June. Three awards will be given; one award of $300,000 and two awards of $100,000. Applications must be postmarked no later then April 23, 2004. Mayors will receive an official grant application in the mail this month.

Conference Executive Director Tom Cochran continues to foresee great things for the many extensions of the grant programs, "Through the CUSP grant programs, not only do the monetary winners of the rewards benefit but so do all of our cities," said Cochran. "As a result of the three grant competitions that CUSP has held thus far, we have developed a vast array of Lead-Safety best practices. The future competitions will continue to serve as a Lead-Safety resource for cities nationwide."

Additionally in his presentation to mayors at the Winter Meeting, Mobley noted the progress of CUSP's other main initiative Science in the School Day. At the close of 2003 over 600 students had teamed up with mayors and DuPont engineers in 22 cities to further encourage the pursuit of quality science education in school children. Mayors are encouraged to contact the CUSP partnership to discover how they can bring this valuable science education program to the students of their city.

Also discussed during Mobley's presentation was the announcement of the inaugural winners of the USCM-DuPont Spotlight on Excellence Awards as — $35,000 Award to Phoenix (AZ), $25,000 Award to Providence (RI) and a $20,000 Award to Kansas City (MO). Mobley explained that the USCM-DuPont Spotlight on Excellence Awards are a series of six bi-monthly competitions and encouraged mayors to apply to Competition #2 of the Awards. The second competition's focus, announced February 2, is Lead-SafeTY EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS. All entries must be postmarked by March 5, 2004. Log on to www.cusponline.org for further information.

Since CUSP's inception in 2002, a total of 35 cities have benefited directly from the CUSP partnership. CUSP visits cities across the country and teams up with mayors to assist them in creating healthier, safer and more innovative and economically vibrant cities through science-based solutions. To learn more about the CUSP partnership, log on to cusponline.org and usmayors.org or contact CUSP Managing Director Ellen H. King at 202-861-6798 or at eking@usmayors.org.