Communication & Outreach

Protecting Disaster Responders from Respiratory Hazards

lbennett — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:08:39 +0000

Protecting Disaster Responders from Respiratory Hazards

lbennett Fri, 06/12/2026 - 21:08

The Ask: Our clients with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Worker Training Program (WTP) fund organizations that deliver disaster preparedness and response training to workers and communities across the country. Trainers from these organizations expressed a need for voluntary respiratory protection guidance to protect workers and volunteers who participate in disaster cleanup but do not have mandated respiratory coverage, or whose employers do not provide or authorize personal protective equipment.

The Solution: MDB worked with an occupational health and safety expert to develop a respiratory guidance document and tool. The expert solicited input from a panel of WTP-funded organizations, academics, and industry professionals with experience in respiratory protection to participate in interviews and provide feedback about the structure and scope of the tool. Based on iterative review and feedback from the panel, our team worked to develop the outline, content, and graphics for the tool.

Notable Outcomes: The final tool, “Site Coordinator’s Guide to Voluntary Use of Respiratory Protection for Disaster Preparedness and Response,” is targeted toward laypeople, like volunteers, who are responding to tropical storms and hurricanes. The tool offers a resource for disaster response site coordinators who oversee workers and volunteers who may be included in a voluntary respiratory use program. The tool is comprised of standalone one-page sheets to allow each page to be disseminated as their own documents or as a whole packet. It provides clear, concise information that supervisors can use to advise their decision to implement voluntary respiratory protection, ultimately keeping disaster workers safe as they complete disaster cleanup tasks.

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Advancing Community Change Through Clear, Actionable Visuals

lbennett — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:07:02 +0000

Advancing Community Change Through Clear, Actionable Visuals

Air

Communication & Outreach

lbennett Fri, 06/12/2026 - 21:07

The Ask: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sought to develop clear, accessible graphics to accompany its Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Community Change Grants (CCG) — a nearly $2 billion program supporting community-driven efforts to reduce air pollution and build capacity in disadvantaged communities. Given the complexity of the application process, EPA needed a way to distill detailed program requirements into materials that community stakeholders could easily understand and act on.

The Solution: MDB created a series of infographics to accompany the CCG NOFO, translating complex grant requirements into clear, user-friendly visuals. These graphics illustrated key elements of the program, including eligibility criteria, statutory partnership requirements, funding structure, and the range of allowable strategies and project components.

To further support outreach and understanding, MDB also designed the program’s logo and produced four tailored slide decks for both prospective applicants and federal stakeholders, ensuring consistent, cohesive messaging across all engagement efforts.

Notable Outcomes: The graphics and slide decks were widely used in a series of webinars for communities across the country to learn about the new CCG funds and application process. These materials were also included in a slide deck presentation to a White House working group.

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Highlighting Advances in Air Pollution Monitoring Following Disasters

lbennett — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:04:12 +0000

Highlighting Advances in Air Pollution Monitoring Following Disasters

Air

Communication & Outreach

lbennett Fri, 06/12/2026 - 21:04

The Ask: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) aimed to elevate its most impactful, Institute-funded research for public audiences — including advancements in tools and technologies used to monitor air pollution exposures during disasters.

The Solution: MDB condensed a technical publication on mobile air monitoring following the train derailment in East Palestine, OH into a simplified, plain-language summary in the NIEHS Environmental Factor Newsletter. It highlighted how scientists used real-time nontargeted mobile air quality monitoring to gain better insight into exposures and potential health effects following the disaster.

Notable Outcomes: The clients and the Environmental Factor editor commended the simplified write-up for succinctly conveying the key scientific advancements and implications for protecting public health.

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Sharing Research Linking Air Pollutants and Metabolic Diseases

lbennett — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:02:04 +0000

Sharing Research Linking Air Pollutants and Metabolic Diseases

Air

Communication & Outreach

lbennett Fri, 06/12/2026 - 21:02

The Ask: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences sought to share high-impact, scientifically rigorous research with the public, including studies the connect air pollution exposure to human health risks.

The Solution: MDB condensed the technical publication into a simplified, plain-language summary in a monthly Research Brief. It highlighted how scientists reported that prenatal exposure to the air pollutant benzene increased the risk of metabolic disorders later in life.

Notable Outcomes: Both the clients and the lead author on the paper praised the brief for translating complex science on air pollution’s health effects into clear, accessible insights for a wider audience.

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Developing a Training Tool for Community Engagement

lbennett — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:59:40 +0000

Developing a Training Tool for Community Engagement

Air

Communication & Outreach

Training

lbennett Fri, 06/12/2026 - 20:59

The Ask: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) needed a tool to help local and state governments incorporate engagement with communities into their grant-funded projects.

The Solution: In collaboration with OAR staff, MDB designed and developed a 7-page booklet to help local and state governments create or expand their plans to engage communities MDB provided planning, copy editing, graphic design, and Section 508-compliance support. The booklet is an effective tool to provide a visual and written roadmap for grant recipients as they develop community engagement plans.

Notable Outcomes: EPA praised the booklet as a beautiful and useful resource and planned to share it with others. The booklet was disseminated to grant recipient listservs and published on the EPA website.

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Communicating Public Health Benefits of Air Research for Policy Implications

lbennett — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:58:22 +0000

Communicating Public Health Benefits of Air Research for Policy Implications

Air

Communication & Outreach

lbennett Fri, 06/12/2026 - 20:58

The Ask: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences sought to synthesize decades of air pollution research funded through the Superfund Research Program (SRP) and promote the resulting public health benefits.

The Solution: MDB compiled and synthesized relevant publications, interviewed the lead scientist, and wrote a Public Health Impact Story detailing how their research revolutionized our understanding of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as air pollutants rather than just contaminating soil or water. It further highlighted how this research has been used to help K-12 schools more accurately identify sources of PCBs and prioritize remediation projects to yield cost savings and informed a policy in Germany to better protect human health.

Notable Outcomes: The clients and the researcher praised the story for eloquently condensing the research into an engaging and visually appealing story.

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Sharing Challenges and Opportunities to Improve Air Quality in Schools

lbennett — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:47:19 +0000

Sharing Challenges and Opportunities to Improve Air Quality in Schools

Air

Communication & Outreach

Data Analysis & Visualization

Environmental Science

lbennett Fri, 06/12/2026 - 20:47

The Ask: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sought to assess and synthesize decades of research on air quality in schools around the world. This involved casting a wide-net literature search, led by MDB’s library scientist, and screening nearly 2,000 articles for relevance and inclusion.

The Solution: MDB science writers led the development of a comprehensive 155-page contractor report on indoor air quality in schools that summarized the body of literature, including detailed overviews of 11 common pollutants (e.g., particulate matter, volatile organic compounds), including sources of exposure, measurement and monitoring strategies, impacts on the health of students and school staff, intervention and mitigation strategies, and barriers and challenges to implementation.

Notable Outcomes: MDB’s Creative Director and science communicators also developed a suite of eye-catching outreach materials to help share the findings more broadly. These materials included an interactive school map to be posted on a new EPA webpage, with several different rooms within a school building (gym, pool, technology room, art room, classroom, supply closet, etc.) with clickable pop-out windows featuring indoor air quality concerns in each room.

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Get the Lead Out Community Engagement

lbennett — Tue, 13 May 2025 18:44:28 +0000

Get the Lead Out Community Engagement

Communication & Outreach

Community Engagement

Technical Assistance

Water

lbennett Wed, 05/14/2025 - 01:44

The Ask: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Get the Lead Out Initiative provides technical assistance to communities to inventory lead service lines and access water infrastructure funding for lead pipe removal. EPA sought MDB’s support in grassroots outreach, community education, and collaboration with local stakeholders to support the Get the Lead Out Initiative.

The Solution: MDB conducted outreach in communities with lead service lines to raise awareness about lead contamination in water, educate residents about the initiative's goals and actions, and identify lead service lines in homes. MDB community engagement specialists attended community events and, alongside local utility workers, conducted household visits to establish a comprehensive inventory of water service lines in towns across the country.

Notable Outcomes: MDB is part of a team that has reached thousands of residents across several communities with lead service lines. The home visits help in the development of local lead pipe inventories and address potential sources of lead contamination in the water supply, contributing to efforts aimed at improving public health and safety.

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Building a Brand to Spread Community Awareness

lbennett — Tue, 13 May 2025 18:39:01 +0000

Building a Brand to Spread Community Awareness

Communication & Outreach

Community Engagement

Technical Assistance

Water

lbennett Wed, 05/14/2025 - 01:39

The Ask: Stillmeadow Community Fellowship Church, a partner of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Urban Waters Program, expanded its programs and partnerships to restore and enhance green spaces in Baltimore communities. Stillmeadow sought MDB’s guidance to improve their external communications for new partners and help leverage their goals and accomplishments to stakeholders in Baltimore and strengthen funding proposals.

The Solution: MDB convened meetings with Stillmeadow to help organize and identify their priorities to develop communication products that best convey Stillmeadow’s mission and highlight their achievements. MDB also provided guidance on leveraging narrative storytelling to assist Stillmeadow in broadening their partnership network and compete for more funding opportunities. MDB also reviewed previous communication products created by Stillmeadow partners to identify and build off existing branding.

Notable Outcomes: MDB communication specialists and graphic designers worked with Stillmeadow to generate consistent brand elements and develop a portfolio of communication materials with new and improved design elements and written content, including a fact sheet and PowerPoint template, that they can customize for each program and personalize for the intended audience. These materials help convey their brand and build awareness among partners, stakeholders, and funders in the Baltimore community.

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Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap: A Comprehensive Wastewater Solutions Plan for the San Carlos Apache Tribe

lbennett — Tue, 13 May 2025 18:33:23 +0000

Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap: A Comprehensive Wastewater Solutions Plan for the San Carlos Apache Tribe

Communication & Outreach

Community Engagement

Technical Assistance

Water

lbennett Wed, 05/14/2025 - 01:33

The Ask: The San Carlos Apache Tribe conducted a septic survey which identified many homes on the Reservation with poorly functioning onsite systems or no sewer services at all. Through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap initiative, the Tribe’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) sought technical assistance to address these known wastewater gaps by connecting residents to educational and financial resources.

The Solution: EPA engaged MDB’s project management, community engagement, and engineering support and decentralized wastewater expertise to help the Tribe develop a plan to address current and future wastewater issues. MDB worked extensively with the Tribal DEP to organize information on wastewater services. As community engagement was a key element to building trust, MDB planners and community engagement specialists made frequent visits to the Reservation, conducting site visits and delivering presentations to the Tribal Council.

Notable Outcomes: MDB developed a comprehensive wastewater treatment improvement plan and authored the Options for Clean Water Solutions for the San Carlos Apache Tribe, Arizona. The wastewater treatment improvement plan provides recommendations for the onsite systems and improvements to the central sewer system as well as approaches for management, public education, and governance. It addresses the Tribe’s immediate sanitation system needs and includes recommendations for building a policy framework for sound management and sufficient financial resources. MDB also developed a wastewater management ordinance to help the Tribe prevent issues with septic system failures.

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