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See Us In Action
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"Tamara Marcus is brimming with talent and the sharpest of intellects. However, her most endearing quality is her gentle care for people; her desire for all living creatures to know love, to feel seen, to be heard, to be counted. You cannot teach this kind of deep empathy, nor can you expect those who possess it to find functional ways to incorporate this empathy with meaningful work. This integration of empathy, academia, and thoughtful action, may well be Tamara's highest purpose. And if it isn't, we are blessed beyond measure to have yet to know what marvelous plan lies ahead."
Stacey Walker,
Former Linn County Supervisor
I worked with Empowered Solutions Collective for research support, including data collection and analysis. Dr. Marcus was instrumental in centering a community focus, turning both numbers and stories into clear recommendations.
The project included supervising three college research assistants. Tam empowered the students to shape their contribution to the project while coaching them on research principles.
Anne Harris Carter, Community Health Program ManagerLinn County Public Health
Addressing energy efficiency, reducing utility bills (energy burdens) and accelerating a just and equitable transition to clean energy requires broad knowledge and expertise in multiple areas that include utility laws and regulations, residential construction, building codes, energy auditing, solar and battery systems, cost/benefit analysis and extensive relationships with community leaders and organizations, municipal, county and federal governments and a deep understanding of their objectives and programs. Communication skills are essential to handle everything from building new relationships, to writing grants, to successfully carrying out programs and projects and helping individuals and entities take advantage of incentives. Empowered Solutions Collective, Tamara Marcus, has provided services to Linn Clean Energy District that bring all this knowledge and expertise to bear, successfully completing and providing comprehensive reporting on complex projects that required overcoming significant obstacles. Empowered Solutions Collective is recommended.
John Zakrasek,
Director, Linn County Energy District
The academy had a goal to develop a gardening and nutrition program to support the youth in or program and their families. Empowered Solutions Collective proposed a plan, a space, and some assistants to facilitate the program. I continue to be impressed by Empowered Solutions Collective, including its approach, thoroughness, and accessibility of programming for both adults and students.
We have had three successful gardens, which means three educated student groups and a net positive impact on the program's goals. Empowered Solutions Collective also suggested food giveaways of sme of the produce from the garden, which shared produce with needy citizens, and also taught students the necessity and benefits of reaching out to the community.
If you are considering working with Empowered Solutions Collective, I would say, do it! Empowered Solutions brings a dimension to community outreach work that may be missing, ignored, or unacknowledged in standard programming.
Dr. Ruth White, Founder, Academy For Scholastic and Personal Success
News Coverage
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Our Projects
Garden Project
Empowered Solutions Collective partnered with The Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success to design and implement a hands-on garden program centered on food justice, garden education, and cultural relevance. The project served families in historically underserved communities facing barriers to fresh, locally grown, culturally relevant food and opportunities for outdoor learning. ESC led curriculum design, garden planning, and community engagement, integrating food justice, nutrition education, and storytelling into the experience. The result was not just a garden, but a living classroom that strengthened food security, intergenerational learning, and community connection.
National Geographic supported 2892 Miles to Go
Through the 2892 Miles to Go initiative supported by National Geographic, Empowered Solutions Collective supports youth-led storytelling projects focused on environmental justice, food systems, and community resilience. This work served students, families, and nonprofit partners seeking to document lived experiences often excluded from dominant narratives. ESC provided project coordination, facilitation, and storytelling frameworks that empowered young people to share their perspectives through multimedia, public showcases, and community dialogue. The project amplified local voices while building youth leadership and cross-sector collaboration.
Energy Planning
Linn Clean Energy District Affordable Housing Energy Benchmarking Projects
Empowered Solutions Collective partnered with the Linn Clean Energy District to advance energy planning efforts focused on affordable housing. This work addressed the challenge of high energy burdens faced by low- and moderate-income residents and the lack of accessible building energy data needed to pursue upgrades and funding. ESC conducted outreach to property owners, supported data collection efforts, and worked to benchmark energy use across qualifying properties. The project surfaced both opportunities and structural barriers, helping inform future strategies for equitable building decarbonization and energy efficiency investments.
Strategic Planning: The Academy, Cedar Rapids
Empowered Solutions Collective led strategic planning and transition support for The Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success, a Cedar Rapids–based nonprofit serving Black, brown, and biracial students. The organization faced a leadership transition alongside the need to clarify priorities, strengthen systems, and ensure long-term sustainability. ESC facilitated planning sessions, gathered stakeholder input, and developed actionable recommendations to support organizational stability and growth. The process centered equity, transparency, and community voice, helping position the organization for its next chapter of leadership and impact.
Mental Health Research & Community Listening Project
Empowered Solutions Collective partnered with Linn County Public Health and students from 3 eastern Iowa institutions to support a community-centered research initiative on mental health access and equity in Linn County. Through surveys, focus groups, and collaborative analysis, the project elevated community voices, especially those of Black and African American residents, about barriers to culturally informed care and the importance of providers who better reflect the people they serve. ESC provided facilitation, planning support, and strategic guidance to align student research efforts with local public health priorities, strengthening county understanding of mental health needs and advancing equitable community dialogue and solutions to support community-centered planning and resilience efforts that connect public health priorities with environmental sustainability and equity. The project served county staff and community stakeholders working to address complex challenges related to health outcomes, climate impacts, and community preparedness. ESC provided facilitation, planning support, and strategic guidance to help align public health goals with cross-sector collaboration and long-term resilience strategies. The work strengthened coordination, elevated community voice, and supported a more integrated approach to public health and environmental planning.