This case study describes a community sustainability initiative to create a Climate Action Plan (CAP) for the small city of Meadville, Pennsylvania. The study begins with a description of the process and tools used to conduct a greenhouse gas inventory for the city—a necessary foundation for any CAP that includes climate mitigation efforts—and details the important role played by an Allegheny College student in conducting the inventory using guidance and software provided by the local sustainability organization, ICLEI. Next, the process of working with a volunteer task force comprised of community volunteers to craft a CAP is examined, including the GIS mapping contributions of another Allegheny College student that were incorporated into the vulnerability assessment portion of the CAP. Additionally, we undertake to highlight the political considerations at play in both project approval and, ultimately, in CAP adoption and implementation. The study closes with an examination of the lessons learned from engaging in this effort in a small community with limited financial and human resources, establishing a template that other such communities can utilize when making efforts to implement climate and sustainability-related actions.