🗞️ $10,000 Seed Grant From Community Heart & Soul, Fireside Chat With Mark Sherman, Mastermind Launch, & more!
October 2, 2024 edition
EngagingCities shares outstanding work by our network of planners and changemakers, who actively involve their communities in creating better places and a brighter future.
💰 $10,000 Seed Grant Opportunity
The Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program provides $10,000 in funding for resident-driven groups in small cities and towns to start the Community Heart & Soul model. Grant funding requires a $10,000 cash match from the participating municipality or a partnering organization.
Learn more and apply at https://www.communityheartandsoul.org/seed-grants
🔥 Fireside Chat with Mark Sherman
Community Heart & Soul: Building Stronger Small Towns
Mark Sherman is the President of Community Heart & Soul, a nonprofit organization based in Vermont dedicated to community development in small towns. Mark shares his personal journey from Vermont to Seattle and back, and how he became involved with Community Heart & Soul, founded by Lyman Orton of the Vermont Country Store. The organization focuses on a resident-driven process to identify what residents love about their town, their future goals, and how to achieve them. The program follows three principles—engage everyone, focus on what matters most, and play the long game—and is structured into four phases: Imagine, Connect, Plan, and Act. Mark describes the program's impacts, including increased civic engagement and economic revitalization, citing examples from Carbondale, Pennsylvania, and Biddeford, Maine. He also discusses the costs involved and how communities can apply for a seed grant and participate in the program. The episode concludes with advice for larger communities and the importance of engaging all community members in the process.
Main Takeaways
🏘️ Resident-Driven Approach: Engaging the community in decision-making fosters a sense of ownership and commitment, leading to sustainable revitalization efforts. This enhances civic pride and connection.
🤝 Inclusivity Matters: By actively involving diverse community voices, the program ensures that all perspectives are represented, which leads to more comprehensive and effective community plans.
📝 Structured Process: The four-phase approach (Imagine, Connect, Plan, Act) provides a clear framework for communities to follow, making the process manageable and actionable.
🎉 Celebrating Local Stories: The emphasis on storytelling helps to highlight community strengths and aspirations, creating a positive narrative that can rally support and encourage participation.
🔄 Long-Term Vision: The focus on long-term planning ensures that the initiatives remain relevant and adaptable as the community evolves, which is crucial for sustained success.
🌟 Transformative Outcomes: Successful case studies demonstrate that the program can lead to significant social and economic improvements, making communities more vibrant and attractive.
💡 Broader Applicability: While designed for smaller towns, the principles and practices can be adapted for larger communities, enhancing engagement and participation across various settings.
“Instead of inviting people to the table, we bring the table to the people.”
Mark Sherman, President of Community Heart & Soul
👀 Watch or listen to the Fireside Chat.
🌐 Visit the Community Heart & Soul website.
📺 See how Community Heart & Soul inspired residents to participate in local government in Carbondale, Pennsylvania.
📖 Read how Community Heart & Soul helped Biddeford, Maine become a successful Main Street America program and eventually win the 2022 Great American Main Street Award.
📅 Engaging Events
🚀 Announcing the launch of EngagingCities Masterminds!
We are excited to announce the launch of EngagingCities Masterminds! These moderated online group discussions are an excellent opportunity for participants to learn from each other and solve their problems with input and advice from the other group members.
The topic of the first session is Post-Pandemic City Planning, which is about adapting city planning practices in response to lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, including online community engagement, remote work trends, and changes in public health considerations.
We are honored to have the discussion moderated by Jordan McKenzie, AICP, TCEcD, who is the Director of Community Building and Economic Opportunity for the City of Memphis and Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency. Jordan's passion is to lead individuals and communities into strategic change, practical and cutting-edge development, and improvement in quality of life.
Date and time: Wednesday, October 30, 12:00 - 1:00pm MDT
Location: Zoom (link will be shared after you register)
Registration: Limited to 10 participants, so hurry and grab a seat now!
🧠 Did you know?
The term “mastermind” was coined in 1925 by author Napoleon Hill in his book The Law of Success, and described in more detail in his 1937 book, Think and Grow Rich. The author studied the successful people of his day such as Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Theodore Roosevelt, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller and Charles M. Schwab.
“The master mind may be defined as a ‘coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.’” — Napoleon Hill - Think and Grow Rich
🚀 Fresh Insights
💡 Placemaking in Rural America: Strategies for Community Growth and Attraction
In today's economic development landscape, placemaking is no longer just a buzzword—it's a necessity, especially for rural communities looking to grow and attract new residents. Whether it's creating vibrant public spaces, promoting local culture and heritage, or leveraging natural assets for outdoor recreation, effective placemaking can transform small towns into thriving hubs of activity and opportunity. Read the full article here.
— Shared by Robert Harrington MPA MEDP
💡 Neighborhood Revitalization: Building Community Assets through Transportation
Overall, there must be a continuous effort to revitalize underserved communities with assets that will grow and expand overtime. If not done correctly it will eventually lead to negative returns on investments (ROI). Dilapidated infrastructures, irreparable facilities and broken sidewalks will continue to age and cost more to fix. Investing in improving the built environment and transportation modes is wise for the present and future. Read the full article here.
— Shared by Tyler Pearson
💡 Embracing Small, Warm Spaces to Boost Social Connections and Community Engagement
Urban planning that emphasizes small, warm, and intimate spaces can significantly enhance the quality of life in cities. By fostering social connections, encouraging community engagement, and creating inviting environments, cities can become more personable and human-centered, leading to a richer urban experience for all residents.
— Shared by Camilo Lopez
✨ Read more fresh insights here.
💼 Job Opportunities
📎 Director of Community Engagement, District 4 - Baltimore City Council
📎 Community Specialist, Water Innovation - World Economic Forum
📎 Director, Community Resilience - Economy & Climate - Enterprise Community Partners
🗃️ Find more jobs here.
🙌 Support for APA Interest Group
We believe the practice of Community Engagement should have its own Interest Group within the American Planning Association (APA) as a place to network, find inspiration, and share best practices. Help EngagingCities make the case by filling out this online form to express your support and get updates along the way. You may view the existing Divisions and Interest Groups within APA here for reference.
➡️ Visit EngagingCities.org and follow us on X and LinkedIn for more stories like these!
💬 Do you have an interesting story, event, or job to share? Interested in being a guest on our podcast? Email us at hello@engagingcities.org
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