To support a 2018 speaker series in Detroit to promote community learning and dialogue on the future of media and technology, and its implications on the future of information for local communities
Program Area: Communities
Akron, Ohio—Sept. 26, 2017— Two community development corporations and one neighborhood alliance will launch a plan to improve neighborhood life, keep and attract talented people and advance new investments in Akron with $720,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The Well Community Development Corporation, representing Akron’s Middlebury neighborhood; North Akron Community Development Corporation, representing North Hill, Chapel Hill and Cascade Valley; and Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance will each receive $240,000 to accelerate development in the city.
Community development corporations are nonprofit, community-based organizations focused on revitalizing neighborhoods by advancing economic development, community engagement and access to housing. Akron has been conducting significant study and reflection on its public and civic spaces over the last few years; the city has recognized the role community development corporations can play as leadership partners in this regard.
Knight Foundation’s “Build in Akron” report and the city of Akron’s “Planning to Grow Akron” report highlight future housing hot spots and market-ready commercial districts in the city’s Kenmore, Middlebury and North Hill areas. Each neighborhood has already led Knight-funded Better Block events, which focus on bringing the community together to transform a blighted city block into a vibrant neighborhood destination. Knight funding will enable these organizations to draw lessons from these events, using them as a basis to develop broader strategies to improve neighborhood life and accelerate community growth.
“Akron is currently grappling with population decline and lack of investment,” said Kyle Kutuchief, Knight Foundation program director for Akron. “Efforts to address these challenges have largely focused on attracting multinational and large employers, without considering ways to improve quality of life in cities and make Akron a more vibrant place to live and work. These community development corporations will help to address this gap, with the goal of increasing public and private investment and creating a better future for our city.”
The organizations will use the support to:
Hire new staff focused on increasing business development, civic engagement and housing access, while building expertise in marketing and economic development to share with Akron’s broader community.
Lead a neighborhood planning process with input from local leaders, including ways to use public spaces to encourage civic engagement, create strategies to strengthen business districts, and attract interest through neighborhood branding campaigns.
Identify pathways to advance community development through prototyping and idea testing.
“With this support, we can move on some of our plans immediately,” said John Ughrin, executive director of the North Akron Community Development Organization. “This lets us get to work programming, beautifying and energizing life in our neighborhoods. It also gives us some freedom to experiment, assess our current practices and get input from the community. Residents of North Akron already know it’s a great place to live, we want to make that undeniable.”
Each neighborhood has explored their economic development, residential and community engagement needs through the Better Block planning process, as well as through similar neighborhood activities. As Zac Kohl, executive director of The Well Community Development Corporation in Middlebury notes: “The Middlebury Better Block formed a group of committed individuals and organizations that rallied to test strategies to improve the neighborhood. This support will allow us to create the capacity to execute on future neighborhood planning, specifically as we fight to create equity for the people of Middlebury in housing and economic development.”
Tina Boyes, a Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance board member who chaired the recent Kenmore Better Block event, sees the planning process as a timely tool for leveraging her community’s already growing interest in Kenmore Boulevard, the neighborhood’s main commercial area. The alliance will explore what an effective community development organization should look like in what is Akron’s largest continuous neighborhood business district.
“Better Block highlighted Kenmore Boulevard’s potential for economic development and placemaking,” Boyes said. “Residents, artists, small business owners and investors are now talking to each other, and want to take action to realize the potential for our neighborhood together.”
With deep partnerships already established with other community development corporations, nonprofit organizations and agencies working in Akron, these three organizations hope to create a plan for growth that is inclusive of the residents of each of the neighborhoods. All three organizations live and work within Akron, and their boards include residents, business owners and nonprofit leaders from across the city.
Support for these organizations is part of Knight Foundation’s efforts in Akron to attract and keep talented people, expand economic opportunity and create a culture of engagement. Since 2008 Knight has invested more than $58 million in Akron.
About Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance
Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance is a 501(c)(3) public charity, whose mission is to enhance the Kenmore community by reaching out to all residents to engage them in cultural, artistic, recreational and business revitalization. It does so through programming and collaboration with Kenmore residents, businesses and existing community groups. To learn more about Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance, visit www.knacares.org.
About North Akron CDC
The mission of North Akron Community Development Corporation (NACDC) is to assure a vibrant thriving North Akron Community that inspires and connects its residents while celebrating its unique diversity. North Akron CDC hopes to achieve this mission by focusing on the following areas of impact: business and economic development; physical infrastructure and beautification; social and informational events and programming. NACDC’s Board members include residents, business owners and nonprofit leaders.
About The Well CDC
The mission of The Well Community Development Corporation (The Well) is to see communities all over Akron giving individuals the opportunity to thrive in their current context. The Well Community Development Corporation will work with like-minded partners to create affordable housing, a thriving economy and placemaking initiatives, while reinvesting worth, value and dignity back into the individual lives and social health of the neighborhoods of Akron. Rebuilding community through relationships. The Well’s Board members include business leaders, residents and nonprofit leaders. To learn more about The Well CDC, visit www.thewellakron.com.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy.
CONTACTS:
Tina Boyes, Board Member, Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance, 330-714-9621, [email protected]
Zac Kohl, Executive Director, The Well CDC, 330-815-1062, [email protected]
John Ughrin, Executive Director, North Akron CDC, 330-703-6150, [email protected]
Anusha Alikhan, Director of Communications, Knight Foundation, 305-908-2646,
To enhance public life in underserved communities by supporting the expansion of TreesChalotte programming to engage residents in planting and caring for trees.
To promote the sharing of information and stories across neighborhoods in Detroit by building on the successful model of the Detroit Experience Factory.
To promote grassroots level capacity to engage via digital technology by supporting pilot efforts to improve use of digital tools by the residents of Detroit’s east side neighborhoods
To support the inaugural Urban Innovation Summit and Fellowship to recognize and provide support to local leaders working on urban challenges and public space/life.
To expand civic engagement efforts by supporting the capacity development of a community organization in a Civic Commons neighborhood to enhance their work within and beyond the Civic Commons project.
San Jose, Calif.—Sept. 11, 2017—The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced more than $1.1 million in new funding for 10 projects aimed at making San Jose a more vibrant place to live and work, while fostering civic engagement and connection.
Led by local government and a range of community development organizations, many of the projects focus on transforming the San Jose downtown area, while creating more options for residents to share ideas and shape the city’s culture. From a vibrant space for job training and entrepreneurship to a free outdoor dance program in downtown to a new position in city government designed to engage citizens in community service and volunteerism, the projects work to advance a better future for San Jose. They also encourage the sharing of best practices between cities including global learning opportunities.
“San Jose is home to diverse talent and innovators of all kinds; ideas born here affect people on a global scale. But we need to work harder to turn these assets inward, using them to address local challenges and make our city better. Together, these projects work to advance that goal, helping to improve quality of life in San Jose, while connecting residents to their city and each other,” said Danny Harris, Knight Foundation program director for San Jose.
The organizations receiving support include:
TechShop ($484,000) – Offering a vibrant space for job training and entrepreneurship in San Jose by supporting the Tech Shop collaborative makerspace at its new location in downtown. Funding will also support a partnership with San Jose State University to launch the Knight Placemaking Lab, where people can experiment with new ideas and promote community engagement through events, collaboration and learning.
City of San Jose, Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement ($198,894) – Creating a more vibrant San Jose by updating the Citywide Urban Design and Historic Preservation Guidelines that outline goals toward improving neighborhood life.
SPUR ($111,135) – Transforming the area around San Jose’s central rail depot, Diridon Station into an active community hub by supporting a study tour for 18 regional policymakers and agency heads to the Netherlands and France, known for hosting vibrant transportation centers.
City of San Jose, Office of the Mayor ($100,000) – Fostering civic engagement by supporting a chief service officer position in city government, who will work to engage citizens in community service and volunteerism.
City of San Jose, Office of Cultural Affairs ($75,000) – Improving downtown vibrancy by supporting CityDance, an eight-week free outdoor dance program in downtown San Jose.
National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) ($50,000) – Encouraging people to connect with their city in public spaces by designing better and safer bike infrastructure and streets.
8-80 Cities ($46,990) – Expanding the impact of Viva CalleSJ, a program that opens city streets to pedestrians and encourages community exploration; funding will support a study tour that will take 15 San Jose leaders to Guadalajara, Mexico, which hosts one of the world’s most successful Open Streets programs.
Sustainable Agriculture Education (SAGE) ($40,000) – Creating a more vibrant and resilient San Jose by implementing the Food Works Plan, which aims to help increase investments in a connected local food system including, production, processing, distribution and consumption.
Silicon Valley Bike Coalition ($35,000) – Bringing more beauty, creativity and celebration to biking in San Jose through the city’s first “bike artist in-residence” program, which will invite local artists to propose and produce art along bike routes in San Jose.
Silicon Valley Creates ($15,000) – Showcasing local creativity on a global platform through the expansion of Pow! Wow!, an international art festival hosted in San Jose.
Funding for these projects forms one part of Knight Foundation’s efforts to support the urbanization of a traditionally sprawling city with a specific focus on central San Jose and how the city’s core can attract and retain talent, expand opportunity and build a culture of civic engagement. Since 2008, Knight Foundation has invested more than $22 million in San Jose.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit knightfoundation.org.
MIAMI – Sept. 7, 2017 – The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced more than $590,000 in new funding for three projects aimed at fostering community among entrepreneurs and tech innovators while advancing the city as a diverse and inclusive innovation hub.
From an innovation district designed to support emerging entrepreneurs and add vibrancy to Miami’s Opa-locka neighborhood to a technology entrepreneurship course for young people to a newly-launched nonprofit that will provide promising local entrepreneurs access to the startup world’s top resources and leaders, the projects focus on supporting and propelling entrepreneurs across the community. They also work to expand opportunity for groups that are underrepresented in the technology sector.
“Ensuring Miamians have access to the opportunities they need to scale their ideas and solve the problems they care about is essential to creating an inclusive innovation ecosystem. These projects will help to diversify Miami’s pipeline of technologists and entrepreneurs and enable Miami startups to access the best resources in new and low cost ways,” said Chris Caines, Knight Foundation interim program director for Miami.
The projects receiving support include:
NFTE – Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship ($250,000) – Helping young, aspiring entrepreneurs develop their entrepreneurial mindset by expanding Startup Tech, a technology entrepreneurship course for middle and high school students from underserved neighborhoods. The program provides students the opportunity to develop a working mobile app-based business, as well as entrepreneurship training. As part of the program,students create an original app that addresses a community need, craft a business plan and, pitch the plan to a panel of expert judges for the chance to win funding. With Knight support, NFTE will expand the program to five program sites in greater Miami public schools.
Opa-locka Community Development Corporation ($135,000) – Expanding opportunity and entrepreneurship in Opa-locka by supporting the THRIVE campus’ innovation lab and makerspace, and urban farm and market. At the innovation lab Opa-locka residents will be trained to use new media and technology, and earn marketable industry certifications, while sharing resources and knowledge in a co-working space. The urban farm will allow people to help build and manage the farm, and offer them agriculture, marketing, and training opportunities. The urban market will transform a vacant lot into a community and retail space, including redesigned shipping containers where local entrepreneurs can sell the farm’s produce and food from the campus’ commercial kitchen.
Platform.Miami ($208,000) – Supporting early stage entrepreneurs through the newly-launched Platform.Miami, a nonprofit which will provide promising local entrepreneurs access to the startup world’s top resources and leaders. The organization will offer online and offline education opportunities and services to help entrepreneurs better structure, setup and scale their startups. To this end, Platform will create “The Playbook,” a resource for best practices on product-market fit, business models, digital marketing, legal structure, and attracting venture capital. It will also showcase a selected list of top service providers to help entrepreneurs find the best professional services to support their growth.
Support for these projects is part of Knight Foundation’s broader effort to invest in Miami’s emerging innovators and entrepreneurs as a tool to build community while fostering talent and expanding economic opportunity. Over the past five years Knight has made more than 200 investments in entrepreneurship in South Florida.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit knightfoundation.org.
CONTACT:
Anusha Alikhan, Director of Communications, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, 305-908-2646, [email protected]
Today, Knight is announcing $590,000 in support to three projects that will foster community among entrepreneurs and tech innovators while advancing Miami as a diverse and inclusive innovation hub.
Over the past five years, Knight Foundation has invested more than $28 million to support Miami’s entrepreneurs, startups and doers of all kinds. This funding has been used by organizations to make Miami a city where ideas can be built and scaled. Among Knight’s investments are events and spaces for entrepreneurs and innovators to connect, such as The LAB Miami and Black Tech Week; talent development including The Idea Center at Miami Dade College and Launchcode; and opportunities to expand access to high-level mentors and capital, such as Endeavor Miami and Accelerated Growth Partners.
Knight’s support of Miami’s emerging innovators and entrepreneurs has always had a wider goal: To build community, while fostering talent and expanding economic opportunity. That is, we support entrepreneurship as a means to make communities and the people who live in them more successful. In Miami, the aspiration is that this prosperity will, in turn, take the shape of economic as well as social, political, and cultural capital for people and ideas across the city.
Lately, we’ve been thinking a lot about two questions: (1) How can our investments help ensure innovation is extended equitably across Miami? (2) How can we break down the silos that separate people in the ecosystem from each other?
Similar to many other parts of our society, there are barriers in the innovation ecosystem that can prevent people in our community from participating. Knight has funded intentional efforts to break down these barriers. With initial support form Knight, The Idea Center at Miami Dade College, the largest and most diverse campus-based college in the nation, has grown into a thriving innovation and entrepreneurial hub. Programs such as Girls Who Code, NewME Accelerator, Black Tech Week and Digital Grass have also worked promote diversity and close the opportunity gap in technology and engineering.
Within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, Knight has also sought to help break down silos that separate innovators, entrepreneurs, and organizations from each other. Innovation is not a zero-sum game and everyone in our community brings unique strengths and perspectives that make Miami and its entrepreneurial ecosystem stronger.
We have seen this play out with investments in activities that bind and connect people, such as The LAB Miami. The LAB opened its 10,000-square-foot campus in 2012, offering co-working space and community programming with initial funding from Knight Foundation. Since then, more than 50,000 people have attended The LAB’s events and over 150 startups—from social innovation startups to media companies— have launched there.
Similarly, Endeavor Miami, a global leader in building entrepreneurial ecosystems, opened its first U.S. affiliate in Miami in 2013 with Knight support. Already, 24 Miami entrepreneurs representing 15 companies have been selected as Endeavor Entrepreneurs, putting them on track for high-growth opportunities.
These are just a few examples of intentional efforts to bring people and ideas together. The sum of our ecosystem is greater than its parts, and further investment in collaborations aimed at increasing venture capital investment, easier access to talent and career opportunities, and a focus on building Miami’s brand as a global innovation hub is necessary.
Knight Foundation has resources, but we look to you for answers. As Miami’s entrepreneurial ecosystem continues to grow and Knight Foundation continues to invest, we welcome your thoughts, criticisms, suggestions and ideas on how our support can create lasting impact.
Chris Caines is interim Miami program director at Knight you can reach him at [email protected]; his Twitter and Instagram is @chrisocaines.
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Communities / Press Release
To help attract and retain talent in downtown St. Paul by expanding the digital platform REWIRE, which will create and widely share multi-platform, story-driven content that elevates the local and national profile of the city’s young innovators, makers, creatives and entrepreneurs.