Community Impact – Page 58 – Knight Foundation

Program Area: Community Impact

MIAMI – Oct. 5, 2017 – The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation said today it will provide $2.5 million for hurricane relief and recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Organizations receiving funding include Unidos por Puerto Rico, an initiative created by Puerto Rico First Lady Beatriz Rosselló to provide immediate aid and support to the island, the Puerto Rico Community Foundation and The Miami Foundation’s U.S. Caribbean Strong Relief Fund.

In addition, funding will go to St. Thomas University, Miami Dade College, Florida International University and Miami Dade County Public Schools, who are all admitting Puerto Rican students so they won’t lose a year. FIU will also work with the Universidad de Puerto Rico to get them back up and running, beginning with hosting their website so students can be informed as they get access to electricity and Internet. 

“Miami and South Florida are intimately connected with Puerto Rico and the Caribbean,” said Alberto Ibargüen, president of the Miami-based Knight Foundation. “Our ties are personal and economic. We feel the humanitarian crisis engulfing our friends and relatives on the islands now, and we know their recovery and success is critical to the entire region.” 

The funding will also cover longer-term recovery efforts, details of which will be announced in the near future.  

How you can give:

Contacts

Andrew Sherry, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, 202-352-3911, [email protected] 

Mary Ann Gabino, Puerto Rico Foundation, [email protected]

Matthew Beatty, The Miami Foundation, 305-357-2091, [email protected]

We are just around the corner from our fourth annual Copenhagen study tour, which will be happening from October 7-11. Since 2014, 8 80 Cities has had the distinct pleasure of hosting different cohorts of civic leaders in Copenhagen for an annual five-day study tour, thanks to the generous support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Leaders apply as part of small ‘city teams’ or as individuals to absorb all that Copenhagen has to offer when it comes to creating cities for people. Applicants hail from one of the 26 cities that Knight Foundation invests in. In the end, we select the top 25 leaders who have demonstrated their commitment, capacity, and ambition to transform their cities into happier, healthier places where public life thrives.

We love going to Copenhagen because it is one of the best cities that demonstrates the 8 80 principle –that if you create a city that’s great for an 8 and an 80-year-old, you’ll create a city that’s great for everyone.

This year’s cohort represents 11 different cities. Some of the questions we’ll be tackling in this year’s study tour include:

  • How did Copenhagen shift from a car-oriented society to one that prioritizes the experiences of people walking, biking, and taking public transit?
  • How can cities prioritize investments in public space when there are so many other competing budget priorities?
  • What are some of the fundamental cultural, social, and political differences between Copenhagen and American cities, and how can leaders account for that when attempting to translate some of the best practices to their home cities?
  • What are some ways cities can measure, test, and evaluate the success of streets and public spaces to make better decisions moving forward?
  • What are some policies and processes that might allow for neighbourhoods to grow, thrive, and remain affordable at the same time?

 
The participants are optimistic during their time in Copenhagen. There’s something magical that happens when you are in a new place with unfamiliar people and experiencing things for the first time. Throughout the week participants are buzzing with ideas and leave with an expanded sense of possibility for their cities.

However, the reality is that these individuals can’t do it all on their own. They need a critical mass of support from citizens, businesses, and other city leaders to create safer, happier, and healthier cities for all people.

Below is a list of all the leaders who have been selected to attend the 2017 Copenhagen Study Tour. Do you see someone from your city? What are some ways you can show your city leaders support in their quest to create a city where you look forward to growing up and growing old in?

AKRON, OHIO:

James Hardy, Chief of Staff for Mayor Horiggan, City of Akron
Jason Segedy, Director of Planning, City of Akron
Malinda Sampsell, Grants Manager, City of Akron
Nick Moskos, Chief of Planning, Summit County Metroparks

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA:

Debra Campbell, Assistant City Manager, City of Charlotte
John Lewis, Executive Director, Charlotte Area Transit System
W. Clay Grubb, CEO, Grubb Properties Inc.

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA:

John Fellows, Planning Administrator, City of Columbia
Stephen Benjamin, Mayor, City of Columbia

DETROIT, MICHIGAN:

Mark Cheever Wallace, President/CEO, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy

DULUTH, MINNESOTA:

Emily Larson, Mayor, City of Duluth

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY:

Dowell Hoskins-Squier, Commissioner of Environmental Quality and Public Works, City of Lexington
Jim Gray, Mayor, City of Lexington

MACON, GEORGIA:

Gary Wheat, President/CEO, Macon Visitors Bureau
Greg Brown, Senior Planner, Macon-Bibb Planning & Zoning, Macon-Bibb County
Nigel Floyd, Traffic Engineer, Macon-Bibb County

MIAMI:

Darlene Fernandez, Assistant Director of Traffic Services, Miami-Dade County
Jerry Bell, Assistant Director of Planning, Miami-Dade County
Matthew Pigatt, Commissioner, City of Opa-Locka

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA:

Helen Gym, Councilperson, City of Philadelphia
Michael Carroll, Managing Director, Transportation & Infrastructure, City of Philadelphia

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA:

Angel Rios, Director, Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services, City of San Jose
John Brazil, Active Transportation Manager, City of San Jose
John Ristow, Deputy Director, Transportation, City of San Jose

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA:

Jeff Green, City Administrator, City of West Palm Beach

To conduct a survey and accompanying series of events that will examine how factors such as place, educational attainment, employment sector, family structure, and demographics influence Americans’ attitudes toward economic mobility, civic engagement, and trust in institutions.

To advance equitable and inclusive communities by developing a series of resources and coaching for Knight grantees on inclusive city-building.

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

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,

[email protected]

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.