Great Indy Neighborhoods is a citywide
collaboration that was created to promote a holistic approach to
healthy communities that integrates civic, social, physical and
economic development. In order to illustrate the value and
effectiveness of a comprehensive approach to community
development, the Demonstration initiative will provide the
following support to six neighborhoods selected through a
competitive application process in summer 2006.
- Operating support will be made available to support
staffing dedicated to community building, planning and plan
implementation. The grant can only be used to add a new
staff person or to change the role of an existing staff
person for these purposes.
- Funding will support quality of life planning. The
quality of life planning process includes engagement of
stakeholders, visioning, planning and action. Support will
include technical assistance to identify methods to recruit
and engage neighborhood stakeholders. Funds will be
available to work with planning professionals to draft the
plan and corresponding action steps, in conjunction with
stakeholders. The duration and intensity of the planning
process will depend on the neighborhood. In some
neighborhoods, the planning process will only necessitate
re-engaging stakeholders to transform an existing plan into
a quality of life plan. Other neighborhoods may find that
they are ready to begin a new planning process.
- Participating organizations will be required to identify
targeted strategies to retain and strengthen organizational
capacity. At the start of the initiatives, an initial
organizational assessment will be made using the LISC CapMap©
diagnostic tool. A reassessment will take place during each
of the following two years to determine change over time and
identify new areas for retention and growth. Technical
assistance will be made available to help convening
organizations make improvements in response to these
assessments. Practitioner networks will also be fostered to
help connect those individuals working in particular areas
of community development, such as community building, and
provide the opportunity to share best practices.
- Recognizing that the smallest investments create
momentum and so that neighborhoods can act while in the
midst of planning, the initiatives will make available
initial seed money and technical assistance to help the
neighborhoods create immediate impact. Additionally, as
quality of life plans are developed and action steps
identified, we’ll provide seed capital for projects
connected to plan implementation. This seed funding will
support elements of plan implementation, but will not cover
the plan in its entirety. Neighborhoods will need to work
together with community stakeholders to create strategic
partnerships and identify additional resources to address
priorities outlined in their quality of life plans.
The selected neighborhoods will be responsible for community
building activities, the development or update of a quality of
life plan, and plan implementation. The convening organization
in each neighborhood will be expected to convene neighborhood
stakeholders, oversee staff, and participate in organizational
development activities. The convening organization will also be
the fiduciary agent for all funding associated with the
initiative. Funding will begin in fall 2006. |
