Volunteers provide a powerful economic benefit to communities across the nation. For downtown organizations, developing a professional team of volunteers for everything from serving on the board of directors, to updating the organization’s databases, to blowing up balloons can multiply the impact of paid staff. To run a successful volunteer program, the Michigan Main Street…To read more — login/subscribe
An apartment developer hopes to prove that Americans are ready to embrace car-free living. Culdesac Tempe is a new 636-unit rental community in Tempe, AZ. When the project opens for occupancy this year, residents won’t be allowed to bring vehicles with them. “The vision of Culdesac is to build the first car-free city in the…To read more — login/subscribe
Summertime adventure pass Eau Claire, WI’s destination marketing group is encouraging visitors and locals to discover some of the many local sites with an adventure pass. The 26 locations featured on the pass include several downtown spots such as the Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market and downtown’s Sculpture Tour. Participants download the mobile pass and…To read more — login/subscribe
For downtown leaders with extensive wish lists for funding, the federal governments in the U.S. and Canada provide money for everything from pop-up parks to major infrastructure projects. However, securing federal funding isn’t always easy. To boost your chances of landing federal grants, you need to know what money is available and how to ask…To read more — login/subscribe
Consulting firms Freese & Nichols and MetroQuest offer the following tips for getting the most useful responses from online public engagement efforts: • Know your objectives. Understand what data elected officials need. • Remember that humans are visual creatures. Find ways to communicate via images instead of words. • Take pains to avoid bias in…To read more — login/subscribe
In Lethbridge, Alberta (est. pop. 106,000), downtown leaders are keeping streets clean and engaging the city’s unhoused population. The Clean Sweep Program pays homeless people $15 an hour to perform clean and safe work. Their tasks include trash pickup, snow removal, and disposing of needles, pipes, and other paraphernalia from downtown’s designated area for drug…To read more — login/subscribe
Art and culture can be powerful catalysts for downtown revitalization. Let The Creative Community Builder’s Handbook provide the strategies, best practices, and step-by-step guidance you need to put the power of arts and culture to work in your community. This practical handbook begins with a review of… Continue reading
Baltimore’s Central Business District has been losing businesses to surrounding neighborhoods. But the pandemic hastened downtown’s troubles. To fight the flight, the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore launched a promotional campaign aimed at retaining current employers and attracting new ones. The effort aims to “protect the core,” says Downtown Partnership President Shelonda Stokes. The Double Down…To read more — login/subscribe
Downtown leaders everywhere aim to create vibrant, round-the-clock communities. But success on that front comes with an unwelcome side effect — a downtown filled with housing, restaurants, office spaces, and entertainment venues creates a lot of garbage. In cities small and large, downtown leaders are wrestling with garbage issues. In Knoxville, TN (est. pop. 192,657),…To read more — login/subscribe
