News, Events & FundingCongratulations to the 2011 CED Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award Winners
The Community Action Partnership’s Economic Development Awards recognize exemplary leadership in community economic development within the Community Action Agency Network. The awards honor Community Action Agencies for their outstanding entrepreneurial and innovative projects, which create change for low-income individuals and families in urban, suburban, and rural communities. During the Partnership's 2011 Annual Conference, six Community Action Agencies received awards in one of the six categories listed below. The 2011 award sponsor was 84 Lumber and SafeLink Wireless.
Award Categories
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Master Innovator
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Community Revitalization and Investment
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Entreprenuership
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Real Estate Development
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Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
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Spotlight(CED Rookie of the Year)
The Winners Are:
Mastor Innovator: People Incorporated, Abingdon, VA
People Incorporated, received the Mastor Innovator award for its stellar development of its Heartwood Artisan Gateway Project, which is a LEED certified mixed-use commercial building, and the Grundy Town Center. Heartwood Artisan Gateway is a tourism center, a retail establishment and a business center for administrative offices. The Grundy Town Center is part of People Incorporated's revitalization strategy for targeted neighborhoods in its community. Upon creation, the Grundy Town Center, it will provide 14,000 square feet of new commercial retail space and will create over 500 jobs for low-income people.
Community Revitalization and Investment Award: Southwest Georgia Community Action Council, Moultrie, GA
Southwest Georgia Community Action Council received the award in the Community Revitalization and Investment category for its acquisition and renovation of a 45,000 square foot mixed-use project. The agency used a portion of the former strip mall, into 39,000 square foot of office space, and 6,000 square feet of commercial space for six small business to lease office space.
Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Award: WSOS Community Action Agency, Fremont, OH
WSOS received the award for their Green Ohio (Go Corps!) Weatherization Works Corp initiative. The project provides on-the-Job training, community service and employment to over 130 youth who were recruited for the program. Participating youth assisted in weatherizing 1,648 homes, which has significantly reduced energy costs for the low-income families residing in the homes and has reduced demand on public utilities.
Entrepreneurship Award: Community Action Committee of Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem, PA
CAC Lehigh Valley received the Entrepreneurship award for its development of its 18-week Start Your Business Program, which provides individualized training and technical assistance to Minority- and Women-owned businesses. It also provides micro-loans and technical assistance in business certifications, an annual Microenterprise Expo, credit repair counseling, and specialized marketing assistance.
Real Estate Development Award: KCEOC Community Action Partnership, Barbourville, KY
KCEOC recieved the Real Estate Development Award for purchasing two commercial buildings which required demolition and clean-up, including the replacement of the roof and parking lot. The project employed 100 jobs that were higher than minimum wage.
Spotlight Award: Coconino County Community Services Department(CCCSD), Flagstaff, AZ
CCCSD received the Spotlight Entrepreneurship award for its Basic Business Empowerment (BBE) initiative it created for low-to-moderate income micro-entrepreneurs business planning courses and Individual Development Account (IDA) match savings grants.
Community Action Partnership Release 2011 CED Real Estate Toolkits
The Partnership's Community Economic Development Department has released four comprehensive full color guides for community development practitioners involved in or considering economic development projects. From the first phase of the intialial development to project financing, to final construction, these guides provide step-by-step instruction on all aspects of the development process.
Click here to download toolkits
The available toolkits are:
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Community Facility Development
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Industrial Facility Development
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New Construction Multi-unit Affordable Rental Housing Development
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Multi-unit Acquisition Rehabilitation Affordable Rental Housing
Community Action Partnership Among Top Business Leaders-CNBC/FDIC
Stacy Flowers, Director of Community Economic Development for The Partnership was among the hand selected guests present at the Small Business Administration‘s Small Business Forum entitled, Overcoming Obstacles to Small Business Lending held on January 13, 2011. The Forum hosted an esteemed panel of government and private sector corporate leaders, namely, Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke, U. S. Senator of Virginia, Mark Warner and Sheila Bair, Chair for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Watch the video
Community Action Partnership Gears up for the 2012 Management and Leadership Training Conference
This year's theme is Ensuring High Performance in Community Action: Strategies for Leadership and Innovation Success. In the challenging economic climate we face, it is crucial that Community Action Agencies remain perpetually relevant. This conference will help Community Action leaders and innovators do that and more. Held in beautiful Miami Florida, Jan 5-7th, you will not want to miss this opportunity to learn from knowledgable speakers, gain new ideas and network with leaders across the network. The registration deadline is approaching quickly. Click here to register now
US Department of Human Services-Administration for Children & Families Releases 15 Million for Individual Development Accounts (IDA) and Related Services
IDA's are matched savings accounts which enable low income individuals and families to become and remain financially stable of the long term.
To view the full announcement, click here.