Sustainable Communities Building Blocks Grant Opportunity
Many communities around the country are asking for tools and resources to help them achieve their desired development goals, improve the quality of life for their residents, and make their communities more economically and environmentally sustainable. In response to this demand, EPA developed the Sustainable Communities Building Blocks Program.
HUD Webinar on FY12 Budget
The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Regional Administrator Jane C. W. Vincent, will be presenting an overview of the President’s FY 12 proposed budget via webcast on Monday, February 14 at 2:00 p.m. To access the website at 1:45 p.m. please use this link. If you do join us for the webcast, email your [...]
Is West Virginia Embracing the New Economy?
According to a recent study by the Kauffman Foundation the answer is no. The 2010 State New Economy Index was released last month showing that once again WV was at the bottom of a long list of states that are more successfully transitioning their economic sectors to growing information and technology fields.
The Same Old Conundrum…
Once again I find myself struggling with a great development project concept, and no way to fund the first steps that are needed to bring it to fruition. As my good friend Joe Barker (many of you know him too!) used to say when he was getting ready to launch one of his many good ideas, “I need some ‘walkin’around’ money”. What Joe meant was that in order to advance that good idea there was some seed money needed to test its feasibility. In development terms, there are soft costs that need to be raised in order to perform the due diligence required to determine if the project costs can be justified. These include costs related but are not limited to: surveying, engineering, architectural and design services, legal, environmental analysis, feasibility studies, etc.
The Fluid Role of Networks in Social Movements
“Networks are not social movements; but social-justice movements need networks,” says Marco Davis, a veteran network builder. According to Robin Katcher in her article The Fluid Role of Networks in Social Movements, “for anyone involved in a grassroots effort to create change, this statement may seem obvious. But it is hardly simple to describe or understand. Networks play essential roles within movements; but how they do so and even which roles they play are not static. This fluidity causes movement networks sometimes to appear disorganized and unwieldy, which has led some to devalue their contribution and others to push for formal structure and control. A deeper look suggests that openness and flexibility are necessary components”.