The city of Chattanooga’s Department of Economic & Community Development invites emerging and engaged community leaders, who are interested in being more involved in their city and neighborhood, to attend Neighborhood University on March 3-4.
“Chattanoogans should have access to tools and resources to reach their neighborhood’s potential, whether that’s organizing to clean up a community park, mobilizing to impact zoning changes, or engaging with police to solve problems,” said Donna Williams, administrator of ECD. “Through Neighborhood University, we are increasing the capacity of neighborhood leaders and aspiring leaders of community-based organizations to utilize their assets to lead and affect change in their city.”
This year, participants are able to choose from three tracts of classes across two days of workshops on subjects such as using community assets to improve neighborhoods, collaborating community-wide to influence and affect decisions in neighborhoods, and including youth to affect change in communities.
Community leaders who complete Neighborhood University will have an opportunity to apply for grants from green|spaces, who is a new partner this year. Empower Chattanooga, a program of green|spaces, will fund 12 neighborhood projects up $1,000 each to help Neighborhood University graduates implement community energy efficiency ideas.
“Residents have amazing ideas on ways they can help solve the issue of high utility bills in their neighborhoods,” said Sam Fulbright, Empower coordinator. “The idea of the grant program was inspired by Project Porch Light. A resident in the Highland Park neighborhood wanted to reduce criminal activity and thought that by giving people a free LED light bulb, they would be able to keep their porch light on all night with adding just $1 annually to their utility bill.”
Neighborhood University, which ECD launched in 2014, is a free program for community leaders. For this year’s participants, breakfast and lunch will be provided both days.
For more information visit connect.chattanooga.gov/neighborhooduniversity, or interested participants may call643-7306.