Highlighted Project
Neighborhood Summit 2008
Applicant: Invest in Neighborhoods, Inc.
Director: Rick Dieringer
For the past three years, the Seasongood Foundation has contributed to a project that is bringing together government officials and community activists from all over Cincinnati, around the most important issues the city is facing. This year's Neighborhood Summit had record attendance at 570 people, and was opened by Mayor Mark Mallory. The theme was Clean, Green, & Serene, focusing largely on the topics of neighborhood revitalization, the environment, and safety.
Participants had the choice of going to one of four panel discussions during four sessions: two in the morning and two in the afternoon. There were also booths set up by various organizations, so that people could visit for information throughout the day. A complementary lunch and breakfast were provided.
Sessions that discussed issues in neighborhood cleanup and revitalization included: how to prevent and deal with home foreclosures; schools as the center of community; engaging new groups in community life; and liquor licenses. Also, City Council member Roxanne Qualls gave a presentation on how neighborhoods can achieve more walkable, compact, and sustainable neighborhoods through the use of smart zoning codes. Focusing on the environment and sustainability were the sessions on recycling; green building; and community gardens.
Issues of safety were covered in sessions such as: reducing gun violence; developing neighborhood safety plans; the role of communities in fighting crime; the effect of Hamilton County's recent budget cuts on crime prevention; and the principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED). The session on reducing gun violence included presentations about Out of the Crossfire, a program at University Hospital to help gunshot victims to recover; and The Cincinnati Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV), a community collaborative effort modeled after the Boston Gun Project.
Other sessions aimed to equip community members with the tools needed to implement change in their neighborhoods, or to bring issues to the attention of government officials. For example, there were sessions about grant writing; city budget basics and community priority requests; and engaging officials at the state and local level. Panelists for the latter session were State Senator Eric Kearney and Representatives Steve Driehaus, Tom Brinkman, and Dale Mallory; all four responded to questions and comments from community members.
The Neighborhood Summit is not only a chance to learn about a wide variety of issues affecting communities. It's also an opportunity to meet a wide range of people, to share ideas and concerns, and to learn what tools and resources are available to communities.
Anyone who attended the Summit can fill out evaluations of it on Invest in Neighborhoods, Inc.'s website.
General Grant Terms And Conditions
The Murray and Agnes Seasongood Good Government Foundation requires:
- a copy of the tax exemption letter of the grantee organization;
- a full and complete report of how the grant funds were spent;
- a brief statement of how and to what extent the purpose of the grant was achieved;
- an agreement to make available any record of expenditures in the event the Foundation needs to do a review for audit purposes; and
- an agreement not to use the funds for any "political purpose" as defined by the Internal Revenue Code or its regulations.
Grant applications must be received by the Murray and Agnes Seasongood Good Government Foundation at least two weeks before a board meeting. Meetings are scheduled for February 5, May 6, August 5, and November 4, 2008.
Download a grant application form: (Adobe Acrobat)