MARCH 24, 2017 (LINCOLN, NE)–Mark your calendar to celebrate the 31st anniversary of National Community Development (CD) Week, April 17 – April 22, 2017.
The National Community Development Association initiated National CD Week in 1986 to remind Congress of the importance of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. In Nebraska, federal, state and local organizations have formed partnerships to support community development activities in recognition of CD Week.
Communities are encouraged to celebrate CD Week by hosting a variety of activities locally. Suggested activities include:
- Host your own proclamation signing: Kick-off Community Development Week with a proclamation signing by local officials. A sample proclamation is provided at the CD Week website. Invite representatives from local organizations who are involved with community development projects.
- Highlight the Value of Civic Organizations: Hold an open house at a public facility such as the city hall, library, hospital, fire hall, or community center.
- Inspire Future Projects: Hold a town meeting at a completed community development project site or projects in-progress. Use the gathering to not only celebrate and inform residents of community accomplishments, but to also set new goals and objectives for the community, and recruit new volunteers for future endeavours.
- Involve Community Members: Work with business owners and the chamber of commerce to promote downtown and area businesses with special sales, evening hours, or similar activities. Recruit businesses to sponsor an event or donate a percentage of the day’s receipts to local improvement groups or projects.
- Engage and Educate Congressional Members: Meet or write letters to congressional representatives to share achievements and express opinions about the resources and programs that help make community development projects possible.
Nebraska will be hosting a special proclamation signing and awards ceremony during Community Development Week at the State Capitol in Lincoln. The Governor will recognize the entitlement communities (Bellevue, Grand Island, Lincoln and Omaha) and communities within the non-entitlement area (overseen by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development). Nebraska communities demonstrate an exceptional capacity to identify community development goals and strategies; combine federal, state and local resources to achieve those goals; and accomplish major projects with positive impacts on the overall community.
For more information about CD Week, visit https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/CDWeek, or contact Rebecca Schademann, CD Week Coordinator at 800-426-6505, 402- 471-3172, or e-mail rebecca.schademann@nebraska.gov
Media Contact Kate Ellingson at 1-800-426-6505, 1-402-471-3749 or email kate.ellingson@nebraska.gov