Mark your calendar to celebrate the 32nd annual National Community Development Week this April 2-6.
The National Community Development Association implemented National Community Development Week (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 and the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) program.
CD Week in Nebraska is about celebrating our communities’ exceptional commitment to identifying development goals and strategies; combining federal, state and local resources to achieve those goals; and accomplishing major projects with positive impacts for the entire community.
Nebraska will host a special proclamation signing and awards ceremony during CD Week from the State Capitol Building this April. During the ceremony, Governor Pete Ricketts will recognize successful projects conducted by Nebraska’s entitlement communities (Bellevue, Grand Island, Lincoln and Omaha) and communities within the non-entitlement area, which are overseen by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
Communities statewide are encouraged to celebrate CD Week by choosing from a variety of activities to host locally. Suggested activities include:
Host a proclamation signing: Kick-off CD Week with a proclamation signing by local officials. Invite representatives from local organizations who are involved with community development projects.
Highlight the value of civic organizations: Host an open house at a public facility such as a city hall, library, hospital, fire hall or community center.
Inspire future projects: Hold a town meeting at a completed or in-progress community development project site. Use the gathering to not only celebrate and inform residents about community accomplishments, but to set new goals and objectives and recruit new volunteers for future endeavors.
Involve community members: Work with business owners and the local chamber of commerce to promote downtown and area businesses through special sales, evening hours or other activities. Recruit businesses to sponsor an event or donate a percentage of the day’s receipts to local improvement groups or projects.
Engage and inform congressional members: Meet with or write letters to congressional representatives to share your community’s achievements and express opinions about the resources and programs that make community development projects possible.
More information about Community Development Week can be found at https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/cdweek, or by contacting Rebecca Schademann at 800-426-6505, 402-471-3172, or rebecca.schademann@nebraska.gov.