Community: City of Grosse Pointe Park
Population: 10,000+
I created an initiative in concert with one of my colleagues as well as residents to devise ways to help residents and businesses impacted by the pandemic. We encouraged the start of a business association, surveyed businesses, and then devised ways to help promote those businesses (via social media, specialty weeks). We also shared our findings with the DDA, TIFA and the city manager so they could take action.
Replicability:
Using your position to raise awareness; securing volunteers (residents) who want to help; creating a page on social media and working together to survey businesses and encouraging the start of a business association are easy to do.
Creativity and Originality:
We created a graphic, a social media page; we devised and sent out a survey; we created specialty weeks for various businesses; we encouraged the pursuit of grant funding; we've provided awareness about how to apply for loans/grants; we created a Bingo card to encourage shopping local.
Community Impact:
In addition to receiving positive feedback from the mayor and the city manager, we've heard from businesses that they've seen an uptick in business as a result of our work. We also like to believe that we helped influence decisions by the DDA and TIFA to increase grant funding for businesses in the Park. The city manager is also looking into additional grant opportunities to support businesses as well as potential infrastructure improvements identified in the survey.
