MidTown
Cleveland rocks, that much we know. But for many local musicians, "rocking" isn't always enough to pay the bills. To make both music and a living, many must find -- or create -- music-related day jobs that supplement the bottom line. But the good news is two-fold: Cleveland musicians are supportive of one another, and here, a person doesn't have to work 60 hours a week just to pay the rent.
The Foundation Center launched Grant Space to aggregate its most popular content in one easy-to-navigate location and be responsive to its audience. The website features video chats with grant makers and a calendar of trainings. It also allows visitors to quickly interact with Foundation Center staff.
Now the Center has launched Grant Space Mobile, a new version geared towards mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets. Foundation Center Cleveland Director Cynthia Bailie says the website, which she developed and is now being used across the country, is one more way the Foundation Center is innovating to serve its customer base. The site is helping grant seekers to become more savvy about using technology to do good in their communities, she says.
"The world has increasingly gone to mobile devices, and we wanted to give our audience what they need in a user-friendly way," says Bailie.
Despite the at-your-fingertips information that is now available online, visits to the Foundation Center Cleveland, which is located in the Hanna Building at PlayhouseSquare, have not declined. Bailie believes that this is because the Center's online presence and physical location actually complement each other.
"We decided to put everything online and offer high-touch in-person services; we've found it has increased our visibility and people still come in," she says.
Making technology more accessible to grant seekers helps them to access funding more easily, identify new sources, strategize ideas and solicit a national and even international audience of grant makers, Bailie says. Recently, the Foundation Center Cleveland hosted a "Good Gone Mobile" networking and information night. The event highlighted two mobile trends, giving and advocacy, and allowed attendees to network with each other and learn from others in the field.
"There's a greater appetite for experimentation with new technologies. We've created a gateway that allows people to quickly tap in and get what they need."
Source: Cynthia Bailie
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Now the Center has launched Grant Space Mobile, a new version geared towards mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets. Foundation Center Cleveland Director Cynthia Bailie says the website, which she developed and is now being used across the country, is one more way the Foundation Center is innovating to serve its customer base. The site is helping grant seekers to become more savvy about using technology to do good in their communities, she says.
"The world has increasingly gone to mobile devices, and we wanted to give our audience what they need in a user-friendly way," says Bailie.
Despite the at-your-fingertips information that is now available online, visits to the Foundation Center Cleveland, which is located in the Hanna Building at PlayhouseSquare, have not declined. Bailie believes that this is because the Center's online presence and physical location actually complement each other.
"We decided to put everything online and offer high-touch in-person services; we've found it has increased our visibility and people still come in," she says.
Making technology more accessible to grant seekers helps them to access funding more easily, identify new sources, strategize ideas and solicit a national and even international audience of grant makers, Bailie says. Recently, the Foundation Center Cleveland hosted a "Good Gone Mobile" networking and information night. The event highlighted two mobile trends, giving and advocacy, and allowed attendees to network with each other and learn from others in the field.
"There's a greater appetite for experimentation with new technologies. We've created a gateway that allows people to quickly tap in and get what they need."
Source: Cynthia Bailie
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Throughout its 20 year history, Eden Inc., a nonprofit developer of affordable housing, has "flown under the radar," says David Fearn, Manager of Grants Development and Community Relations. If so, then one might say that Eden's recently launched sustainability efforts constitute a coming out party -- one to which all of its neighbors are invited.
Eden has always been a community-minded agency; its housing developments serve low-income and often mentally ill Cleveland residents, providing them with supportive housing and wrap-around services that help them to become more self-sufficient and better integrate with society.
In the past, Eden's low profile was largely due to the fact that affordable housing can be subject to the kind of reactionary NIMBY-ism (Not In My Backyard) that also pushes Cleveland's most vulnerable residents to the margins of society. Neighbors may oppose affordable housing because they are afraid of negative community impacts, yet such fears are typically unfounded, says Fearn.
To bridge the wide gap between Eden's low-income residents and their neighbors, the nonprofit is launching a series of sustainability efforts that have community benefits, says Fearn. Within the next few months, Eden will create a large-scale community garden at its Liberty Building at E. 105th Street and St. Clair Avenue, and a new development along Madison Avenue will probably receive rain cisterns. Eden is also integrating gardening and sustainability into other properties it owns.
"The benefits of these sustainability projects are that they engage the community around us, provide fresh produce and beautify the area," says Fearn. "We plan to source as much labor as possible from the neighborhood or city residents."
Such innovative sustainability efforts dovetail with Eden's existing focus on green building. All of Eden's projects now meet Enterprise Green Communities standards and often incorporate repurposed materials, as well.
Source: David Fearn
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Eden has always been a community-minded agency; its housing developments serve low-income and often mentally ill Cleveland residents, providing them with supportive housing and wrap-around services that help them to become more self-sufficient and better integrate with society.
In the past, Eden's low profile was largely due to the fact that affordable housing can be subject to the kind of reactionary NIMBY-ism (Not In My Backyard) that also pushes Cleveland's most vulnerable residents to the margins of society. Neighbors may oppose affordable housing because they are afraid of negative community impacts, yet such fears are typically unfounded, says Fearn.
To bridge the wide gap between Eden's low-income residents and their neighbors, the nonprofit is launching a series of sustainability efforts that have community benefits, says Fearn. Within the next few months, Eden will create a large-scale community garden at its Liberty Building at E. 105th Street and St. Clair Avenue, and a new development along Madison Avenue will probably receive rain cisterns. Eden is also integrating gardening and sustainability into other properties it owns.
"The benefits of these sustainability projects are that they engage the community around us, provide fresh produce and beautify the area," says Fearn. "We plan to source as much labor as possible from the neighborhood or city residents."
Such innovative sustainability efforts dovetail with Eden's existing focus on green building. All of Eden's projects now meet Enterprise Green Communities standards and often incorporate repurposed materials, as well.
Source: David Fearn
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Local jobs in the biomedical field are plenty and area companies are having trouble finding qualified people to fill them. To help remedy that, Global Cleveland and BioEnterprise have teamed up to host a virtual biomedical job fair March 26-30 to attract talented people in the field to the region.
“One of the consistent complaints we hear is that small and large biomedical companies in the region are not getting enough talent to meet their growth desires,” says Baiju Shah, president and CEO of BioEnterprise. “There are many, many open positions.”
Interested candidates from around the country can register for the job fair and create a profile. Participants can then log in during the fair to search available openings. The fair is free for attendees. Twenty four employers will be participating.
“What we have designed here is an attempt to attract people from around the country,” says Shah. "We thought it was an incredibly important to present a holistic picture of the industry.”
Global Cleveland plans to host similar events in the IT software, financial services and healthcare fields.
"The region is rife with opportunity,” says Shah. “We want to create a momentum, if not a stampede, of individuals returning to Cleveland to take these positions.”
Source: Baiju Shah
Writer: Karin Connelly
“One of the consistent complaints we hear is that small and large biomedical companies in the region are not getting enough talent to meet their growth desires,” says Baiju Shah, president and CEO of BioEnterprise. “There are many, many open positions.”
Interested candidates from around the country can register for the job fair and create a profile. Participants can then log in during the fair to search available openings. The fair is free for attendees. Twenty four employers will be participating.
“What we have designed here is an attempt to attract people from around the country,” says Shah. "We thought it was an incredibly important to present a holistic picture of the industry.”
Global Cleveland plans to host similar events in the IT software, financial services and healthcare fields.
"The region is rife with opportunity,” says Shah. “We want to create a momentum, if not a stampede, of individuals returning to Cleveland to take these positions.”
Source: Baiju Shah
Writer: Karin Connelly
The Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium, a major public initiative to help move Northeast Ohio towards a more sustainable, resilient future, will launch a public engagement process in the next few months. Young professionals are among the first constituencies being targeted in this effort to create a sustainability plan for the region.
"We're looking at how we are using land through the lens of sustainability," explains Jeff Anderle, Communications and Engagement Manager for the NEOSCC, which received a $4.25 million grant from the Obama administration's Partnership for Sustainable Communities initiative and launched in January 2011. "We want to make Northeast Ohio more resilient to change, help our governments to be more collaborative and provide the tools for communities to engage in more sustainable planning."
The NEOSCC has five different work study areas: economic development, environment, communities, connections, and quality, connected places. Consortium members include city governments, planning agencies and other public entities throughout the 12-county planning area. According to Anderle, NEOSCC's members are working together because they realize it is in their self-interest to help ensure that the region's resources are used more sustainably.
"We're starting to see collaboration happening in government because resources are getting tight, and moving forward, we believe collaboration will become essential," he says. "People are waking up and coming to the table."
Over the next few months, the NEOSCC will publish an existing conditions report and begin public engagement. "We're partnering with the Civic Commons," says Anderle. "We want to empower people to become a part of the process."
Source: Jeff Anderle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We're looking at how we are using land through the lens of sustainability," explains Jeff Anderle, Communications and Engagement Manager for the NEOSCC, which received a $4.25 million grant from the Obama administration's Partnership for Sustainable Communities initiative and launched in January 2011. "We want to make Northeast Ohio more resilient to change, help our governments to be more collaborative and provide the tools for communities to engage in more sustainable planning."
The NEOSCC has five different work study areas: economic development, environment, communities, connections, and quality, connected places. Consortium members include city governments, planning agencies and other public entities throughout the 12-county planning area. According to Anderle, NEOSCC's members are working together because they realize it is in their self-interest to help ensure that the region's resources are used more sustainably.
"We're starting to see collaboration happening in government because resources are getting tight, and moving forward, we believe collaboration will become essential," he says. "People are waking up and coming to the table."
Over the next few months, the NEOSCC will publish an existing conditions report and begin public engagement. "We're partnering with the Civic Commons," says Anderle. "We want to empower people to become a part of the process."
Source: Jeff Anderle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
gund foundation grants $700k to 'bold' cleveland schools plan
The George Gund Foundation awarded a $700,000 grant to support the bold strategy to reinvent public education in Cleveland proposed by Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon.
"The Foundation has been investing in a portfolio of new, innovative and excellent schools in Cleveland for many years in partnership with the Cleveland Foundation, and we enthusiastically support the expansion of this investment as outlined in Cleveland’s Plan for Transforming Schools," said David Abbott, executive director of Gund.
"This plan calls for a transition from a single-source school district to a new system of district and charter schools that work in partnership to create achievement gains for every student. The plan is built upon growing the number of excellent schools in Cleveland, regardless of provider, and giving these schools autonomy over staff and budgets in exchange for high accountability for performance."
The grant was among 75 totaling $3,645,349 approved by the Foundation’s board at its first meeting of 2012.
See the rest of Gund's recent grants here.
"The Foundation has been investing in a portfolio of new, innovative and excellent schools in Cleveland for many years in partnership with the Cleveland Foundation, and we enthusiastically support the expansion of this investment as outlined in Cleveland’s Plan for Transforming Schools," said David Abbott, executive director of Gund.
"This plan calls for a transition from a single-source school district to a new system of district and charter schools that work in partnership to create achievement gains for every student. The plan is built upon growing the number of excellent schools in Cleveland, regardless of provider, and giving these schools autonomy over staff and budgets in exchange for high accountability for performance."
The grant was among 75 totaling $3,645,349 approved by the Foundation’s board at its first meeting of 2012.
See the rest of Gund's recent grants here.
As more people and businesses settle in downtown Cleveland, the need is greater than ever for safe, beautiful and active public spaces. Who, then, will steward the dialogue around the importance of good design to the quality of life and economic competitiveness of our region? LAND studio will. The recent union of Cleveland Public Art and ParkWorks has given rise to LAND, an organization focused on (L)andscape, (A)rt, (N)eighborhoods, and (D)evelopment.
Imagine if a traumatic event like a car accident or shooting fundamentally altered the shape of your skull. That kind of trauma can be both physically and psychologically destructive to a victim. Patient-specific craniofacial implants created by Cleveland-based startup OsteoSymbionics protect the brain and restore one's natural head shape.
When asked if she has a dream project she'd like to fund, Cleveland Carbon Fund Fellow Joanne Neuberger rattles off the top of her list. "I'd love to see a project that capitalizes on the 'Year of Local Food' and helps ramp up Cleveland's local food system while reducing our carbon footprint," she says.
These are the kinds of big ideas which organizers of the Fund hope to spur through their grant making, which supports carbon reduction projects with community benefits. The Carbon Fund recently announced that is it seeking applications for projects up to $10,000. The deadline is March 16th.
The Cleveland Carbon Fund was created in 2009 by the City of Cleveland, Green City Blue Lake Institute at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Gund Foundation, Cleveland Foundation and Cleveland Clinic. Its goal, as Neuberger puts it, is to "think globally, green locally." While there are plenty of other carbon funds, ours is the first community-based, open-access fund in the U.S.
The Carbon Fund has supported two past projects whose goal was to install 10,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs in the Slavic Village and Detroit Shoreway neighborhoods of Cleveland (organizers installed nearly 5,000 in the end).
As the Carbon Fund continues to grow, Neuberger says that its leaders will seek additional donations from individuals and businesses. She hopes it will become a popular way to reduce our region's carbon footprint and support local initiatives.
Source: Joanne Neuberger
Writer: Lee Chilcote
These are the kinds of big ideas which organizers of the Fund hope to spur through their grant making, which supports carbon reduction projects with community benefits. The Carbon Fund recently announced that is it seeking applications for projects up to $10,000. The deadline is March 16th.
The Cleveland Carbon Fund was created in 2009 by the City of Cleveland, Green City Blue Lake Institute at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Gund Foundation, Cleveland Foundation and Cleveland Clinic. Its goal, as Neuberger puts it, is to "think globally, green locally." While there are plenty of other carbon funds, ours is the first community-based, open-access fund in the U.S.
The Carbon Fund has supported two past projects whose goal was to install 10,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs in the Slavic Village and Detroit Shoreway neighborhoods of Cleveland (organizers installed nearly 5,000 in the end).
As the Carbon Fund continues to grow, Neuberger says that its leaders will seek additional donations from individuals and businesses. She hopes it will become a popular way to reduce our region's carbon footprint and support local initiatives.
Source: Joanne Neuberger
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Major corporations have long conducted sophisticated research to figure out what kind of consumer you are. Now, a new initiative that is being launched by two young city residents aims to find out what kind of Clevelander you are -- and use the results to engage citizens and drive policy change in the region.
By surveying residents' attitudes towards living in Northeast Ohio, as well as our preferences for urban amenities, the creators of the Clevelander Report hope to place useful information in the hands of policymakers shaping our region's future.
"For all of the studies that have been done on our city, very few of them focus on citizens," explains Hallie Bram, a Detroit Shoreway resident who co-founded the Cleveland Report with Eric Kogelschatz. "Our goal is to create the most comprehensive study of Clevelanders that's ever been completed. We want to use that information to bridge the gap between organizations, government and citizens, and help our policymakers to make informed decisions."
The Clevelander Report surveys residents on such topics as whether or not they are natives, boomerangs, expatriates or have relocated from another city; where they currently live; which cultural institutions and businesses they have visited; their level of interest in urban living; and their attitudes towards the city.
Bram says that the survey has been well-received so far, garnering over 500 responses since it launched one week ago. She and Kogelschatz plan to continue the Clevelander Report through the summer, and then compile an Executive Summary that can be provided to residents as well as policy makers.
Bram and Kogelschatz are the founders of TEDxCLE, a popular annual event that features curated talks by some of Northeast Ohio's biggest thinkers. This year's event will take place at the Cleveland Museum of Art on Friday, April 20th.
Take the survey here.
Source: Hallie Bram
Writer: Lee Chilcote
By surveying residents' attitudes towards living in Northeast Ohio, as well as our preferences for urban amenities, the creators of the Clevelander Report hope to place useful information in the hands of policymakers shaping our region's future.
"For all of the studies that have been done on our city, very few of them focus on citizens," explains Hallie Bram, a Detroit Shoreway resident who co-founded the Cleveland Report with Eric Kogelschatz. "Our goal is to create the most comprehensive study of Clevelanders that's ever been completed. We want to use that information to bridge the gap between organizations, government and citizens, and help our policymakers to make informed decisions."
The Clevelander Report surveys residents on such topics as whether or not they are natives, boomerangs, expatriates or have relocated from another city; where they currently live; which cultural institutions and businesses they have visited; their level of interest in urban living; and their attitudes towards the city.
Bram says that the survey has been well-received so far, garnering over 500 responses since it launched one week ago. She and Kogelschatz plan to continue the Clevelander Report through the summer, and then compile an Executive Summary that can be provided to residents as well as policy makers.
Bram and Kogelschatz are the founders of TEDxCLE, a popular annual event that features curated talks by some of Northeast Ohio's biggest thinkers. This year's event will take place at the Cleveland Museum of Art on Friday, April 20th.
Take the survey here.
Source: Hallie Bram
Writer: Lee Chilcote
rta's bus rapid transit the envy of detroit boosters
“It won't be easy or cheap, but creating a new bus rapid transit system could help metro Detroit restore reliability to public transportation, attract new riders and spur economic redevelopment,” writes Matt Helms of the Detroit Free Press, in regards to the city’s public transportation concerns.
Helms writes that "Cleveland -- a Rust Belt city like Detroit that many had written off -- has seen $4.3 billion in economic expansion along its main thoroughfare, Euclid Avenue" through speedy and modern transit improvements that have boosted ridership and led to redevelopment in once rundown areas.
"If our attitude was rail or nothing, it would have been nothing," Greater Cleveland Regional Transportation Authority general manager Joe Calabrese is quoted in the piece.
While Detroit’s transportation issues cannot be solved with a "quick-fix" solution, similar cities such as Cleveland at least show working-model solutions that can solicit a desired outcome.
Read the full Detroit Free Press story here.
Helms writes that "Cleveland -- a Rust Belt city like Detroit that many had written off -- has seen $4.3 billion in economic expansion along its main thoroughfare, Euclid Avenue" through speedy and modern transit improvements that have boosted ridership and led to redevelopment in once rundown areas.
"If our attitude was rail or nothing, it would have been nothing," Greater Cleveland Regional Transportation Authority general manager Joe Calabrese is quoted in the piece.
While Detroit’s transportation issues cannot be solved with a "quick-fix" solution, similar cities such as Cleveland at least show working-model solutions that can solicit a desired outcome.
Read the full Detroit Free Press story here.
huff post lauds cleveland and its new urban agrarianism
In an article titled "Rust Belt Cities and the New Urban Agrarianism," Huffington Post writer Aaron Bartley states, “Cities like Detroit, Cleveland, Milwaukee and Buffalo have shown special promise as sites of food production. By melding a critical analysis of the corporate food chain with innovative and resourceful community-based production techniques, grassroots groups in these cities have reclaimed large swaths of vacant land for a range of urban agricultural experiments."
Cleveland, like so many other Rust Belt cities, is experiencing poverty, depopulation, and overall deterioration. With such decline also comes the opportunity to do something great for the benefit of all.
In a detailed story highlighting numerous cities, Bartley mentions that in Cleveland, Evergreen Coops broke ground last November on a massive greenhouse operation on five acres of urban land that will eventually produce three million heads of lettuce and 300,000 pounds of herbs annually to be sold and distributed across Northeastern Ohio.
The facility, named Green City Growers, is set to open this spring.
Read the full Huffington Post story here.
Cleveland, like so many other Rust Belt cities, is experiencing poverty, depopulation, and overall deterioration. With such decline also comes the opportunity to do something great for the benefit of all.
In a detailed story highlighting numerous cities, Bartley mentions that in Cleveland, Evergreen Coops broke ground last November on a massive greenhouse operation on five acres of urban land that will eventually produce three million heads of lettuce and 300,000 pounds of herbs annually to be sold and distributed across Northeastern Ohio.
The facility, named Green City Growers, is set to open this spring.
Read the full Huffington Post story here.
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) has seen increases in bus and transit ridership for nine months straight, and the number of riders on the Red Line in January was the highest since 1988.
Yet this month, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a surface transportation bill known as H.R. 7 that would eliminate dedicated federal funds for public transit across the country.
RTA is advocating against the cuts by working with Representative Steven LaTourette and other members of Congress to promote an amendment that would restore federally guaranteed funding.
"If you leave it up to chance that public transit gets funded, that's a big chance to take," says Mary McCahon, RTA's Media Relations Manager. The change would require agencies to lobby for federal funding each year, she says. "We provide 200,000 rides per day, and federal funding is our third biggest revenue source."
McCahon says that while the bill has been tabled, it is scheduled to come back to the floor of the House of Representatives for further discussion this week.
RTA's increased ridership is due in part to higher gas prices and ongoing Innerbelt construction, McCahon says. Improved marketing efforts, partnerships with businesses and the popularity of the Health Line are also factors.
For more information about H.R. 7 and the ongoing federal transportation bill debate, visit the RTA newsroom or American Public Transit Association website.
Source: Mary McCahon
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet this month, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a surface transportation bill known as H.R. 7 that would eliminate dedicated federal funds for public transit across the country.
RTA is advocating against the cuts by working with Representative Steven LaTourette and other members of Congress to promote an amendment that would restore federally guaranteed funding.
"If you leave it up to chance that public transit gets funded, that's a big chance to take," says Mary McCahon, RTA's Media Relations Manager. The change would require agencies to lobby for federal funding each year, she says. "We provide 200,000 rides per day, and federal funding is our third biggest revenue source."
McCahon says that while the bill has been tabled, it is scheduled to come back to the floor of the House of Representatives for further discussion this week.
RTA's increased ridership is due in part to higher gas prices and ongoing Innerbelt construction, McCahon says. Improved marketing efforts, partnerships with businesses and the popularity of the Health Line are also factors.
For more information about H.R. 7 and the ongoing federal transportation bill debate, visit the RTA newsroom or American Public Transit Association website.
Source: Mary McCahon
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Nearly 60 percent of newly-created jobs require a postsecondary degree, yet only six percent of Cleveland residents hold an associate's degree and just eight percent hold a bachelor's degree.
This stark statistic is one of the driving forces behind the fledgling Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland, an unprecedented collaboration among 15 colleges and universities, 25 nonprofit organizations, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Cuyahoga County. This new effort seeks to boost the number of college graduates in Northeast Ohio.
"Every day, there are 3,000 jobs that the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Summa Health Center can't fill," explains Lee Friedman, CEO of College Now Greater Cleveland, a member organization of the Compact. "If you can't increase educational attainment, then you can't fill jobs. At some point, if these organizations can't find talent, then they can't grow."
While this lofty goal is hardly unusual or unique, what makes the Compact stand out is its regional approach towards addressing the higher education gap. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson is increasingly touting the benefits of addressing such problems on a regional level. Cuyahoga County has not historically been involved in education, yet Executive Ed Fitzgerald has joined the Compact. Until now, the colleges and universities involved in the Compact also have not worked together to seek a comprehensive solution to the problem.
"It truly takes a village to help students get to school and graduate from school," says Friedman. "Many of the young people we're helping are first generation college students who don't have anyone to help them get on that path. The commitment of these university presidents is truly best in class."
The goal of the Higher Education Compact is to ensure that students are ready for, have access to and graduate from college. To achieve this goal, leaders will create student-focused action plans, educate the community on why college is important, help students become college ready, link them with scholarship and financial aid opportunities and create a College Success Dashboard that measures results.
Source: Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland, Lee Friedman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
This stark statistic is one of the driving forces behind the fledgling Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland, an unprecedented collaboration among 15 colleges and universities, 25 nonprofit organizations, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Cuyahoga County. This new effort seeks to boost the number of college graduates in Northeast Ohio.
"Every day, there are 3,000 jobs that the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Summa Health Center can't fill," explains Lee Friedman, CEO of College Now Greater Cleveland, a member organization of the Compact. "If you can't increase educational attainment, then you can't fill jobs. At some point, if these organizations can't find talent, then they can't grow."
While this lofty goal is hardly unusual or unique, what makes the Compact stand out is its regional approach towards addressing the higher education gap. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson is increasingly touting the benefits of addressing such problems on a regional level. Cuyahoga County has not historically been involved in education, yet Executive Ed Fitzgerald has joined the Compact. Until now, the colleges and universities involved in the Compact also have not worked together to seek a comprehensive solution to the problem.
"It truly takes a village to help students get to school and graduate from school," says Friedman. "Many of the young people we're helping are first generation college students who don't have anyone to help them get on that path. The commitment of these university presidents is truly best in class."
The goal of the Higher Education Compact is to ensure that students are ready for, have access to and graduate from college. To achieve this goal, leaders will create student-focused action plans, educate the community on why college is important, help students become college ready, link them with scholarship and financial aid opportunities and create a College Success Dashboard that measures results.
Source: Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland, Lee Friedman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
How would you spend three days on a bus with strangers? If reading, watching movies or sleeping are among your top choices, then the Startup Bus is not for you.
The destination is the South By Southwest (SXSW) technology conference in Austin, Texas, but that's almost beside the point. Startup Bus is all about the journey -- three days on the road, brainstorming and launching new companies with fellow hackers (programmers), hipsters (designers) and hustlers (entrepreneurs). What started as a lark in 2010 is now a growing movement that's spread from San Francisco to other American cities, and even Europe.
“It's not about the companies that come out,” says Greg Svitak of Hyland Software, who rode the Cleveland Startup Bus last year and is serving as the “conductor” of this year's Ohio trip, which leaves from Columbus on March 6. It's really about the relationships that emerge as the 30 bus riders pitch their ideas, then coalesce into small teams around the best few. Svitak knows of three startups in the works in Cleveland right now that resulted from friendships formed on last year's ride. And that's the larger goal, Svitak says -- building an international community of tech-savvy entrepreneurs, a few local connections at a time.
As conductor, Svitak chooses the riders, but based on their resumes, not their ideas. Even he won't know who's pitching what until the wheels are rolling. He'll then choose the two best startup ideas that emerge on the way to Texas. And at SXSW, the finalists from the 10 buses expected this year will present their concepts to venture capitalists. Last year, seven were offered funding, including Mom and Pop Co-ops, which reduces costs for small retailers by combining their buying power. Two of its three founders are from Northeast Ohio.
To apply for this year's Ohio Startup Bus, register at the website. From March 6 through 9, you can follow the progress at StartupBus.tv.
Source: Greg Svitak
Writer: Frank Lewis
The destination is the South By Southwest (SXSW) technology conference in Austin, Texas, but that's almost beside the point. Startup Bus is all about the journey -- three days on the road, brainstorming and launching new companies with fellow hackers (programmers), hipsters (designers) and hustlers (entrepreneurs). What started as a lark in 2010 is now a growing movement that's spread from San Francisco to other American cities, and even Europe.
“It's not about the companies that come out,” says Greg Svitak of Hyland Software, who rode the Cleveland Startup Bus last year and is serving as the “conductor” of this year's Ohio trip, which leaves from Columbus on March 6. It's really about the relationships that emerge as the 30 bus riders pitch their ideas, then coalesce into small teams around the best few. Svitak knows of three startups in the works in Cleveland right now that resulted from friendships formed on last year's ride. And that's the larger goal, Svitak says -- building an international community of tech-savvy entrepreneurs, a few local connections at a time.
As conductor, Svitak chooses the riders, but based on their resumes, not their ideas. Even he won't know who's pitching what until the wheels are rolling. He'll then choose the two best startup ideas that emerge on the way to Texas. And at SXSW, the finalists from the 10 buses expected this year will present their concepts to venture capitalists. Last year, seven were offered funding, including Mom and Pop Co-ops, which reduces costs for small retailers by combining their buying power. Two of its three founders are from Northeast Ohio.
To apply for this year's Ohio Startup Bus, register at the website. From March 6 through 9, you can follow the progress at StartupBus.tv.
Source: Greg Svitak
Writer: Frank Lewis
As the number of local bike commuters continues to increase, so too does the number of savvy entrepreneurs who serve and service them. In recent years, a mini boom of bike-based businesses has developed across Northeast Ohio, including frame builders, messenger bag makers, rickshaw drivers and an indoor bike park that attracts visitors from throughout the Midwest.
Public Square Group, a nonprofit organization that promotes skateboarding and skate parks as tools for redeveloping urban neighborhoods, engaging youth in positive activities and promoting active lifestyles, is opening an office and indoor skatepark in the MidTown neighborhood of Cleveland.
The new office and skatepark, which has been dubbed "Skate Kitchen," will be located in the historic Cadillac Building at E. 30th and Chester, adjacent to Jakprints. Skate Kitchen will be open 24/7 for higher-level donors, as well as for special events, contests and lessons.
"We wanted to move our offices into Cleveland because so many of our projects and members are in the city," says Vince Frantz, Executive Director of Public Square Group. "For our higher-level donors, instead of a mug or a sticker, they'll get a key to the Skate Kitchen. After the kids are in bed, they can come down and skate for a few hours."
The move will allow the Public Square Group to further expand its portfolio of projects in Northeast Ohio, says Frantz. He estimates that there are 10,000 active skateboarders across the region. The City of Cleveland is already ahead of the curve in embracing skateboarding as a tool for urban development, he says, citing as examples the skateboard parks planned in the Flats and Slavic Village.
Public Square Group also will continue to run the Skate Kitchen Truck, which pops up in various Cleveland neighborhoods offering mobile skate spots and demos.
Source: Vince Frantz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The new office and skatepark, which has been dubbed "Skate Kitchen," will be located in the historic Cadillac Building at E. 30th and Chester, adjacent to Jakprints. Skate Kitchen will be open 24/7 for higher-level donors, as well as for special events, contests and lessons.
"We wanted to move our offices into Cleveland because so many of our projects and members are in the city," says Vince Frantz, Executive Director of Public Square Group. "For our higher-level donors, instead of a mug or a sticker, they'll get a key to the Skate Kitchen. After the kids are in bed, they can come down and skate for a few hours."
The move will allow the Public Square Group to further expand its portfolio of projects in Northeast Ohio, says Frantz. He estimates that there are 10,000 active skateboarders across the region. The City of Cleveland is already ahead of the curve in embracing skateboarding as a tool for urban development, he says, citing as examples the skateboard parks planned in the Flats and Slavic Village.
Public Square Group also will continue to run the Skate Kitchen Truck, which pops up in various Cleveland neighborhoods offering mobile skate spots and demos.
Source: Vince Frantz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The newly minted nonprofit Bike Cleveland will bring together Northeast Ohio cyclists through cycling events, educational programming and advocacy work, says Jacob Van Sickle, the group's new Executive Director. The group also will provide area cyclists with a unified voice in transportation planning across the region.
Over the course of the next year, Bike Cleveland plans to focus on prioritizing bike investments in the West Shoreway project, collaborating with the City of Cleveland to update and prioritize its Bikeway Master Plan, creating fun biking events and advocating for cyclist-friendly policies throughout the region.
One of the group's first advocacy projects will be to rally against HR 7, the transportation bill that has been proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives. That bill would eliminate dedicated funding for transportation, cut funding that helps to make streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians, and shortchange funding for repairing existing roads and bridges and improving roadways for cyclists.
For several years, Cleveland's cycling community has been fragmented among different organizations. The launch of Bike Cleveland last summer and now the hiring of Van Sickle unites cyclists under a common banner for the first time.
Van Sickle says Cleveland's energized cycling community has a lot ot be proud of. The 2010 American Community Survey shows that .8 percent of Clevelanders now use a bicycle as their primary mode of transportation to work -- a figure well above the national average of .53 percent. This is a 280-percent increase over one decade, giving Cleveland the highest 10-year increase in the country.
“I am looking forward to working with current and future Bike Cleveland members, and the greater cycling community, to continue to grow the cycling movement in Greater Cleveland," said Van Sickle in a press release.
Source: Jacob Van Sickle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Over the course of the next year, Bike Cleveland plans to focus on prioritizing bike investments in the West Shoreway project, collaborating with the City of Cleveland to update and prioritize its Bikeway Master Plan, creating fun biking events and advocating for cyclist-friendly policies throughout the region.
One of the group's first advocacy projects will be to rally against HR 7, the transportation bill that has been proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives. That bill would eliminate dedicated funding for transportation, cut funding that helps to make streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians, and shortchange funding for repairing existing roads and bridges and improving roadways for cyclists.
For several years, Cleveland's cycling community has been fragmented among different organizations. The launch of Bike Cleveland last summer and now the hiring of Van Sickle unites cyclists under a common banner for the first time.
Van Sickle says Cleveland's energized cycling community has a lot ot be proud of. The 2010 American Community Survey shows that .8 percent of Clevelanders now use a bicycle as their primary mode of transportation to work -- a figure well above the national average of .53 percent. This is a 280-percent increase over one decade, giving Cleveland the highest 10-year increase in the country.
“I am looking forward to working with current and future Bike Cleveland members, and the greater cycling community, to continue to grow the cycling movement in Greater Cleveland," said Van Sickle in a press release.
Source: Jacob Van Sickle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Local writer, speaker and entrepreneur Craig James has some big ideas. In fact, he is a regular contributor to NEOtropolis's "What’s the Big Idea" segment on PBS. He and his partner Sue James formed CatalystStrategies, which helps organizations best communicate their message, market and meaning. In this "Letter to Cleveland," James pens an open letter to the city he loves.
The nonprofit organization LiveCleveland has launched a website which provides urban parents with comprehensive school information for the areas in which they live. Our Neighborhood Schools allows parents to search by community and zip code to determine the best educational opportunities available to them across the spectrum of public, private and parochial schools.
"We wanted to battle head-on the perception that there are a lack of school choices in the City of Cleveland," says Jeff Kipp, Executive Director of LiveCleveland. "Our Neighborhood Schools is a searchable database and resource for parents that highlights high-performing schools in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District as well as charter school and private school options."
The new website was made possible through a partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) and grant funding from the Cleveland Foundation. LiveCleveland shares with CMSD a marketing and web design staff person who works to increase enrollment in the city's public schools.
"CMSD basically had no marketing strategy previously, and was losing hundreds of kids each year to charter schools who were doing a more proactive job," says Kipp. "Now the district is trying to market its own strong schools to parents."
The website, which attracts about 500 unique visitors per month, is a "win-win" for LiveCleveland, CMSD and the city's neighborhoods and schools, Kipp adds.
Source: Jeff Kipp
Writer : Lee Chilcote
"We wanted to battle head-on the perception that there are a lack of school choices in the City of Cleveland," says Jeff Kipp, Executive Director of LiveCleveland. "Our Neighborhood Schools is a searchable database and resource for parents that highlights high-performing schools in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District as well as charter school and private school options."
The new website was made possible through a partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) and grant funding from the Cleveland Foundation. LiveCleveland shares with CMSD a marketing and web design staff person who works to increase enrollment in the city's public schools.
"CMSD basically had no marketing strategy previously, and was losing hundreds of kids each year to charter schools who were doing a more proactive job," says Kipp. "Now the district is trying to market its own strong schools to parents."
The website, which attracts about 500 unique visitors per month, is a "win-win" for LiveCleveland, CMSD and the city's neighborhoods and schools, Kipp adds.
Source: Jeff Kipp
Writer : Lee Chilcote