Enterprise Community Partners, which helps find affordable housing options, is hosting its first 2012 Enterprise Community Innovation Awards. The award, sponsored through KeyBank, is designed to recognize organizations creating new and lasting community development solutions in Greater Cleveland. The winner will receive a $25,000 grant to support the project.

“We were looking at the future of community development in the area,” says Mark McDermott, Ohio director of Enterprise. “We know there are groups out there doing all sorts of innovative work, and we wanted to highlight that.”

McDermott and his team are looking for organizations that are making a positive impact toward making Cleveland a better place to live. “We’re looking for innovation, but innovation in ways that show new solutions to the challenges in our communities,” says McDermott. “Cleveland is a great place for community development work. We have a set of challenges we haven’t seen for a long time and we have to look at new ways to solve problems.”

Entries are due January 20. Three to five finalists will be chosen who will then present their case to a panel of experts. The winner will be announced in late February or early March at an awards event.

Source: Mark McDermott
Writer: Karin Connelly