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Housing
& Community « Blueprint Communities »
...in Pennsylvania
Launched in 2005 by FHLBank Pittsburgh and 17 funding
and program partners, Blueprint Communities helps community
leaders plan for and carry out effective and comprehensive
community revitalization efforts. Governor Rendell announced
the 22 urban and rural Pennsylvania communities
participating in the initiative’s inaugural year
at a Banner Day kickoff ceremony held August 9, 2005,
at the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg.
Communities
To see a list of both new and recertified Blueprint Communities, click here.
Program Partners
- Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
- Rural LISC
- Wells Fargo Foundation
Benefits for Participating Communities
Those participating in Blueprint Communities received
five days of intensive training that was complemented by
additional assistance. Each Blueprint Community team
received:
- Four days of leadership and community development
training, including instruction by the Heartland
Center for Leadership Development, materials,
meals and lodging
- A one-day capacity and technical training session
for representatives from housing development organizations
and other team members
- A community profile, a 10+ page report of key demographic
indicators and trends
- Instruction by high-quality, nationally known trainers
who have tailored a program and accompanying materials
- A public relations/communication Tool Kit, which
included an 18-foot street banner, posters and a booklet
entitled Back Home with Blueprint Communities –
Ideas for Informing, Inspiring and Involving Your
Community
- A Web site dedicated to the initiative, www.blueprintcommunities.com
- Ongoing technical
assistance during and after the training sessions.
Further, because the training is recognized by the
state's major housing and community development funders, communities may gain access to additional
funding from state and federal resources to implement
their plans. FHLBank will target its housing and community
development resources, affordable housing grants and
loans to small businesses to participants in the Blueprint
Communities initiative.
Focus
The community revitalization training provided the
educational component necessary for communities to begin
developing long-term, comprehensive community plans.
Focusing on such fundamentals as leadership, capacity,
goal-setting and strategic planning, the revitalization
training provided the necessary base for communities
to begin growth.
Outcomes
By training completion, communities had developed a
vision, a draft community plan, a process to measure
outcomes and a timeline to move their process forward.
Blueprint Communities are now working to build capacity,
momentum and trust among community stakeholders, as
well as provide the basis for developing and implementing
practical, achievable strategies in participating communities.
Selection Process
FHLBank, aided by program partners and an advisory
group, used a Request for Proposal process to select
communities for participation. One of the first steps
in the selection process for the community revitalization
training was the analysis of the community and the preparedness
of the stakeholders. The community had to be at a point
where it would derive benefit from the training and
have an opportunity to sustain a comprehensive development
approach.
Questions
For more information on Blueprint Communities, contact
Laura Kemp-Rye at 304-291-5485 or via email to blueprint@fhlb-pgh.com.
You may also visit the Blueprint Communities dedicated
Web site at www.blueprintcommunities.com
or call FHLBank's Community Investment Department at
1-800-288-3400.
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Resources
Go to the dedicated web
site.
Related Documents
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