Communications update reflects Grow Smart's commitment to sustainable economic growth and quality of place

After 12 years of working with diverse partners to think and act more strategically about integrating housing, transportation, economic development and environmental decisions, we thought it was time to sharpen our communications and freshen up our look.

The Board of Directors asked local communications and nonprofit consultant David Karoff to assist the Board in updating its mission statement and communications. It then engaged the local artistic talent of Isolde Maher of 4 Eyes Design to create a new logo that best reflects Grow Smart's work in helping to shape a better Rhode Island. We're grateful to both for their generosity and commitment.

The resulting mission statement:

"Grow Smart Rhode Island advocates sustainable economic growth that builds upon and strengthens Rhode Island's exceptional quality of place".

We work to achieve:

Revitalized, walkable urban and town centers

Coalition for Transportation Choices advances agenda for 21st century transportation system that enhances our economy, affords Rhode Islanders healthy, efficient and affordable transportation choices

The CTC invites you to a breakfast meeting for an update on its 2010 Legislative & Policy Agenda. Learn also about CTC's grassroots (and grasstops) advocacy to sustain the necessary investments to get our roads and bridges in a state of good repair while also improving our statewide transit system to become a more viable option for more Rhode Islanders. John Flaherty, Grow Smart's Director of Research & Communications, co-chairs the CTC along with Sheila Dormody, the Executive Director of Clean Water Action.

CTC Breakfast Meeting

About the Coalition for Transportation Choices

Grow Smart is once again partnering with Providence Business News to produce a Special Supplement to preview the Power of Place Summit taking place on Friday, May 14th at the Rhode Island Convention Center.

Space and materials deadline is March 26, 2010. The supplement will appear in the April 12th edition of Providence Business News.

CONTENT TO INCLUDE:

The state of Smart Growth in Rhode Island and its role in shaping a more efficient and prosperous future

Preview of keynote presenters, Summit program, workshop descriptions, panelists and organizational partners

Outline of significant policy changes at the federal level that will help Rhode Island better implement smart growth and capitalize on its many strengths

Updates on how several leaders throughout Rhode Island are already succeeding in efforts to advance sustainable economic growth and quality places

Download the Sales Sheet here [.pdf]

Special announcement coming soon on keynote presenters. Read more about the Power of Place Summit on our blog.

Sign up now for the classes that have already helped more than 500 local land-use decision-makers to do their work more effectively

Making Good Land Use Decisions

Writing Sound Decisions

About the Grow Smart RI Land-Use Training Collaborative The Grow Smart RI Land-Use Training Collaborative is an alliance of agencies and organizations that share a commitment to the principles of smart growth and sustainable community development. The partnering members believe that if we are to curb the sprawling development patterns that threaten Rhode Island's open space, urban vitality and community character, municipal officials and staff must be fluent and comfortable with the principles and practices of sound land-use planning. At the same time, citizens must be equipped with the knowledge necessary to have a stronger voice in local decisions, and the development community must also be brought into local planning efforts.

Between eBriefs, keep up with Grow Smart on our blog. Recent posts include:

Optimism Offensive
David Scharfenberg writes about Scott Wolf's one- man optimism offensive in the Providence Phoenix.
Read and discuss

ProJo Editorial: The obesity challenge
First Lady Michelle Obama has launched Let's Move, a program to counter childhood obesity. The program however does not address farm subsidies which make poor nutritional food inexpensive nor federal subsidies which encourage sprawl and auto- dependency.
Read and discuss

Scott Wolf ProJo OpEd: Myth of a bloated R.I.
As part of GrowSmart's ongoing effort to enhance the dialogue and decisions about Rhode Island's future, Scott Wolf recently had the following op-ed published in the Providence Journal. Scott's piece rebuts some unrealistically negative assertions about Rhode Island contained in an Ed Achorn February 9, 2010 column. Scott concludes that "To deal with the challenges facing us, we will be best served by a hard nosed look at the facts about our strengths and weaknesses rather than by a twisting and flouting of the facts that creates a false sense of hopelessness and desperation."
Read and discuss

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Rhode Island & Region

• Stimulus funds starting to make inroads
• $13M in Transportation Projects for RI
• New Bedford Brownfield Sites Reviewed for Economic Development and Job Creation Opportunities