Hello,
I'm Cynthia VanLandingham, a member of the Jump Start Plan X Committee and author of Creativity Corner. As you may know, this committee is a subgroup of the Knight Foundation Creative Communities Initiatives going on in Tallahassee to help diversify our region's economy. Below is a summary of the most recent Jump Start Plan X Committee Meeting that I attended.
At this early morning, July 9th, meeting we had a useful discussion, despite an occasional blank look on my face. It is a complex task with a lot to take in! Nevertheless, this committee is really getting some structure around the three ideas that the committee has decided to pursue so far -- co-locating services; exploring creative financing options; and developing a business incubator. Below is a list of the areas where the committee has made progress. You can download a one-page PDF summary of this meeting with the sidebar link.
SURVEY: Jump Start Plan X Business Survey has been completed and is available online.
Click Here to Take the Survey
MEDIA: “My View” column soliciting feedback and more volunteers was submitted to Tallahassee Democrat and should be published by mid-July. It also will be posted on KCCI blog. The key talking from this also will become part of a flyer for Chamber retreat in Ponte Verde June 20-21. (The Knight Foundation has provided funding to bring David Miller from the Florida Group to speak at the Chamber's annual meeting in Ponte Verde.)
E-mail blasts will be sent out next week by Tallahassee Area Chamber and to Capital City Chamber members in the next week. Other small business groups, i.e. FAMU SBDC and Locally Owned Tallahassee also will be approached by Dorothy Bland to help get the word out to their clients/members.
FINANCE: Nolia Brandt and Judy Jones-Colson have met with a board member and the staff of a newly developed community bank to discuss community and small business finance needs. They also have upcoming meetings scheduled with local credit unions and national banks. They will continue this effort to work to create more flexible resources that will meet the unique needs of local small businesses.
CO-LOCATION OF SERVICES: Nolia and Judy will also seek out sites for co-location of services. Requests have been made to the library, and the city was also approached about the Renaissance Center.
NEW BLOG: Cynthia Marie VanLandingham has joined the team and launched Creativity Corner blog. (You're Here!)
UPCOMING COMMITTEE GOALS:
Chair Tony Carvajal will schedule meetings for late July and August. Each team member will invite at least one person to join the team and attend next meeting. The aim is to grow the committee and to have a meeting the first week of August to review survey results and plan next steps. The team needs volunteers in the following areas.
- Co-location of services to help small business
- Financial incentives to help small business
- Business Incubator to help small business
- Marketing of three initiatives outlined above
- Budget/Fundraising – for box car site in the Arts Park that all KCCI teams could use for central meeting space near Gaines Street corridor.
Thanks for stopping by Creativity Corner!
If you own a business in the Tallahassee Regional Area, please fill out our survey. Your input is important! Click Here to Take the Survey If you have ideas to share, please join our neighborhood discussion by posting your comments to this blog, or come to our next meeting.
When you sign up for the Creativity Corner Newsletter, you'll receive a friendly notice in your inbox as soon as Jump Start Plan X meeting dates and times are scheduled as well as meeting summaries. You'll also receive information about other upcoming events related to the Knight Foundation Creative Cities Initiative in Tallahassee.
Best Regards,
Cynthia Marie VanLandingham
