The City of Cullman formed a Downtown Redevelopment Authority during 2007 and has begun extensive street scaping and façade improvement activities. This work is being performed by the Street Department with Landscaping by the in-house maintenance personnel in Sanitation. It is always a pleasure to see what treasures are hidden below our streets and sidewalks. In this case, brick crosswalks from a by-gone era. from Jim Fisher, Cullman City Planner Hidden Lakes Elementary School Uses New Outdoor Classroom for First Time
What is an outdoor classroom and how can it benefit our children today on school grounds? An outdoor classroom is a designated area that attracts wildlife by providing elements crucial to wildlife survival, including food, water, cover from predators, and places to raise young. The outdoor classroom also includes raised bed gardens, vegetable gardens, herb gardens, butterfly gardens, ponds, bog gardens, animal tracking areas, weather stations, and a variety of other components that provide hands-on learning opportunities for students.
An outdoor classroom expands the learning environment beyond the walls of the traditional classroom. It is a place where the student, through guided personal experiences can become aware of the environment and learn how human decisions and behavior affect the environment for either good or bad. more>>>
American Institute of Architects Competition
AIA (American Institute of Architects) Birmingham’s AIAforShelter committee is sponsoring a design competition for a single family affordable home on a vacant site in the Historic Norwood Neighborhood of Birmingham. The Norwood site is owned by Aletheia House, a non-profit organization that provides substance abuse treatment and support along with transitional housing. The purpose of the competition is to provide Aletheia House with an exemplary affordable, sustainable, and livable, home design that fits in the neighborhood context. Aletheia House has funding to purchase three more sites and build three more affordable homes on them in the near future, and as such the 2nd through 4th place entries in the competition may also be adapted to similar sites and their designers contracted with as well to produce the construction drawings. Cash prizes of $1000 and $500 will be awarded to 1st and 2nd place respectively, 3rd and 4th place designers will receive non-cash prizes and it will be the intent of Aletheia House to contract with each of the four designers to finalize the documents for their designs. The fee to enter is $75 for AIA members and $100 for non-members. For more information and registration please visit the competition website at www.aiabham.org/forshelter/introduction.html
States and Cities Recognized for Smart Growth
EPA recognized one state and four local authorities for innovative community development that protects the environment, preserves community identity and expands economic opportunity. The winners of the 2007 National Awards for Smart Growth Achievement went to the Housing Authority of Portland, Ore.; the Seattle Housing Authority; the state of Vermont; the town of Barnstable, Mass.; and Manhattan. "President Bush and EPA see smart growth as smart for our environment, smart for our economy and smart for our quality of life," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "And together with our vital community partners – including these 2007 award recipients – we are helping America responsibly build toward that healthier, brighter future." more>>>
A Call For Help Gets Answers
Anytime you have a problem that you think someone with Your Town Alabama can help with, let us know. Just send us an email at info@yourtownalabama.org. We may not know the answer, but someone will surely have some ideas. After all, all of our communities are stronger when we work together! As an example, someone asked for help several months ago about a theatre in need of renovation. Read some of the responses that they received! more>>>
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Leeds on the Move
The City of Leeds lies within three major counties-Jefferson, Shelby, and St. Clair.
Leeds capitalizes on its geographic location and its long existence in the Cahaba Valley along an old stagecoach road to gain local support for preservation and protection and promotion of its unique assets. The town's historical society, for example, has recently taken its stagecoach out of mothballs to gain publicity for the area's unique history. When Leeds Historical Society's stagecoach driver and his entourage swing out of old Rowan Oakes Historical Home headed to this year's Christmas parade, they will make a right turn onto the entrance of one of the city's recent real estate developments. Immediately they will face the historic route that Leeds old-timers often call the valley road. Local citizens will tow the Society's stagecoach to the downtown Christmas parade sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. Caravanning behind, the Young Historians, a group of teenagers who assist Leeds' scenic byway team, Leeds Historical Society, and St. Clair Historical Society, will bring a two-day job to its climax. more>>>
Grant Opportunities
ASCA CONTINUES NEW GRANTS PROGRAM FOR ARTS & CULTURAL FACILITIES.
The Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA) has begun a long-awaited Arts and Cultural Facilities granting program. Under this new funding program, organizations can be awarded grants for planning, design or construction of an arts space. All projects include licensed professionals with demonstrated expertise in urban and/or community planning, architecture, landscape design or historic preservation. March 1, 2008 will be the only deadline for Art & Cultural Facilities applications this fiscal year. Applications will be approved at the June Council meeting. Adequate cultural facilities have been an issue in both urban and rural areas throughout Alabama. There is an ever-growing appreciation for the arts and clearly appropriate spaces are necessary to showcase the rich diversity of the arts in Alabama. The unique nature of the arts suggests that space will dictate not only what can be attempted, but also how the arts will be presented. The type of arts facility available to a community can contribute greatly to successes in the arts. New audiences are attracted by exciting spaces in which to experience the arts. Suitable cultural facilities must exist in order to make possible the presentation and preservation of the arts at a high-quality level.
News from Alabama Communities
Oneonta: We planted flowers and some nandinas downtown Oneonta on Nov. 16, 2007 from 10:00 - 4:30.
City of Graysville - Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE) update
The City of Graysville kicked off its inaugural event on November 5 and 6 for the Alabama Communities of Excellence program. Graysville was selected to be one of three communities to participate in its Class of 2007. Also included are Evergreen and York. The November event, a Community Assessment process and Phase I of the ACE process, included a visit from the ACE assessment team, meetings with City leaders and citizens and a guided tour of the city. Upon completion of the program’s three phases, communities are designated an “Alabama Community of Excellence” and receive a grant for further community and economic development efforts. The three phases are: Community Assessment; Leadership Development and Strategic Planning; and Implementation and Comprehensive Planning. For more information on the ACE program, visit www.alabamacommunitiesofexcellence.org. www.al.com. Read the Birmingham News Article.
more news from Alabama's Communities>>>
Southern Growth Seeks Student Applicants Southern Growth Policies Board seeks student applicants for its Southern Research Fellows Program. The Southern Research Fellows Program promotes student research relating to economic development and quality of life in 13 Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. more>>> |
Developing a Powerful Grant Proposal18-part series that covers the entire spectrum of grant proposal development. This series offers step-by-step tutorials, checklists, worksheets, and samples to help guide proposal development. The series will help novice grant writers understand each segment of the process, as well as provide more experienced grant writers with new ideas about how to approach grant writing. www.grantstation.com/Public/News_Views_px/trackstosuccess.asp |
A SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVISORSThe Nonprofit Resource Center of Alabama with the support of The Walker Area Community Foundation presents: A SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS Featuring Wayne Carmello-Harper, Guidant Consulting, Inc. Wednesday, December 12, 2007, 8:00am to 10:00am. Professional advisors can be catalysts for capturing wealth for a community. This two-hour program will provide an overview of wealth migration, and how professional advisors can help clients more completely by understanding and discussing their charitable goals. more>> |
ALA Citizens for Constitutional Reform |
Florence Completes First Tree InventoryThe City of Florence, Alabama has just completed its first tree inventory and urban forest management plan. Paul Graham, Urban Forester, used U&CF federal funds to complete the project. The project relied heavily on advanced mapping technology and state-of-the-art modeling programs. The final report provides the city with a complete analysis of the urban forest's composition as well as a cumulative dollar values of benefits provided. The information will allow Paul to better manage his city's urban forest. It will also improve communication with his Mayor, City Council, departments, and the general public. For more information visit http://www.aces.edu/ucf/ and "click" the lead story. |
Primer on Grant Writing Randy Shoults from the Alabama State Council on the Arts will conduct a primer in Grant Writing. 01.11.08 / Walker Area Nonprofit Council Meeting free Grant Writing Training with Randy Shoults at Community Health Systems – Activity Center – 204 East 19th Street, Jasper, AL. That is a large block building with a blue metal roof a few blocks east of the Walker County Courthouse square. Training will start at 10am and is expected to last through 2pm. Seating is limited so an RSVP is needed. Lunch is not provided but plenty of places to eat are nearby. RSVP to Carol Savage – Director of Grants and Initiatives. 205.302-0001 or email csavage@wacf.org |
You probably have heard about the Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform Foundation’s 45 minute entertaining and educational documentary called It’s a Thick Book. The ACCR Foundation has recently announced the release of a 27 minute version of the film which creatively looks at the issues with our state 1901 Constitution and quickly articulates reason for reform. To order a free copy of the film, please visit the ACCR Foundation web site: 