ECC Six Month Report

May 11, 2009

6monthsmallIn early November, we wrote “letters to the editor” with hopes of starting a discussion. Six months later, a vision for a sustainable future in Clinton County is growing and energy is becoming value.

ECC does not yet have a board that sits in a room, but it does have a community of supporters from across the country, and it is their wisdom, guidance, encouragement, and financial support which is responsible for everything ECC has accomplished. To mark this benchmark, we are happy to release our first report to you, our Board of Energizers, highlighting six months of ECC’s successes, impacts, and vision for the future.

Download and read the full report, or read an excerpt:

SIX MONTHS OF ENERGIZING
In November 2008, Energize Clinton County was only an idea of a sustainable future in Clinton County. Over the past six months, this idea has spread, evolved, and grown through the energy and support provided by the community and supporters from across the country.
Building ECC without established resources or a set pathway to organizational development required ECC to adopt a mantra that has come to frame the organization’s operations and vision for sustainability: “make the most of what we have.”
This mantra has not only led us to identify strategies that minimize our costs while maximizing our impact it has also led ECC to balance its focus on broad policy initiatives and attracting businesses (i.e. Green Enterprise Zone) with local projects that build on local assets (i.e. Buy Local campaign).
ECC has also put particular emphasis on projects and initiatives that empower community participation in economic development by promoting awareness of the impact of economic decision making. These approaches have become the framework on which ECC continues to build its strategy for sustainable economic development.
In the first six months, ECC has already achieved significant successes. Foremost, ECC is nearing completion of legislation that will designate Wilmington as the country’s first Green Enterprise Zone, developed collaboratively with local and national input. ECC has also successfully laid the foundation of the organization’s “force multiplier,” http://energizecc.com. The continued development of the official ECC site has not only served as a cost effective means for sharing information, spurring discussion, and providing educational materials, but it has also provided an attractive and compelling face for the organization. The site has received more than 25,000 visits since its launch in November, and has attracted interest in ECC and Clinton County from around the world. It is nearly impossible to quantify the immense value created by this site which was built with a $10 investment.
ECC achievements and growth in its first six months can largely be attributed to the support the organization has received from its growing network. ECC has formed key partnerships with local government, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations which have allowed the organization to multiply its impact by sharing resources, expertise, and energy. ECC’s trip to Washington in January led to the development of valuable, working relationships with the offices of Sen. Sherrod Brown and Sen. George Voinovich.
ECC’s partnership with the Clinton County Regional Planning Commission has been of particular value. The support, expertise, and encouragement provided by Chris Schock and the CCRPC have played an essential role in every step of our development, and deserve a great deal of credit for ECC’s impact.
SIX MONTHS OF CHALLENGES
Over the past six months, ECC has faced many challenges. We are very proud to look back over the difficulties we have encountered and appreciate that during our most vulnerable stages of development we successfully confronted certain challenges that only grew our understanding and furthered our growth.
ECC’s greatest challenge so far has been the lack of organizational capacity. Given the pressing nature of our work to provide capacity in response to the current economic crisis, we have placed greater priority on our work in the community than on ECC’s organizational development. To meet our basic organizational needs, ECC joined the Clinton County Foundation as a member organization which provided us non-profit status. Yet, the limited nature of this organizational structure does not offer a solution for long term organizational growth or sustainability.
While funding has not presented a challenge to day-to-day business of ECC, the organization’s inability to provide staff salaries and benefits presents a challenge to long-run sustainability. This lack of capacity has presented a challenge to identifying and applying for outside funding sources, and has left ECC to depend entirely on local in-kind and cash donations to cover operating expenses. While we do not believe funding alone will deter the continued growth and development of ECC in the short run, lack of funding presents the greatest obstacle to the work of ECC in the long run.
As a start-up organization, ECC is consistently exploring new reaches of knowledge and experience. Challenges have arisen through much of our work; such as developing new initiatives and policies, working within unfamiliar government and bureaucratic structures, or maintaining the interpersonal relationships essential for facilitating change within the community. Our ability to be effective has come from our ability to understand these hurdles, adapt to them and grow. Whether a success, failure, challenge, or resource, each has served in leading us to a greater understanding of ECC’s assets, knowledge, and vision, and have challenged us to expand and refine these areas so that we may continually increase our effectiveness as an organization.
THE NEXT SIX MONTHS
The economic shift in this community has often been compared to a natural disaster–a comparison that has greatly influenced these initial months for ECC. Under this often noted guise of a disaster zone, ECC has functioned with a swiftness, diligence, and persistence in response to the economic circumstances of the community. After six months of operations we feel that in addition to our work on immediate and established projects, we must also shift focus to the organizational development needed to allow ECC to serve the community for the long-term. This development is an essential component to providing ECC the capacity to be more effective in current endeavors and to lend additional capacity to areas that will strengthen our vision of sustainable development.
To initiate this process we will be moving to independently incorporate as a non-profit and form a
board that will oversee the growth of Energize Clinton County. In regard to the obtainment of
funding, and the ability to continually address the needs of the local economy, this is an especially critical step to take. The board will help to raise funds locally and obtain available, outside funding which will increase organizational capacity. The board will broaden the scope of ECC to address the diverse challenges and opportunities in our community.
Our organizational goal from the beginning has been to empower individuals, businesses, and local government to support the sustainable growth of our local economy; in short, “capacity building.” There has been some ambiguity over the past months on the ways in which we could best provide capacity. We feel the projects on which we are currently working strongly reflect directions in which to encourage sustainable development: improvements in cross-sector (and inter-sector) communications through technology usage and collaboration; support and incubation of local innovators; and advocating for the “smart” investments which make our local economy stronger.
In order for ECC to be capable of addressing identified needs and issues of sustainable development, it will be necessary to have additional staff. Presently, we have identified three particular positions of which we need to pursue, and for which there is available funding through grants and foundations: Volunteer Coordinator to oversee the development of a local volunteer network and manage volunteers; Project Development Coordinator to identify and manage the Innovation Incubator for local and social entrepreneurs; and Organizational Development Coordinator to focus on funding and organizational structure and growth.
Much is already developing outside of ECC which will lend support. As is the case this summer when Wilmington College receives nine additional AmeriCorps VISTA staff. The capacity that the volunteers will provide will be an asset for many projects with ECC and beyond. The positions have already attracted high caliber and quality volunteers, which speak volumes about the energy behind all of the immense opportunities to re-build our local community.
With all that has occurred in the past year for our community, there is still much for which to be excited. Energize Clinton County was born out of the shared recognition of the many opportunities that have become available through the responsive coming-together in the community. It is our mission to continue to effectively channel the energy behind these opportunities to bring them to fruition and energize Clinton County.

SIX MONTHS OF ENERGIZING:

In November 2008, Energize Clinton County was only an idea of a sustainable future in Clinton County. Over the past six months, this idea has spread, evolved, and grown through the energy and support provided by the community and supporters from across the country.

Building ECC without established resources or a set pathway to organizational development required ECC to adopt a mantra that has come to frame the organization’s operations and vision for sustainability: “make the most of what we have.”

This mantra has not only led us to identify strategies that minimize our costs while maximizing our impact it has also led ECC to balance its focus on broad policy initiatives and attracting businesses (i.e. Green Enterprise Zone) with local projects that build on local assets (i.e. Buy Local campaign).

ECC has also put particular emphasis on projects and initiatives that empower community participation in economic development by promoting awareness of the impact of economic decision making. These approaches have become the framework on which ECC continues to build its strategy for sustainable economic development.

In the first six months, ECC has already achieved significant successes. Foremost, ECC is nearing completion of legislation that will designate Wilmington as the country’s first Green Enterprise Zone, developed collaboratively with local and national input. ECC has also successfully laid the foundation of the organization’s “force multiplier,” http://energizecc.com. The continued development of the official ECC site has not only served as a cost effective means for sharing information, spurring discussion, and providing educational materials, but it has also provided an attractive and compelling face for the organization. The site has received more than 25,000 visits since its launch in November, and has attracted interest in ECC and Clinton County from around the world. It is nearly impossible to quantify the immense value created by this site which was built with a $10 investment.

ECC achievements and growth in its first six months can largely be attributed to the support the organization has received from its growing network. ECC has formed key partnerships with local government, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations which have allowed the organization to multiply its impact by sharing resources, expertise, and energy. ECC’s trip to Washington in January led to the development of valuable, working relationships with the offices of Sen. Sherrod Brown and Sen. George Voinovich.

ECC’s partnership with the Clinton County Regional Planning Commission has been of particular value. The support, expertise, and encouragement provided by Chris Schock and the CCRPC have played an essential role in every step of our development, and deserve a great deal of credit for ECC’s impact.

SIX MONTHS OF CHALLENGES:

Over the past six months, ECC has faced many challenges. We are very proud to look back over the difficulties we have encountered and appreciate that during our most vulnerable stages of development we successfully confronted certain challenges that only grew our understanding and furthered our growth.

ECC’s greatest challenge so far has been the lack of organizational capacity. Given the pressing nature of our work to provide capacity in response to the current economic crisis, we have placed greater priority on our work in the community than on ECC’s organizational development. To meet our basic organizational needs, ECC joined the Clinton County Foundation as a member organization which provided us non-profit status. Yet, the limited nature of this organizational structure does not offer a solution for long term organizational growth or sustainability.

While funding has not presented a challenge to day-to-day business of ECC, the organization’s inability to provide staff salaries and benefits presents a challenge to long-run sustainability. This lack of capacity has presented a challenge to identifying and applying for outside funding sources, and has left ECC to depend entirely on local in-kind and cash donations to cover operating expenses. While we do not believe funding alone will deter the continued growth and development of ECC in the short run, lack of funding presents the greatest obstacle to the work of ECC in the long run.

As a start-up organization, ECC is consistently exploring new reaches of knowledge and experience. Challenges have arisen through much of our work; such as developing new initiatives and policies, working within unfamiliar government and bureaucratic structures, or maintaining the interpersonal relationships essential for facilitating change within the community. Our ability to be effective has come from our ability to understand these hurdles, adapt to them and grow. Whether a success, failure, challenge, or resource, each has served in leading us to a greater understanding of ECC’s assets, knowledge, and vision, and have challenged us to expand and refine these areas so that we may continually increase our effectiveness as an organization.

THE NEXT SIX MONTHS:

The economic shift in this community has often been compared to a natural disaster–a comparison that has greatly influenced these initial months for ECC. Under this often noted guise of a disaster zone, ECC has functioned with swiftness, diligence, and persistence in response to the economic circumstances of the community. After six months of operations we feel that in addition to our work on immediate and established projects, we must also shift focus to the organizational development needed to allow ECC to serve the community for the long-term. This development is an essential component to providing ECC the capacity to be more effective in current endeavors and to lend additional capacity to areas that will strengthen our vision of sustainable development.

To initiate this process we will be moving to independently incorporate as a non-profit and form a board that will oversee the growth of Energize Clinton County. In regard to the obtainment of funding, and the ability to continually address the needs of the local economy, this is an especially critical step to take. The board will help to raise funds locally and obtain available, outside funding which will increase organizational capacity. The board will broaden the scope of ECC to address the diverse challenges and opportunities in our community.

Our organizational goal from the beginning has been to empower individuals, businesses, and local government to support the sustainable growth of our local economy; in short, “capacity building.” There has been some ambiguity over the past months on the ways in which we could best provide capacity. We feel the projects on which we are currently working strongly reflect directions in which to encourage sustainable development: improvements in cross-sector (and inter-sector) communications through technology usage and collaboration; support and incubation of local innovators; and advocating for the “smart” investments which make our local economy stronger.

In order for ECC to be capable of addressing identified needs and issues of sustainable development, it will be necessary to have additional staff. Presently, we have identified three particular positions of which we need to pursue, and for which there is available funding through grants and foundations: Volunteer Coordinator to oversee the development of a local volunteer network and manage volunteers; Project Development Coordinator to identify and manage the Innovation Incubator for local and social entrepreneurs; and Organizational Development Coordinator to focus on funding and organizational structure and growth.

Much is already developing outside of ECC which will lend support. As is the case this summer when Wilmington College receives nine additional AmeriCorps VISTA staff. The capacity that the volunteers will provide will be an asset for many projects with ECC and beyond. The positions have already attracted high caliber and quality volunteers, which speak volumes about the energy behind all of the immense opportunities to re-build our local community.

With all that has occurred in the past year for our community, there is still much for which to be excited. Energize Clinton County was born out of the shared recognition of the many opportunities that have become available through the responsive coming-together in the community. It is our mission to continue to effectively channel the energy behind these opportunities to bring them to fruition and energize Clinton County.

» IMPACT/ACTIVITY

Building sustainability through green economic development:

  • Established a partnership with Pure Blue Energy and the Clinton County Regional Planning Commission to develop a local legislation to establish Wilmington as the country’s first Green Enterprise Zone.
  • Hosted a luncheon featuring Pure Blue Energy and Bricker & Eckler LLP on Ohio’s renewable energy policies.
  • Hosted “Building a Sustainable Community” discussions on “A Roadmap to Green Economic Development” (10/6/2008 – 105 attendees), and “Weatherize Clinton County” (2/11/2009 – 27 attendees).
  • Mobilized more than 1,100 people from across the country to sign a petition supporting Weatherize Clinton County. Raised $1,000 to run a full page ad in the Wilmington News Journal encouraging citizen action to request funding for weatherization.

Building sustainability through a diverse, local economy:

  • Founding member of the Buy Local First Clinton County steering committee.
  • Developed Buy Local First CC website (http://buylocalcc.com), blog (http://blog.buylocalcc.com), and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/buylocalcc).
  • Coordinating “Third Friday” activities in collaboration Buy Local First CC and Main Street Wilmington.
  • Facilitate monthly Buy Local First coffees.
  • Hosted “Building a Sustainable Community” discussion on Buy Local First Clinton County featuring Phil Swindler, Swindler & Sons Florists; Kerry Steed, Generations Pizzeria; Steve Brown, Brown Plumbing/Main Street Wilmington; and Kyle Greene, General Denver Hotel (4/7/2009, 32 attendees).

Building sustainability through a local food economy:

  • Developed demonstration garden at Denver-Williams Memorial Park.
  • Attended “Nurturing Downtown” conference on local food economies hosted by Heritage Ohio
  • Providing capacity to support marketing, communications and web development for the the Clinton County Farmers market.
  • Launched “Energize Your Garden” blog.

Building sustainability through community development:

  • Hosted community Earth Hour festivities involving 33 local businesses.
  • Co-hosted Earth Day Luncheon with the CCRPC featuring a talk by Dr. Mark Partridge (Ohio State University) on “Building Sustainable Communities with Good Local Governance” (4/21/2009, 30 attendees)
  • Developed and managed web site for Earth Day Clinton County 2009 (http://earthdaycc.com).
  • Led 3 service learning projects for Wilmington College’s “Value & Ethics” course focused on community engagement, demonstration garden development, and campus energy efficiency.
  • Spoken to community groups across the region, including: Clinton County AM & Noon Rotary Clubs, Clinton County Economic Alliance, Miami County Optimists Club, Wittenberg University Power Club, Downtown Dayton Lions Club, Leadership Clinton Youth Group, Wilmington College Faith Forum, Wilmington High School National Honors Society, and several classes at Wilmington College
  • ECC members have been appointed to serve on the following organizations: Buy Local Clinton County steering committee, Clinton County Earth Day planning committee, Main Street Wilmington Design Committee, and Clinton County Community Gardens Initiative facilitators.

Building sustainability through ECC:

  • Built a multimedia web presence that provides information and promotes a discussion around sustainable development. The comprehensive http://energizecc.com web site has received more than 25,700 visits since Nov. 2008, including a one-week high of 4,896 (3/1/2009). ECC also keeps in constant contact with its supporters through the ECC Facebook page (770 fans), ECC E-blasts (1197 subscribers), and ECC Twitter feed (22 followers).
  • Opened ECC headquarters at 55 E. Locust St., Wilmington, Ohio.
  • Built sustainable development network by establishing partnerships with the Clinton County Regional Planning Commission, Wilmington College, National Bank & Trust, Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association, Pure Blue Energy, Buy Local First Clinton County, Swindler & Sons Florists, Main Street Wilmington.

» RECOGNITION

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