CDN Members and Friends:
This issue of our e-newsletter provides the details of our strategic priorities moving forward. CDN conducted a comprehensive strategic planning process during the summer and fall of 2013. In addition to the name change and mission revisions, the Board of Directors determined four major strategic priorities. We have now been able to get those priorities funded, working groups initiated, and so these priorities will be implemented. The purpose of these priorities is to strengthen the community development industry in Maryland. This e-newsletter details what the strategic priorities are and how you can get involved.
And please Save the Date! Friday, November 7 is our Annual Meeting. This is a free event this year to be held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Baltimore Branch. Our keynote speaker is Joe McNeely, Board member of the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA) and Executive Director of the Central Baltimore Partnership. |
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First Annual Community Development Week - October 20-27 - part of campaign to promote the social and economic impact of our industry.
The first Annual Community Development Week is part of our larger campaign to promote the important social and economic impact of Maryland's Community Development Industry. We will launch the campaign soon. CDN has hired a PR consultant who will assist us with naming the campaign, developing talking points for all of us (members and friends involved in community development) to use to talk about community development, establish CDN's social media, update our Industry Report (first published in 2011) and engage the media to highlight the importance of our industry during Community Development Week and providing guidance for us to continue the campaign moving forward.
More details will follow regarding the specifics of the campaign. In the meantime, please put Community Development Week on your calendars!
Each community development organization has the opportunity to participate in Community Development Week by having an event, tour, or program that highlights your work and invite the media, your legislators and the general public. CDN will provide a template with talking points, draft press releases, and other information to participating organizations. We will list each participating organization on our new website, and have our PR firm engage media for several of the events/tours/programs around the state. Examples could be an event/tour or program you are already having that week (an event, open house, walking tour, whatever), or something you create just to celebrate Community Development Week. If you have ideas or questions because you are thinking about this now, we'll help. Contact Odette for any questions and details.
We'll have more details as we work with our PR consultant to launch this important campaign and Community Development Week. In the meantime, please send us your events/tours/programs for that week so we can highlight them on our new website when it launches in September.
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Regional Coalitions and capacity building
CDN has a strong Baltimore City Committee which has been meeting since 2006. The power of such a regional coalition can't be underestimated. The group works together on specific issues that without such a coalition, the issues would not receive any attention. Moreover, during this past legislative session, one of the City Committee's important legislative priorities was taken on by the CDN Policy Committee and passed by the General Assembly.
CDN wants to build the same kind of power in each region of the state. By organizing community development organizations in each region of the state, CDN can assist with several items including (a) understand the issues in each region and work with the coalition to address them; (b) understand the capacity building needs and trends so CDN can assist by bringing in resources and trainings to meet those needs (for instance NeighborWorks is very excited to work on this with us in specific areas, and we can bring in other resources); (c) give voice to each region's concerns and successes and share them with other regions; and more.
CDN's training and capacity building work will be completed at the regional level. No longer will trainings be available in one place in the state and our members expected to get there (except for our Annual Meeting). Thanks to the Maryland Department of Community Development, the Rural Maryland Council, and NeighborWorks for supporting this initial effort.
Regional partners have been chosen to assist CDN in this important work. Most of the initial regional meetings will occur in September. Stay tuned for more information about the regional coalition building in your area!
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Community Development Outcome Indicators
CDN along with several partners, will develop outcome indicators that measure progress in our communities (i.e. what we are all trying to accomplish by being involved in community development). These indicators will enable community development organizations, public agencies, and others to determine the best strategies for moving the indicators in specific directions. There are several models around the country for this kind of effort. It is anticipated we will launch these indicators in the fall of 2015. If you would like to be involved in the working group for this effort, please contact us.
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Policy and Advocacy
CDN's core work is our advocacy on behalf of Maryland's community development industry. CDN has had many successes in the General Assembly over the past few years, and we intend to grow that success moving forward. (We provided a legislative update in our last e-newsletter in April). We anticipate we will have a few peices of legislation in the coming General Assembly and will be working hard (through Community Development Week and other efforts) to educate the members of the General Assembly (particularly the several new members). If you are interested in being part of the Policy Committee, please contact us.
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As always, please let me know if you have questions or thoughts on any of the items in this e-newsletter. We want to hear from you!
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Thanks!
Odette
Odette Ramos
Executive Director
Community Development Network of Maryland
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ABOUT CDN:
The Community Development Network of Maryland, formerly the Maryland ABCD Network, is a member organization of over 130 nonprofits, small businesses, and individuals actively participating in community development across the state.
CDN's mission is to engage and strengthen Maryland's community development industry and encourage comprehensive community development through advocacy, capacity building and partnerships.
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Help us Update our Industry Report!
CDN is updating our Industry Report as part of our campaign to promote the social and economic impact of community development in Maryland.
The last report was published in October of 2011 and 75 organizations participated. It needs to be updated, with more participants, and you can help!
Please take 10-15 minutes to complete this survey. Here is the link. The data from it will be used for Community Development Week and in our Industry Report, which will be available at our Annual Meeting on November 7.
Please take the survey by August 8, 2014. Thank you!
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Its Membership Time!
Are you as excited about what is coming up next for CDN as we are? Please become a member or renew your membership today to be a part of strengthening our industry.
Paid members benefit directly from CDN's work. We've also establish some special benefits. Paid members can:
--Be highlighted in the Member Spotlight section of our new website (on the homepage),
--Have access to a member log in page on the website
--Participate on the new list serve we will launch this year.
--Post job opportunities on the Job Board of our new website.
Here is the link to renew or become a member today.
You can also download this form and send in a check with your membership contribution.
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Coming Soon!
CDN's new Website and social media. Both are being designed to connect our industry, while promoting its important impact in Maryland, and promoting our organization. Stay tuned!
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