COMMUNITY BUILDERS

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: IN 2024, CB PROVIDED DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT COLORADO. OUR LARGEST INVESTMENTS WERE FOR ASSISTANCE PROJECTS IN LEADVILLE/LAKE COUNTY, AND ALSO IN THE WEST END (A REGION THAT INCLUDES THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF MONTROSE AND SAN MIGUEL COUNTIES). BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS CAME THROUGH OUR COMPETITIVE COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT INVITES COMMUNITIES TO APPLY FOR OUR SUPPORT TO ADDRESS IMPORTANT NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES. BOTH OF THESE ARE IN-DEPTH PROJECTS THAT INCLUDE ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND COMMUNITY VISIONING AND STRATEGIC PLANNING. THE PROJECT IN LEADVILLE/LAKE COUNTY WILL CREATE A SHARED COMMUNITY VISION AND INTEGRATED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. BOTH PROJECTS WILL LAST OVER 12 MONTHS. OUR ASSISTANCE WORK ALSO INCLUDED HELPING COMMUNITIES DEVELOP PROGRAMS AND POLICIES TO CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES IN PLACES LIKE GRAND JUNCTION, GRANBY, EAGLE, CRAIG, MONTROSE, ALAMOSA, AND LIMON. WE ASSISTED COMMUNITIES IN CAMPBELL CO. WYOMING AND THE WEST END (PRIOR TO THE PROJECT NOTED ABOVE) WITH ECONOMIC STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT THOSE REGIONS' ECONOMIC TRANSITION AWAY FROM COAL. ALL OF THESE PROJECTS ADVANCE THE GOALS OF OUR COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. BUILD LOCAL CAPACITY TO BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIES; BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER ACROSS LINES OF DIVISION TO CREATE A SHARED VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF THEIR COMMUNITY; ENABLE LOCAL PARTNERS TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS, PROGRAMS OR POLICIES THAT CREATE MEANINGFUL RESULTS AND IMPACT.

TRAINING: IN MARCH OF 2024, WE HOSTED OUR 3-DAY BUILDING BETTER PLACES TRAINING (BBP). BBP APPLIES OUR AWARD WINNING TRAINING MODEL TO BRING TEAMS OF LOCAL LEADERS TOGETHER TO LEARN TOGETHER AND COLLABORATIVELY DEVELOP COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS TO LOCAL CHALLENGES. BBP24 BROUGHT TOGETHER LEADERS FROM FIVE COLORADO COMMUNITIES (LAKE COUNTY, THE WEST END REGION, THE TOWN OF MEEKER, THE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY REGION, AND THE TOWN OF SILVERTON). EACH COMMUNITY WORKED WITH A DEDICATED FACILITATION TEAM AND LEFT WITH A DETAILED ACTION STRATEGY TO CARRY FORWARD BACK HOME. TWO OF THESE COMMUNITIES WERE THEN SELECTED FOR OUR IN-DEPTH COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND CAPACITY TO CARRY OUT IMPACTFUL COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PROJECTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE OR MORE LOCAL PARTNERS. THE GOALS OF OUR TRAINING PROGRAM ARE TO: 1) INCREASE KNOWLEDGE, COMPETENCE, AND LEADERSHIP ABILITIES OF PEOPLE WHO MAKE/INFLUENCE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW THE COMMUNITY GROWS AND CHANGES OVER TIME; AND 2) HELP LOCAL LEADERS DEVELOP THE PARTNERSHIPS, TOOLS, INSPIRATION, AND DIRECTION THEY NEED TO ADVANCE LIVABILITY