Community Prosperity
Inspiring small communities to “grow from within”
The Chattanooga tri-state region continues to position itself as a major player in the global economy. In recent years the region’s industry has diversified to include a Google data center, a South Korean solar manufacturer, and a Swedish tire manufacturer.
As industry and business expands, residents of the Chattanooga tri-state region remain protective of their hometowns and community spaces. They desire economic development anchored by distinctive, charming Main Streets, and neighborhoods imbued with character, a sense of place.
Thrive Regional Partnership equips communities with strategy development programs to leverage distinctive cultural assets to generate economic and community vibrancy. We call this—what makes them unique— their “distinctive play.”
Building from their distinctive play, the transformative process of placemaking empowers communities across the region with the creative confidence they need to “grow from within” for decades to come.
Projects
The Tennessee Placemaking Partnership is a continuation of the Thriving Communities accelerator program. It assists small and/or rural communities in Tennessee as they evolve their project-based placemaking work into longer-term community-wide strategies for social and economic prosperity.
Thriving Communities is a community accelerator program designed to enhance leadership and community development throughout the region through creative placemaking. Participating teams learn strategic approaches to leverage their artistic and cultural assets in order to spark economic vibrancy and growth from within.
Perspectives
$30,000 has been awarded to Bradley County, Tennessee, as well as Walker and Whitfield counties in Georgia from Connect Humanity, a nonprofit impact fund, to participate in the Appalachian Digital Accelerator, an initiative that supports communities as they create custom connectivity plan.
Northwest Arkansas, Colorado Springs, Greater Chattanooga and Missoula today launched the Coalition of Hip Hideaways, a collective of distinct, likeminded communities across the country that are collaborating to accelerate thoughtful growth in all forms.
South Chattanooga, Dalton, Spring City, and South Pittsburg join the Resilient Communities pilot program, Thrive’s groundbreaking initiative in partnership with the Open Space Institute (OSI) to help communities plan for and address environmental challenges including the increasing effects of climate change.