Christian County CES

Title:

Nurturing the development of local economic and community growth.

MAP:

Improving Economic and Community Development

Agents Involved:

Tiffany Bolinger, Kelly Jackson, Matt Futrell, Jeremiah Johnson, Mary Anne Garnett

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Business Retention and Expansion

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Local Food System Development and Mapping

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Community Strategic Planning

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Facilitation Training

Situation:

Community development is a structured intervention that gives communities greater control over the conditions that affect their lives. This does not solve all the problems faced by a local community, but it does build up confidence to tackle such problems as effectively as any local action can. Community development works at the level of local groups and organizations rather than with individuals or families.

During the 2019 community needs assessment focus groups and stakeholders identified a need for more jobs paying good wages with benefits and more pride in the community and its assets, and workforce development. It was also noted during an interview with a local stakeholder that, to address the priorities emerging over the next four years, the county must continue to invest in infrastructure; downtown and inner-city revitalization; expansion of new industry and businesses; broaden access to high speed internet; address homelessness; poverty issues; and sustainability issues including curbside recycling. 

Based on the Christian County 2020 Vision Plan (prepared by the Chamber of Commerce), continuing the work being done to revitalize the downtown area with an emphasis on creating neighborhoods that appeal to residential and business activities is a key goal for our community. Because small businesses with less than 20 employees constitute 92% of all businesses and employ 16% of all employees in Christian County, it is important to provide conditions that help the community survive. Research from the University of Washington shows that the quality of landscaping along approach routes to business districts has been found to positively influence consumer perceptions. Consumers and businesses have been found to favour districts with high tree cover and the increase in retail prices that can be commanded in well landscaped areas can reasonably be assumed to be a positive benefit in attracting businesses to the district.

Other goals of the 2020 Vision Plan are to enhance recreational opportunities that will bear a low user cost to the average citizen and to increase the county population by 5% in 2020. Research from the USDA Recreation, Tourism, and Rural Well-Being publication indicates that recreation opportunities lead to higher population growth. Working with community groups, Cooperative Extension can develop and partner with ongoing recreational opportunities that attract a broad-range of citizens.

By combining the information garnered from the community needs assessment with the Christian County 2020 Vision Plan, Cooperative Extension can work to provide the tools and education needed to develop the local community and economy.

Long-Term Outcomes:

* Attract more business to the county

* Enhance recreational opportunities

* Extend the outreach of the Cooperative Extension Service

Intermediate Outcomes:

* Participants take on formal community leadership roles

* Participants initiate collaborations and coalitions with other leaders

* The active involvement of people in the issues which affect their lives, based on the sharing of power, skills, knowledge and experience.

* Develop reciprocal relationships to identify mutual needs and benefits, set agendas for positive change, implement strategies, and assess results.

Initial Outcomes:

* Broader base of trained organizational and community leaders

* Increased efforts to reduce litter issue in Hopkinsville

* Provide low-cost marketing to the Green Industry in Christian County and surrounding areas by means of a Garden EXPO

* Improve the aesthetics of neighbors with community orchards

* Encourage a greater sense of community pride

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Provide a community forum for landscape-related industry to interact with consumers.

Indicator: Citizens will report a positive experience. Vendors will report increased sales.

Method: Observation, Vendor Surveys, FaceBook polls

Timeline: Spring 2023

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: General Public

Project or Activity: Founder's Square Feast

Content or Curriculum: promote local produce/producers; fundraiser for Farmer's Market

Inputs: committee members, volunteers, producer donations

Date: September 2022

Audience: General Public

Project or Activity: Garden and Outdoor Living EXPO

Content or Curriculum: promote local green industry; make connections with consumers

Inputs: committee members, green industry businesses, nonprofits

Date: April 2023

Audience: Geen Industry Professionals

Project or Activity: Christian County Green List

Content or Curriculum: develop a Green List of horticulture, gardening, and landscape business that serve Christian County for their promotion and to benefit the clientele. 

Inputs: agents, local green businesses

Date: Winter 2022

Audience: County-based community leadership program participants, Nonprofit organizational members, Other regional and state leadership development programs

Project or Activity: Workshops or collaborations

Content or Curriculum:

Inputs: Extension Agents, Extension Specialists in Community and Economic Development, Extension Program Specialists, Extension specialists in Family and Consumer Sciences, Local civic leaders, Technology

Date: Ongoing

Audience: Individuals/Businesses 

Project or Activity: employee training 

Content or Curriculum: Positive Employability 

Inputs: business partnerships, curriculum, Agent, facilities 

Date: Summer 2023

Audience: Second Year High School Student 

Project or Activity: Virtual Career Fair 

Content or Curriculum: local community members video clips 

Inputs: technology, community partnerships, agents 

Date: Spring 2023

Success Stories