Urban Neighborhood Initiative Inc

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, AND MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, AND MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS

URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES: EVALUATION OF YOUTH PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH LEADERSHIP, AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING.

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT AIMS TO USE A COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY APPROACH TO INVOLVE THE LOCAL UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY IN KANSAS CITY, MO IN IDENTIFYING WANTS AND NEEDS OF NEARBY PARK AMENITIES TO REDUCE FLOODING AND INCREASE WATER RETENTION BY CREATING A STRATEGIC PLAN, WHILE EDUCATING THE YOUTH ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, WATER QUALITY, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITY. YOUTH WILL ASSIST IN DESIGNING THE GREEN SPACE ON UNITY CAMPUS AND PRESENT THEIR RESULTS TO THE PROJECT LEADERSHIP TEAM AND OTHER PARTNERS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.ACTIVITIES:THE RECIPIENT WILL FIRST COORDINATE WITH PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS TO: DEVELOP MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS, CONDUCT REGULAR MEETINGS TO ENSURE PROGRAM GOALS, ASSESS PROGRAM CHALLENGES AND PROGRESS, AND PROBLEM SOLVE ANY ISSUES. THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE ASSISTANCE FROM ALL PARTNERS WILL LEAD THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR PARK EQUITY IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. THEN THE RECIPIENT WILL WORK WITH AT LEAST 20 YOUTH PARTICIPANTS WHO WILL COMPLETE A SIX-WEEK COURSE WITH GUEST SPEAKERS WHO ARE EXPERTS IN AREAS SUCH AS LANDSCAPE DESIGN, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND WATER RETENTION/RAIN GARDENS, WALK AUDITS, AND OTHER RELATED AREAS GUIDED LESSONS, AND WORK TO CREATE REDESIGN PLANS FOR THE UNITY CAMPUS. USING INFORMATION ON THE PARK AND WALK AUDITS, THE COMMUNITY, AND STAFF WILL LEAD YOUTH PARTICIPANTS IN REDESIGNING THE CAMPUS TO FACILITATE THE DESIGN AN IDEAL GREEN SPACE ON UNITY CAMPUS THEN PRESENT FINDINGS FROM THEIR PARK AUDITS AND IDEAL PARK CREATIONS TO UNI LEADERSHIP TEAM. THE DESIGN WILL FOCUS ON AMENITIES THAT CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND INCREASE RETENTION OF STORM WATER TO REDUCE FLOODING IN THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT COMPLETION OF THESE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WILL YIELD THE FOLLOWING EXPECTED OUTCOMES: 1. INCREASED COMMUNITY CAPACITY: WE EXPECT THAT THIS PROJECT WILL LEAD TO SUSTAINED PARTNERSHIPS TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES IN KANSAS CITY, SPECIFICALLY THE WENDELL PHILLIPS NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGH MEETINGS AND EVENTS BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE YOUTH AND OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS. 2. CHANGES TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT: WE EXPECT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, SPECIFICALLY, IMPROVING PARK INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH SUSTAINED COMMUNITY INPUT AND YOUTH LED PARK PLANNING DESIGNS TO HELP WITH WATER RETENTION. 3. TRAINED YOUTH LEADERS: WE EXPECT THAT YOUTH WILL BE ENGAGED AND EMPOWERED TO CREATE CHANGE THAT IMPROVES THE LIVES OF THEIR COMMUNITY THROUGH THEIR INCREASE EDUCATION ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, GREEN SPACE, WATER QUALITY AND PARK DESIGN.