DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND ALLIANCE MARK LAMMON DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & ADVOCACY DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND ALLIANCE DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND- COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY

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Downtown Cleveland Alliance’s City Advocates program provides a way for motivated downtown residents and professionals to become actively engaged in DCA’s mission while at the same time allowing the organization to identify and support emerging leaders in the community. WHAT IS THE DCA CITY ADVOCATE PROGRAM Launched in 2009 and growing each year in popularity, the program requires participants to work collaboratively on self-directed initiatives that aid in the advancement of Downtown. Projects range from quality-of-life enhancements to business and resident recruitment to viral marketing and everything in between. By providing this unique action- oriented learning experience, DCA hopes to create a coalition of ardent supporters who will actively participate in the future of Downtown Cleveland throughout their lives.

PROGRAM GOALS: OBJECTIVES: To provide a means for active, meaningful community engagement in Downtown Cleveland To expand DCA’s ability to carry out its mission through volunteer-led projects To identify potential future board members for DCA, our neighborhood-based partner organizations, and other strategic partners To encourage and support life-long commitment to the success of Downtown Cleveland To bring together a diverse group of highly motivated, energetic participants through a competitive application process To provide the minimum necessary structure to support participants’ self-directed initiatives To provide ample opportunities for dialog, feedback and networking to help guide these initiatives To keep participants well informed and able to mobilize around downtown issues, events and news To help participants connect with civic leaders and organizations that are active downtown

PROGRAM FORMAT: City Advocates are chosen through a competitive application process each March. City Advocates make a 2-year commitment to the program. Classes of participants are staggered such that half the participants are in their first year and half are in their second year at all times. City Advocates are grouped into collaborative cohorts organized around common interests. Each cohort develops its own idea(s) for projects or initiatives that would positively impact Downtown Cleveland and/or DCA. City Advocates convene as a whole group at monthly meetings led by DCA staff and board members. Each cohort schedules its own interim meetings/conference calls/ communications and develops its own action plan for completing their projects. DCA provides ongoing guidance, as well as networking opportunities with board members, civic leaders, etc. After 2 years in the program, City Advocates are encouraged to submit interest in serving on the DCA board of directors. Applications are reviewed through the normal nominating committee process.

COMPLETED PROJECTS: Writing a white paper on the benefits of high speed rail connections from Cleveland to other major cities. Attracting a new vegan restaurant (The Flaming Ice Cube) to open in the Park Building on Public Square. Working with property owners to beautify vacant storefronts with temporary art installations (several completed along Euclid and Prospect.) Coordinating a litter clean-up day on the Scranton Peninsula Updating the Downtown Cleveland wikipedia page with up-to-date information. Creating a viral marketing video to demonstrate 24 hours in the lives of two very different people who both live and work downtown.

Jeanne Romanoff, 28, is the Director of Development for the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, an economic and workforce development organization bringing film and media production to Northeast Ohio. Previously, Jeanne was a Cleveland Executive Fellow, a program officer with the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, and the Community Relations Manager for Cleveland City Council. Jeanne also co-coordinates "Emerging Cleveland," an annual tour program that promotes Cleveland's neighborhoods to non-Clevelanders. As a DCA City Advocate, Jeanne was instrumental in researching and producing a white paper on potential high speed rail connections to Cleveland, which provided Mayor Frank Jackson with timely background information on the topic. BOARD DIVERSIFICATION: By creating a program that familiarizes diverse young professionals with our organization at the same time that it familiarizes DCA with the emerging leadership in the community, we are identifying an exciting pool of candidates to join our Board of Directors, and potentially the boards of our partner organizations. One City Advocate has been elected to the DCA board so far:

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Mark Lammon Director of Operations & Advocacy