CDI 2022 Advanced Year
The CDI 2022 Advanced Year is accepting registrations! Register HERE.
Our staff at CDI is also searching for our next Advanced Year community: APPLY HERE.
More information about the CDI Advanced Year community:
Each year, one Arkansas community is selected as the Community Development Institute (CDI) Advanced Year community through a competitive application process. The CDI 2022 Advanced Year will be held August 1 – 5, 2022.
The community selected as the CDI 2022 Advanced Year community will work directly with a small group of CDI graduates (community and economic development experts) to develop a high-level community assessment. To develop the assessment, during the week of the CDI Advanced Year the CDI 2022 graduates will conduct online research, interviews with community leaders, an online focus group, a driving tour, and informal interviews with residents.
Through their work, they will share a community presentation that outlines key opportunities and community leaders will be provided with a report that they can utilize in future planning efforts. The selected community will also receive additional assistance from the University of Central Arkansas Center for Community and Economic Development staff.
Previous Advanced Year communities include: Paris, Heber Springs, Lonoke, Alma, Sheridan, Camden, Beebe, and Monticello.
The CDI Advanced Year program is free of charge to the selected community.
To qualify as an Advanced Year community, your community must be under 20,000 in population and within 2 hours driving distance of Conway (this may be waived if an overnight stay in the community is possible).
The selected community must also be willing to provide meal accommodations for CDI graduates, venue for community meetings, and be willing to engage in the planning process of the CDI Advanced Year.
Deadline for applications to be the next CDI 2022 Advanced Year community is February 16, 2022.
CDI 2021 Advanced Year in Monticello
The CDI 2021 Advanced Year traveled to Monticello, AR to work directly with community leaders to develop a high-level assessment of the community. The Advanced Year conducted online research, interviews with community leaders, an online focus group, a driving tour, and informal interviews with residents during the week of CDI 2021.
Through their work, they shared a community presentation that outlined key opportunities and the city was provided with a report that they can utilize in future planning efforts.
You can review the 2021 Advanced Year Report here:
Contact Shelby Fiegel at sfiegel@uca.edu for more information.
CDI 2020 Advanced Year in Beebe
The CDI 2020 Advanced Year traveled to Beebe, AR to work directly with community leaders to develop a high-level assessment of the community. The Advanced Year conducted online research, interviews with community leaders, an online focus group, a driving tour, and informal interviews with residents during the week of CDI 2020.
Through their work, they shared a community presentation that outlined “Badger Bites” (short term goals) and “Vanguard Vision” (long term goals).
You can review the PowerPoint presentation here:
You can read the report here:
CDI 2019 Advanced Year in Camden
The CDI 2019 Advanced Year with their Class Directors Lorie Robertson of Chaffee Crossing and Amy Williams of the Cabot Chamber of Commerce traveled to Camden, AR to work directly with community leaders to assess the city. The Advanced Year conducted online research, focus groups, a driving tour, and informal interviews with residents during the week of CDI 2019.
Through their work, they shared a community presentation that outlined key opportunities and the city was provided with a report that they can utilize in future planning efforts.
You can read the report here:
Kick Start Sheridan
The 2018 Community Development Kick Start community is Sheridan, AR!
The Center for Community and Economic Development worked with University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension’s (UAEX) Dr. Mark Peterson and Chaffee Crossing’s Lorie Robertson in Sheridan during the CDI 2018 Advanced Year class. During CDI 2018, a group of professional community and economic professionals and CDI graduates assessed the city. Through their work, the city was provided with a report that will be used as the foundation of their community wide strategic action planning effort.
UCA’s Center for Community and Economic Development and UAEX will assist Sheridan for an additional nine months by holding community forums, constructing a core leadership group, and guiding the community through a planning process. The end result of the Kick Start Sheridan initiative will be the development of a strategic action plan for the community.
View the Kick Start Sheridan Action Plan here:
Read the report prepared by the CDI 2018 Advanced Year Class here:
Kick Start Alma
Follow Alma’s progress here: Kick Start Alma
Watch the “Kick Start Alma” promotional video here.
View the final Kick Start Alma Action Plan here:
Read the printed/abridged report prepared by the Advanced Year Class here:
Read the full report prepared by the Advanced Year Class here:
Kick Start Lonoke
Follow Kick Start Lonoke’s progress here: Kick Start Lonoke
Watch the “Kick Start Lonoke” promotional video here.
View the final Action Plan here:
Read the report prepared by the Advanced Year Class here:
Kick Start Heber Springs
Learn more about Kick Start Heber Springs through the community’s Kick Start video, found here.
Read the report prepared by the Advanced Year Class here: Advanced Year Report
The Kick Start Heber Springs Action Plan: A Blueprint for the Future can be found here:
Kick Start Paris
Teaming up with Dr. Mark Peterson of the U of A Cooperative Extension, the Center for Community and Economic Development launched the 2014 CDI Advanced Year into the community of Paris, AR. Through months of community forums and intensive planning, the community created a plan for success that would drive them into a successful future.
Learn more about Kick Start Lonoke through the community’s Kick Start video, found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqqrbXSWPn8
The Paris Action Plan can be found here: Paris Action Plan