The University of Central Arkansas Center for Community and Economic Development, in partnership with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, has selected Sheridan as this year’s Community Development Kick Start community.
As the 2018 Kick Start community, Sheridan will undergo a thorough assessment of the community’s challenges and opportunities, with recommendations on how to utilize local assets. Following a driving tour and high-level assessment during the first week of August, the community will receive up to nine months of strategic planning and community engagement assistance from UCA and UAEX.
Sheridan was selected through a competitive process to work with UCA and UAEX. The Kick Start program is a part of UCA’s Community Development Institute (CDI). Professional community and economic developers from across the mid-south will attend CDI to work with Sheridan to jumpstart a strategic action planning process.
“Sheridan was selected as the 2018 Kick Start community because the city is primed and ready for positive change,” said Amy Whitehead, director of the UCA Center for Community and Economic Development and CDI. “The city displays strong leadership from the public and private sectors, an excellent school system and a passion to create a place with a robust economy and flourishing quality of life.”
Sheridan Mayor Joe Wise stated, “I am excited for our community to have been selected as a Kick Start community. We, as a community of professionals and economic investors, are looking forward to working with the University of Central Arkansas Center for Community and Economic Development and the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. We have assembled a diverse group of residents from public and private sectors, and we are anxious to get the process started.”
Community Development Kick Start is a unique cooperative program between UCA and the UAEX Breakthrough Solutions Program. Past Kick Start communities include Paris, Heber Springs, Lonoke and Alma. More information on the Kick Start initiatives in these communities can be found at uca.edu/cdi/advanced-year/.
For more information about CDI, visit uca.edu/cdi, or contact Shelby Fiegel at 501-450-5269 or sfiegel@uca.edu.
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UCA Center for Community and Economic Development
The Center for Community and Economic Development’s mission is to have a positive impact on communities by: equipping leaders with economic tools and resources, building consensus to achieve community goals and bringing UCA resources and communities together.
CCED envisions communities across Arkansas and the country with robust economies, a flourishing quality of life, and diverse and engaged citizen leaders. CCED provides customized training and technical assistance to communities and their leaders. Learn more at uca.edu/cced
UCA Community Development Institute
The Community Development Institute, established in 1987 at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas, trains community and economic development professionals from Arkansas and surrounding states. The complete CDI experience is a three-year training program, with one week of training per year (July 30 – August 3, 2018). Participants move through the program curriculum in cohorts, and are exposed to a comprehensive, applied approach to the field of community and economic development.
