Hi from Rich

The Duluth Superior is embarking on one of the most cutting edge community development projects in the world. The Knight Creative Communities Initiative (KCCI) is a joint venture of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation and my Creative Class Strategies Team. The Initiative is based on my 30 years of economic research and inspiration from my mentor, Jane Jacobs who advised city planners to “Ask the people that live there.” The result is an accessible program for area residents to build authentic sustainable regional prosperity.

We will begin with a diverse team of local volunteers (Catalysts) who will work to understand the region’s strengths and needs along with global trends in economic prosperity. To begin they will analyze data, complete readings and host community discussions. Then approximately 30 of the volunteers will participate in a two-day 4T’s (Talent, Technology, Tolerance and Territory Assets) Seminar to discuss their findings, create a unified vision of prosperity and plan accompanying initiatives to help the community reach the vision.

Throughout the planning and implementation of KCCI, our team will work closely with the Duluth Superior community, offering guidance, motivation and ideas for moving forward. We’re here to help, and can’t wait to get started!

It’s going to be a great year!
RF