Building Community Wealth
A community-based process in five counties (Umatilla, Malheur, Union, Grant, and Baker) for attaining short- and long-term sources of revenue and employment by identifying local resources, engaging local initiative and talent, and designing a locally endorsed and sponsored vision of community quality of life. This process can rebuild wealth for individuals, businesses, communities, and governments through a community visioning process focusing on the triple-bottom line: people, profit, and planet.
A note from Executive Director Andrea Malmberg
Toward a Vision of Sustainable Community Wealth: Taking Time for Process
"I think it is pretty safe to say that there are few opportunities to productively engage with the diversity of people in our communities to solve problems of mutual concern. When we do “mix it up” it often results in conflict rather than consensus...
"This, in my opinion is not a conducive environment to create the change needed in our communities. Instead, if we are going to someday see communities that are ecologically, socially, and financial prosperous we need to work together across group and ideological lines. But do we have the skills or the patience to seek consensus on the strategies that will lead to sustainable communities?" Read more...
Building Wealth in Local Communities: A Program for Change
"Building Wealth in Local Communities: A program for change" is a community-based process for attaining short- and long-term sources of revenue and employment by identifying local resources, engaging local initiative and talent, and designing a locally endorsed and sponsored vision of community quality of life. This process can rebuild wealth for individuals, businesses, communities, and governments through a community visioning process focusing on the triple-bottom line: people, profit, and planet.
Many of you may have attended the ORA Annual Meeting in 2009, which featured a community wealth building component facilitated by Jeff Goebel. In early 2010 we brought Jeff back to Eastern Oregon to help facilitate these workshops in five counties: Umatilla, Malheur, Union, Grant, and Baker. The sessions were as diverse as the participants, as diverse as our communities - and just as inspiring in the sweep of ideas that came out.
Select one of the following workshop locations to read a summary about the event and the notes and Collective Statements that came out of each.
Pendleton: March 13 - 10am-5pm - Pendleton Arts Center
Ontario: March 20 - 1pm-7:30pm - Treasure Valley Community College
Baker: March 26 - 10am-5pm- Baker City Hall, Council Chambers
Cove: April 3 - 10am-5pm - Kimsey Commons at Cove Ascension School
John Day: April 17 - 10am-5pm - Outpost Restaurant in John Day
The purpose of these workshops was (and is) to create a community vision and develop real solutions to create sustainable, profitable local economies based on the triple-bottom line: people, profit and planet.
For more information on the original workshops, you can read our general invitation letter and information background information page about the Building Wealth in Local Communities process. You can also learn more about the program and about Jeff Goebel at his website.
Stay tuned for more information on our work on building community wealth. In the meantime, we'd love to have your help making this ideas a reality. Please join us at an upcoming meeting or event, become a member of Oregon Rural Action, or email or call us at 541-975-2411 to find out more about how you can get involved.
We can do it together.
