Get to Know Strong Towns This Week
Here at Strong Towns, we're all about transparency and approachability. You can contact any of our staff (including our President) via email, phone or Slack, and read a detailed breakdown of exactly how we spend our money. If you meet us at an event, we're more likely to be wearing Strong Towns t-shirts than suits. And we don't shy away from tough questions or conversations...
Which is why we've got 2 simple ways for you to connect with us this week.
1. An Open Slackchat (Tuesday)
First, we're inviting you to ask us literally anything tomorrow on a completely open-ended Slackchat. Our staff will be on hand to answer any questions you might have about the Strong Towns movement and membership.
Wondering why we're a media organization and not a consulting group? We can answer that. Not convinced that membership is important? We'll address that, too.
This chat will take place on our Slack discussion forum at 12pm CT on Tuesday, May 22.
Just log onto Slack and visit the #scheduled-slack-chat channel at the scheduled time to join Strong Towns staff, members and readers in a lively discussion. We'll see where the conversation takes us...
If you're not yet part of our Slack (and you should be!), take 30 seconds to request an invitation and we'll get you set up for the chat.
2. A Free Neighborhoods First Presentation (Wednesday)
We're sharing one of our core presentations, completely free of charge, in a public Neighborhoods First webcast. This is a presentation that Strong Towns president Chuck Marohn typically gives for audiences around the country, but we're bringing it straight to your computer as a special bonus during this Spring member drive.
The webcast presentation will take place at 12pm CT on Wednesday, May 23 on Facebook.
About the Presentation
Neighborhoods First demonstrates how to grow financially stronger and minimize risk to your community, all while directly serving the people already living and working in your city.
Risky, low returning projects too often become expensive boondoggles that haunt a community for decades. Public officials everywhere are desperately seeking an alternative. This talk will cover the "Neighborhoods First" approach to show how a community can grow stronger by making small, incremental investments over time. By observing how neighbors live their lives, by asking them where their daily struggles are, by getting out on the street and discovering what is actually going on, any local government can discern what their community’s pressing needs are. These projects are the high return investments and they are all around us.
A portfolio of incremental projects, each building on observed needs and past successes, is the basis of a solid, long term investment strategy for communities of any size. It is an approach that fits into every budget and most importantly, you can get started right now.
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A in the comments on Facebook.
If you value resources and conversations like these, join the Strong Towns movement by becoming a member today.