VITAL CHANGE 2011 Annual Report L I N C unity revitalizatio community revitalization inc.
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTORS Dear friends of LINC, In many ways, 2011 was a defining year for our community. In the midst of economic crisis, there were moments of promise, such as new business growth, as well as considerable setbacks, such as the ongoing disinvestment in quality public education. These ups and downs are felt at the local level especially. At LINC, we have watched hope take shape as buildings are renovated, families move into quality housing, and business owners cut the ribbon at their grand opening. Yet we continue to uncover barriers within systems and fight new policies and cuts that stop individuals from reaching their full potential. There is considerable complexity to the challenges our communities face today. Issues cannot simply be lumped into categories of basic needs or economic development or neighborhood revitalization. When we engage people in creating their future with the templates of yesterday, the status quo will always persist. At LINC, this is unacceptable. The deep and intertwined challenges of our times call for an equally deep and integrated response. This means the path to change may not be simple, but its impact can be lasting and transformational. We believe, quite simply, that in order to revitalize people and communities, we must take a holistic approach that is about: People: We give revitalization a voice, with a focus on equipping community members to envision and lead change in their own lives and in the broader community. Places: We root revitalization in neighborhoods, with a focus on recovering places that people care about and re-imagining the potential of places to serve the community. Linkages: We connect revitalization across people, places, and systems to deepen where and how change happens as well as who is reflected in it. A colleague referred to our growth in these areas as our way of becoming a verb. This description could not be more apt for 2011. As you ll see on the following pages, our focus on authentically and holistically engaging people is working. LINC is bridging the gap between people and systems so that the work of revitalization is accessible to everyone. In this way, revitalization is becoming a living force in our community. This vital change is often slow and complex, because the people who need it most are part of sustaining it. Our impact would not be possible without the support of our funders and community partners. Thank you for joining us in making revitalization a force for change in our community! With your help, we are breaking down the barriers that stand between people and their full potential. We hope you will join us in celebrating the journey of 2011. This report also includes snapshots of where we are headed in 2012. As you will see, we are continuing to become a verb, and we need your voice to join ours in making vital change. Jeremy DeRoo Co-Executive Director Darel Ross II Co-Executive Director
COUNTYWIDE, NEIGHBORHOOD DEEP Where revitalization is happening through LINC NEIGHBORHOODS Madison Square Over $50 million invested Urban LINC cowork space: Opened in 2011, 15 of 20 member spots filled. Business Incubator: Opened in 2011, created 8 businesses and 40 jobs. Quality housing: More than 20 units of senior living and townhomes Streetscaping and green space planning Eastern Avenue With funding from Dyer-Ives, LINC is leading planning efforts to support revitalization in the neighborhoods surrounding Eastern/Franklin and Eastern/Wealthy. Southtown Square LINC will raze and rebuild 29 residential units on Umatilla and Gilbert streets. LINC is also seeking funds to demolish a building on Hall Street and build a structure with commercial space and affordable housing. Kentwood LINC will continue working with the community on development that mixes public space, a crescent-shaped street, and a grocery store to create a walkable and dynamic town center. GREATER GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Through on the ground relationship building, LINC connects community members to opportunities which restore hope and provide the space for them to become all they were intended for. LINC OPPORTUNITY CENTER Opened in mid-2011, over 177 residents have been served and 82 already reported increases in income. Believe 2 Become A movement bringing parents, neighbors, and community leaders together for their children s education and future. LINC led engagement in the Central Zone in 2011. Over 7,300 people have engaged in Believe 2 Become to date. LINC Academy for Social Transformation A training that equips community members with skills and knowledge to obtain leadership roles and work for change. Launched in 2011 with an inaugural class of 20 leaders. LINC News Bureau A platform for the community to tell its story and to bring news to the people of Grand Rapids through the eyes and ears of their fellow citizens. KENT COUNTY RACIAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY Strategic efforts working with people and systems to ensure equal access to opportunity for all. Homes for Sale LINC renovated homes for sale throughout Kent County and offers homebuyer assistance and homeownership classes. Homes for Rent LINC offers quality housing of choice throughout Kent County.
PEOPLE empowered to shape their own lives Human potential is one of the most revealing and powerful assets in our community. The vision for our community can only grow as big as the dreams and energy of its residents. LINC activates this potential, helping residents turn it into an engine for change in their own lives, in their neighborhood, and in the broader community. In 2011, we worked alongside more than 4,000 people as they lifted up their voices, named their vision for the future, and began creating that vision here in West Michigan. These efforts have both short- and long-term impacts on social, cultural, and economic levels, providing people with opportunities to meet their needs today while reshaping their futures. Photographs above by Josh Depenbrok, GRNow
One Neighborhood. Eight Businesses. Forty Jobs. For Kristian Grant, the opportunity to join LINC s Business Incubator arrived as she faced a big choice about her connection to our community. I was at a point where I needed a reason to stay in Grand Rapids. I needed something to hold me here, she explains. After learning about the Business Incubator, which includes below-market rent, flexible leases, and start-up support from LINC staff and partners, Grant knew she had found her reason to stay. I feel like I could go to Chicago and try to be the next Oprah, or I could stay in Grand Rapids and be the first Kristian I like to be a groundbreaker, so this was a good opportunity to do that. Because of LINC s holistic approach, the program is about much more than traditional economic development. It has revitalized a visible corner of the Madison Square neighborhood, provides space for neighbors to connect, and helps entrepreneurs to grow roots in the community. Grant considers her business, Sydney s Boutique, the start of her legacy in West Michigan. I want to put Photograph above by Josh Depenbrok, GRNow my time and my efforts to something that will last long after I m gone, she says. I want to show my daughter that she can be a person that builds something that s able to last for a long time. Other business owners in the program s inaugural class share the hope of creating a lasting impact. Being able to be my own boss allows me to be to have so many different contacts with so many different people, says Israel Johnson, owner of the barbershop Klipper Kingdom. It s good to have so many different things going on, being able to put a smile on somebody s face. It s good to be able to give back and see people enjoy what you have to offer. That s what I love about my job. In less than a year, the Business Incubator successfully helped eight entrepreneurs start their business, which has already resulted in 40 new jobs. The goal is that after three years of reduced rent and entrepreneurial guidance, the businesses will outgrow their space, and new business owners will set up shop. Smart Steps to Stronger Futures Financial burdens, job setbacks, and other hardships can snowball if they go unaddressed. This is where the LINC Opportunity Center can help. Taking small and personalized steps, the program helps residents meet their basic needs and take control of their future. The Center offers guidance, courses, and resources related to benefits screening, financial planning, career development, and more. It launched in mid-2011 with the goal of helping 200 families move to 200% above poverty in three years. To date, 177 residents have enrolled and 82 have reported increases in household income. Five families have already moved beyond 200% poverty, indicating the great promise of this program s effectiveness. In one success story, a participant faced several barriers, including homelessness, an adult son with a disability, unemployment, and a criminal history. Through the Center, she found housing, built a resume, accessed job searching tools, and developed interviewing skills. As a result, she obtained not one but two part-time jobs, transitioned to living in a safe place, and maintains a stable income. WHAT S NEXT In 2012, a primary focus of LINC s work in this area will be the LINC Academy for Social Transformation, or LAST. Launched in late 2011, LAST is an intensive experience for current and would-be community leaders who want to spark deep change. Graduates of this program will be an on-the-ground force for ensuring that change happens between individuals, systems, and the broader community. Twenty leaders graduated as the inaugural class in January 2012, and the next group will gather in spring 2012. By the end of 2012, LINC plans to train more than 240 community leaders through the program.
PLACES that inspire opportunity Place is powerful. From the neighborhoods where families set their roots to the storefronts where they create their economic independence, places provide tangible evidence of prosperity. And thriving, revitalized places are the cornerstones of a community s pride. LINC reveals this pride by focusing on recovering places that people care about and re-imagining the potential of places to serve the community. In 2011, our work in the Madison Square corridor hit new strides and continued to catalyze the planning and investment efforts that began in 2005. The quarter-mile stretch between Hall and Garden reflects $50 million in improvements, from building renovations and new business opportunities to streetscapes and housing. As we continue to intentionally revitalize communities at the neighborhood level, LINC s place-making efforts extend throughout Kent County.
Business Incubator $80,000 renovation of the former C&J Plaza Eight new businesses opened by community members IMPACT: Revitalization of a highly visible corner of the neighborhood, access to new shopping and services for neighbors, and eight business owners discovering their potential. It feels different. Nice. When you walk along you the street you feel free. A community member commenting on the changes along Madison Avenue Quality Housing 11 senior living residences built More than 12 townhomes created for individuals and families IMPACT: Housing that is affordable and high quality, providing more community members with a safe place to call home. Street improvements New streetlights More benches, tree-lined streets IMPACT: A more inviting space for neighbors to live, work, and play LINC Development Center $1.7 million renovation of an abandoned building Launch of the LINC Opportunity Center Launch of Urban LINC cowork space Opening of Sanchel s, a restaurant Home to LINC s offices IMPACT: A LEED-certified hub for LINC and a resource for the community. Over 50 people work here, including 15 cowork members, Sanchel s staff, and LINC s 35-person team. WHAT S NEXT Eastern Avenue With funding from Dyer-Ives, LINC is leading a community-driven area planning and opportunity mapping project for the neighborhoods surrounding Eastern/Franklin and Eastern/Wealthy. This project will assess the resources currently present and gaps in opportunity in each of these areas, while providing a plan to guide future physical and social development. Southtown Square In 2012 LINC will raze and rebuild 29 units, mostly in 2-, 3- and 5-unit townhomes on Umatilla and Gilbert streets on the Southeast side. LINC is also seeking funds to demolish a building on Hall Street and build a structure with ground-floor commercial space for a second business incubator and 21 affordable residential units on three additional floors. Kentwood In 2010, LINC led a process for the 52nd Street corridor where 200 stakeholders and residents gathered to design the development plan for their community. The results led to the redevelopment and creation of eight quality housing units, and this is just the start. LINC will continue working with the community on development that mixes public space, a crescent-shaped street, and a grocery store to create a walkable and dynamic town center.
LINKAGES created between systems, cared for by people Activating people and revitalizing places will only achieve so much if it does not connect those individuals to opportunity and shape the bigger picture of systems, policies, and culture. Linkages not only strengthen the collective impact of our work, but they amplify our voice in sending the message: the status quo is unacceptable. We can do better at all levels of our community and for all people. In 2011, we connected revitalization across people, places, and systems to deepen where and how change happens as well as who is reflected in it. Close to 8,000 community members and partner organizations were engaged in shaping the future of key issues, such as public education.
Lifting the Voices of Parents. Creating a Shared Vision for Education. The crowd was overwhelming yet exciting. This was the first time in the community s history that numbers of this magnitude had gathered. The call on all of their hearts: children. In August 2010 over 600 residents of the Believe 2 Become Central Zone came together in support of the future of their community s children. In that first meeting they raised their voices to shed light on issues challenging their children s success in school, work, and life. LINC is leading the neighborhood engagement efforts of Believe 2 Become, a collaborative partnership of hundreds of organizations and individuals who believe in the unlimited potential of Grand Rapids children and expect them to succeed. Believe 2 Become is separated into four zones. Each is charged with identifying their community s goal and steps to achieving it. Participants in the Central Zone collectively created the goal of parents and guardians actively involved in their child s education from birth to high school graduation and beyond. Shortly after the goal s adoption, the Grand Rapids Public Schools Strategic Plan was updated to reflect the community s voice by incorporating a goal to improve academic achievement and graduation rates through parent, partner, and community involvement. Since that first meeting, more than 7,300 parents, neighbors, and children have joined the Believe 2 Become movement. In one example of Believe 2 Become s impact, a group of Central Zone parents rallied for change on barriers facing individuals with felonies from participating with their children in school. After collecting signatures and meeting with principals and school board members, the district clarified the rule and allowed interpretation of it at the school level. Parents with criminal histories can now participate with their child within the school setting. Engagement like this is growing throughout the community. Parents attended parent-teacher conferences in record numbers in 2011. Over 100 parents attended Gerald R. Ford Middle School conferences, a huge jump from the six that attended the previous year. The increased connection and involvement are already sparking meaningful shifts within our school system, and more importantly, this translates into powerful change for our children. Together, we are sending a message that we should expect nothing less than our children s success, and we will stop at nothing to help them achieve it. WHAT S NEXT In 2012, LINC will increase advocacy efforts, raising the community s voice in new ways and equipping our neighbors to speak into systems and collectively drive change. Key projects will include: Civic Engagement Health & Wellness Expansion of Believe 2 Become in the East and South Zones by the end of 2012 Invest in Education, a campaign calling on the State of Michigan to restore and increase funding and support of our children s education
PROGRAMS & SERVICES LINC Opportunity Center offers free services to help community members reach their personal, financial and career goals. Believe 2 Become is a collaborative movement bringing parents, neighbors and community leaders together in support of their children s education and future. Business Incubation provides training, resources and below market commercial space to equip entrepreneurs to launch their business. Urban LINC cowork space is a unique working experience in a state of the art facility with all the necessary business tools. Homes for Sale LINC renovated homes for sale throughout Kent County and offers homebuyer assistance and homeownership classes. Homes for Rent LINC offers quality housing of choice throughout Kent County. LINC News Bureau provides a platform for the community to tell its own story and is designed to bring news to the people of Grand Rapids through the eyes and ears of their fellow citizens. LINC Academy for Social Transformation is a core training in which participants are equipped with skills and knowledge to help them obtain leadership roles and work for social change and revitalization. Community Engagement Through on the ground relationship building, LINC connects community members to opportunities which restore hope and provide the space for them to become all they were intended for. Racial Justic Advocacy Strategic efforts working with people and systems to ensure equal access to opportunity for all.
FINANCIALS REVENUE Program generated Sales $1,019,840 Rents $156,281 Other $186,230 Grants $2,878,616 Donations $36,145 Government $1,023,392 New debt $302,104 Previous year s grants for housing $1,414,930 Total Sources $7,017,538 EXPENSES Program services $6,138,717 Other $421,690 Total USES $6,560,407 NET CHANGE $457,131 Donations 1% 2010 housing grants 20% New debt 4% Government 15% Program generated 19% Grants 41% Your voice can make vital change. Join us to find out how. You might be our next business owner, leader-in-training, homeowner, or supporter. Your vision and your voice matter, and we want to help you turn them into action. Learn more and get involved at www.lincrev.org, or follow us on Twitter (@LINCrev) or Facebook ( Linc Up ).
We have a deep understanding of the systems, relationships and dynamics within the communities we serve and therefore use a holistic approach to neighborhood revitalization. We are a community development corporation that provides services to Kent County, and are involved in a host of projects and services that reach families, houses, businesses and neighborhoods at large. OUR MISSION: Revitalizing neighborhoods through authentic engagement, stimulating economic development, expanding housing opportunities, creating affordable housing, and developing leadership and capacity of residents and grass-root organizations. OUR VALUES: Diversity Sustainability Excellence Building partnerships Investment Community service Leadership Teamwork L I N C community revitalization inc. 1167 Madison Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507 p: 616.451.9140 f: 616.451.0615