Fall 2018 Promise Zone Downtown Convening Recap

By Shane Barton, Downtown Revitalization Coordinator On Thursday, October 4th Promise Zone Downtown Revitalization partners and stakeholders came together for the Fall ‘18 convening hosted by CEDIK and local stakeholders in Hazard, Kentucky.  The “Queen City of Mountains” proved to be a great location for the gathering of nearly 50 stakeholders.   Hazard’s unique location nestled … Continue reading →

Entrepreneurs: Are there Differences Across Rural and Urban Kentucky?

By Lucas Taulbee, CEDIK Graduate Research Assistant CEDIK, in collaboration with other research colleagues, conducted the Kentucky Entrepreneurship Survey in 2013. The goal of the survey was to learn more about entrepreneurship in Kentucky and to fill gaps in the entrepreneurship literature. The survey allows us to explore the differences between rural and urban entrepreneurs … Continue reading →

The Art of Working with Others – Using Art to Enhance Health Coalitions and Their Work

By Melody Nall, CEDIK Engagement Director “Music therapy”, “Art therapy”, “Arts and Healing” are terms most are familiar with in the healthcare field. However, how often do we think of using art as a conversation starter with community health coalitions or with the general community that coalitions are trying to reach? Utilizing art as a … Continue reading →

Five Eastern Kentucky Communities Receive Mini-Grants to Spark Engagement and Investment in their Downtowns

By Shane Barton, CEDIK Downtown Revitalization Coordinator Five communities in eastern Kentucky are receiving mini-grants to invest in their downtown revitalization strategies as part of the work of the Promise Zone Downtown Revitalization POWER grant awarded by the Appalachian Regional Commission. The lead entity, the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and the Environment’s … Continue reading →

Midterm Update – Summer Intern Project in Manchester, Kentucky

By Ryan Sandwick, CEDIK Community Design Specialist This summer CEDIK is leading a multi-disciplinary intern cohort in Manchester, Kentucky to complete a downtown plan that will serve as a foundation for future revitalization efforts. Last month we wrote a blog announcing the project, and now we’d love to share a midterm update with y’all. The … Continue reading →

CEDIK Summer Interns Begin Inventory of Downtown Manchester, Kentucky

By Ryan Sandwick, Community Design Specialist Introduction As part of CEDIK’s larger Downtown Revitalization Project this summer, our community design specialist, Ryan Sandwick, is leading an intern cohort in Manchester, KY. Consisting of 4 multi-disciplinary interns this effort has been specifically tailored for Manchester, where the students will study the city’s built and natural environments … Continue reading →

The 3 Key Questions to Ask Business Owners in Your Community

By Luke Ramsay, CEDIK Economic Development Extension Specialist The Business Retention and Expansion Program (BRE) is….a mouthful. However, when it’s boiled down to its most basic components, BRE is a way for communities to engage their businesses in an approach that leads to growth and stability. Simple as that. Usually, we think about BRE as … Continue reading →