Landscape Auction named Semi-Finalist in national competition

September 09, 2010

The first in the U.S. Landscape Auction held by the White River Partnership last month was selected by CommunityMatters and Ashoka’s Changemakers as one of 24 semi-finalists in a national competition, “Strong Communities: Engaging Citizens, Strengthening Place, Inspiring Change.”

The vitality and quality of life in small towns and urban neighborhoods throughout America are threatened by an array of challenges: one-size-fits-all development, decreasing social capital and disconnections between neighbors, struggling local economies, and rampant or sluggish growth. Even successful and established communities face serious challenges like changing economies, lack of affordable housing, substandard education and a global energy crisis.

The Strong Communities competition was designed to address those problems and identify innovative projects and ideas that engage citizens to steer change and build strong communities across the United States and Canada. The WRP’s Landscape Auction was selected from among 260 entrants in the competition for the unique way that it is helping to create positive change, address community challenges and build a more vibrant future. The August 14 Landscape Auction, which was held at Vermont Technical College in Randolph, drew approximately 150 people and raised roughly $20,000 to help protect the natural and working landscape of the White River watershed in central Vermont.

The competition semi-finalists will now be reviewed by a panel of expert judges (Majora Carter, Founder of Sustainable South Bronx and President of the Majora Carter Group; Rich Harwood, Founder and President of the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation; Jared Duval, author and Fellow at Demos; and Bonnie Shaw, Founder and Director of BYO Consulting).

The judging panel will select eight finalists to receive trips to the CommunityMatters’10 conference in Denver, Colorado, sponsored by the Orton Family Foundation. Three grand prize winners will be selected by online voting among the general public and will receive $5000 each.

Visit the Strong Communities website to see the entrants and semi-finalists, join the discussion, and to vote for the winners after September 22.