Funder's Network for Smart Growth and Livable CommunitiesMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities
DATE: May 13, 2010
Dubuque
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The Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities is a national
organization focused on helping funders advance environmentally sustainable, socially
equitable, and economically sound land -use decisions and development strategies that
will result in more livable communities. They achieve this by fostering funder learning,
providing networking opportunities, supporting funders as leaders, and facilitating
action.
have attended the Funders' Network Annual Conference on three occasions and found
them very valuable. The Funders' Network also sponsors the River Partnership, a
group of community foundations along the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Lake
Itasca, and some of the river's tributaries. I have attended several of their meetings.
I would simply have the City join this organization and pay the $1,000 annual fee
without putting this on the City Council Agenda, however, my wife, Nancy, serves on the
Board of Directors of the Funder's Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities
and is the Chairperson of their River Partnership.
1 respectfully recommend Mayor and City Council approval of this membership as I
believe it will bring value to the City.
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
c ael C. Van Milligen g e
n
funders' network
FOR SMART GROWTH AND LIVABLE COMMUNITIES
Mr. Michael Van Milligen
City Manager
City of Dubuque
50 West 13 Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
Dear Mr. gen,
March 9, 2010
fn
40
Thank you for the City of Dubuque's interest in the Funders' Network for Smart Growth and
Livable Communities. Per our recent conversation, I'm writing today to invite you to formally join
the Network. For your convenience, enclosed is an invoice for $1,000, which represents our
introductory rate for new members.
The Network is focused on helping fenders advance environmentally sustainable, socially equitable,
and economically sound land -use decisions and development strategies that will result in more
livable communities for all. We do this by fostering funder learning, providing networking
opportunities, supporting funders as leaders, and facilitating action. Recent accomplishments
include: facilitating the development of three issue - specific learning networks for funders on the
subjects of green building and green neighborhoods, restoring prosperity in older industrial cities,
and transportation reform; supporting the development of six place -based funder collaboratives and
partnerships designed to have regional impacts (in the Twin Cities, the 10 -state Mississippi River
Corridor region, metropolitan New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area, the Intermountain West,
and the state of California); and producing and disseminating two signature resources designed to
explore the range of tools that funders are employing and impacts that they are achieving (Looking
Back: Influencing, Networking, and Facilitating) and to challenge philanthropy help accelerate the
movement for smarter growth policies and practices over the next ten years (Looking Fon card•
Perspectives on Future Opportunities for Philanthropy, to which you contributed an essay).
In addition to the invoice, also enclosed you will find our membership contribution guidelines and
benefits overview. If you have any questions or require additional information as you consider this
invitation, please contact me. I can be reached by phone at (305) 667 -6350 ext. 206, or by e-mail at
ben@fundersnetwork.org.
LBS /mel
Enclosures
With warm regards,
L. B - njamin Starrett
Executive Director
1500 San Remo Avenue, Suite 249 • Coral Gables, FL 33146
(305) 667 -6350 • fax (305) 667 -6355 • www.fundersnetwork.org
fenders' network
F OR SMART GROWTH AND LIVABLE COMMUNITIES
tfn
@10
March 9, 2010
INVOICE
Please remit funds to cover the fee for the City of Dubuque's introductory
membership in the Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable
Communities for one year.
Total Requested: $1,000
Please make the check payable to the Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable
Communities, Inc., and mail it to the following address:
Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities
1500 San Remo Avenue, Suite 249
Coral Gables, FL 33146
FEID # 57- 1173613
Please direct questions or requests for additional information to Maureen Lawless,
Program Director, at maureen@fundersnetwork.org or (305) 667 -6350 ext. 205.
1500 San Remo Avenue, Suite 249 ♦ Coral Gables, FL 33146
(305) 667 -6350 • fax (305) 667 -6355 • www.fundersnetwork.org
funders' network
FOR SMART GROWTH AND LIVABLE COMMUNITIES
tfn
@10
Benefits of Membership
Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities
The Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities currently serves more than 120
member organizations across North America. Our mission is to inspire, strengthen, and expand
philanthropic leadership and fenders' abilities to support organizations working to improve
communities through better development decisions and growth policies. The Network brings
together foundations, nonprofit organizations, and other partners to address the range of
environmental, social, and economic problems caused by poor planning and development decisions.
As a mission- driven membership organization, the Network's work includes informing and
connecting services for members, services to enhance and influence the field, and leadership
services. More information regarding work in these areas is contained in our current work plan,
which is available from staff. The Network strives to provide our members with the tools,
connections, partnerships, and resources they need to inform and strengthen their grantmaking and
leadership regarding a broad suite of issues that are impacted by decisions about growth and
development.
In addition to research, mapping, and analysis, much of the Network's work focuses on bringing
funders together —with one another, as well as with practitioners and other leading thinkers —to
foster learning and relationships. Benefits of membership include these learning, convening, and
networking activities, as well as:
• Preferred attendance at Funders' Network events, including two free registrations to our
annual conference (the 2010 conference will be held in Pittsburgh on March 22n – March 24
• Unlimited and free access to and copies of materials, publications, and other informational
resources produced by the Funders' Network;
• Access to free consulting and facilitation services from Funders' Network staff; and
• Support of efforts to reach -out to broader audiences, in order to help strengthen the field.
Membership in the Network gives you the opportunity to strengthen your grantmaking and provides
other Network members with the opportunity to learn from your work. Please contact us if you
have any questions:
Maureen Lawless, Program Director
Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities
1500 San Remo Ave., Suite 249, Coral Gables, FL 33146
(305) 667 -6350 ext. 205 / (305) 667 -6355 fax
maureen @fundersnetwork.org / www.fundersnetwork.org