Next Rockford

CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY STARTS SEPTEMBER 18: Don't miss your chance to be in the Fall Citizens Police Academy Class! It's better than ever before - click here to apply: https://forms.gle/LNpciJNDpDuDGFWc7

Food for thought!

Your turn: Rockford must find a way to get to ‘yes' Doing nothing or waiting for better to come along is not a way forward, writes Transform Rockford's Wally Haas.

Knowledge is power!

Arm yourself with knowledge on recognizing AI during the election season. Simply observing may not be sufficient. Find out how to spot AI with these informative pointers.

Gardening and w**d pulling is more fun when you're with friends! Join us this Saturday at Veterans Memorial Circle. aka “The Roundabout” at Auburn & Main. We will be helping with w**ding, gardening, and watering. Dress for the weather. Reflective clothing and tools will be provided. To RSVP or to ask questions, text: 815-871-0003. There is a waiver to be signed, in advance or on the day of. Thanks! See you then!

Next Rockford proudly supports Severson Dells Nature Center. This summer, again, we will be volunteering for their monthly “Restoration Workdays”. Saturday July 13th and Saturday August 10th, from 9 -Noon ! Join Emma at 9am at the Nature Center Building, and then we'll head out to the pollinator garden and prairie to collect wildflower seeds to help restore more land and fight the fight against invasives.
Call 815-335-2915 with questions! Please bring water, layers, and maybe even a hat! Severson Dells will provide everything else!

See 3D models of the designs for the new Davis Park.

Rockford invites community to see Davis Park plans The community is invited to see the City of Rockford’s progress and plans for Davis Park.

Rockford has a very vibrant Arts and Culture scene, and it’s getting stronger every day- the strongest it’s ever been!! But there is a “plan”; come join us and learn more and celebrate the arts & culture that is uniquely ours!

The Rockford Area Arts Council, with a robust group of regional partners, is launching a year long process to create the Rockford Region Cultural Plan, for all who live, work, visit, and play in the Rockford Region. The Rockford Region Cultural Plan will include neighborhood asset mapping, an overall vision for Rockford’s arts and culture, and strategies including public, art and greater access to arts and culture events, programs, and initiatives all with an overarching goal to improve the quality of life for everyone in Rockford. The Rockford Region Cultural Plan will help lay the foundation to develop priorities to support arts and culture in Rockford, while encouraging a sense of community among all who participate.

The inspiration to create a cultural plan for Rockford – the first cultural plan ever for Rockford – is driven by ample data on the benefits of arts and culture, as demonstrated by Americans for the Arts Social Impact Explorer. Cultural plans help foster a stronger arts & culture sector, and better connect arts and culture to other sectors and needs – including education, community development, health, wellness, workforce training, and more.

Are you aware of some dangerous traffic spots in the county? Maybe you navigate them every day. Please take a moment and complete this important survey so that we can identify them and make improvements.

Winnebago County Traffic Safety Action Plan Addressing Traffic Safety Concerns in Winnebago County

NAACP Of Rockford presents 1st Annual Community Peace Rally

Saturday, June 29th 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Andrew's Park 850 N. Central Ave.

See attached flyer for full details

That’s our facilitator!

You Should Know... Ernie Fuhr, Facilitator of Next Rockford and Lead Generation Specialist at Field. Special thanks to Workplace, our PYSK Presenting Sponsor!

Ernie's nominator said, "Ernie is known for his ability to meet challenges head on and invigorate not only organizations with which he is involved, but also himself and his former students and colleagues.

Ernie is a giver. He spent close to three decades working as an educator teaching some of the most the disadvantaged and/or difficult students. He believes in the power of education. Day after day, he stood before those students and exemplified what it means to be a person of good character, one who can persevere through adversity.

We are glad to "know" you, Ernie!

Looking to join in celebrating Ernie? Grab your tickets to our honoree reception on June 20 at The Standard! https://business.rockfordchamber.com/.../2024-people-you...

We are proud to have four of our current members as “People You Should Know”Congratulations to all nominees !

We are so excited to announce our 2024 People You Should Know Honorees! These individuals represent the best of the best, the brightest of the bright, the coolest of the cool in the Rockford region.

While we will introduce each of them individually over the next few weeks, we are thrilled to share the class with you now!

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Workplace!

Ready to celebrate with us? Join us at our Honoree Reception on June 20 at The Standard in downtown Rockford! Grab your tickets here and raise a glass with us in a few short weeks! https://business.rockfordchamber.com/event-calendar/Details/2024-people-you-should-know-honoree-reception-1085731?sourceTypeId=Website

Reading Changes Everything Learn More.

Let your voice be heard. Your input is the only way we can keep moving things forward!

Does the region's transportation system fit our needs? Care about reducing barriers to employment? Passionate about the region's climate and sustainability actions?

If you haven't weighed in yet on the drafted goals and strategies for the future of our region's economic, environmental, and transportation system, do it now!

Go to https://engager1.mysocialpinpoint.com/. You can take a 2-min survey by clicking on the CAP, CEDS, or MTP plans at the top of the page to prioritize actions and rank by order of importance.

These goals and strategies are the heart of the region's core planning documents for transportation, economic development, and sustainability. Your input ensures that these plans reflect the direction residents would like the region to move in.

This is good news. Cleaning up former industrial sites & revitalizing former “brownfields” is an important part of urban redevelopment. We see living proof of this in our downtown. We must continue! -EF

GOOD NEWS! The U.S. EPA has awarded the City of Rockford $3.5 million in Supplemental Brownfields Revolving Loan Funds (RLF) through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law because of its past success and high-performing nature of its RLF program. The RLF program has successfully made loans leading to eight cleanup projects that are either completed or in progress. The RLF funding will extend the capacity of the program to provide funding for more cleanups of contaminated brownfield sites in the City’s most underserved areas.

“Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) have proven time and time again to be a very effective resource in the City’s efforts to repurpose vacant and deteriorated buildings and clean up contaminated brownfield sites,” says Mayor Thomas McNamara. “Cleaning up a single brownfield can have a catalytic effect on an entire area and lead to vital redevelopment, as was the case with UW Sports Factory, Hilton Embassy Suites and Colman Yards redevelopment, all of which advanced, in part, through the utilization of these funds to clean up contamination from former industrial land uses.”

For questions on how RLF funds can be used or to inquire on the City’s Brownfields Revitalization efforts, please contact Brownfields Redevelopment Specialist Robert Wilhelmi by phone at 779-348-7425 or email or visit the City’s Brownfields Revitalization website at https://www.rockfordil.gov/495/Brownfields-Revitalization.

Need to know more information about this upcoming event? Next Rockford member Chelsey Glatz can provide more details. We hear that it’s going to be great!! And for a good cause.

NAMI Northern Illinois Come join us at "Building Bridges to Recovery" where we'll connect, support, and heal together

Have you ever considered running for a public office? Our community needs good people to come forward to run and it is one of the many ways that one can make a difference. However, you have to go about it the right way.

There is a special workshop coming up, sponsored by the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce and the NorthWest Illinois Alliance of REALTORS, where potential candidates can learn more about running for office. To register, or to find out more, follow this link:

You Should Run For Office! “You should run for office.” Is this something you’ve heard from friends or clients before? Have you ever given it serious thought but don't know where to begin?  The Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the NorthWest Illinois Alliance of REALTORS® is hosting a non-partis...

YOUR INPUT NEEDED FOR REGION'S TRANSPORTATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND CLIMATE PLANS

R1 has drafted goals and strategies for these three core documents and now needs your feedback. Go to https://engager1.mysocialpinpoint.com/ to rank these goals and strategies and give general comments. Clicking Follow will allow you to receive plan updates as they are available.

We are also hosting workshops and pop-up events so you can give your feedback in person.

WORKSHOPS
Winnebago County
Thursday, May 9, 8:30 – 10:00 am at Region 1 Planning Council office, 127 N. Wyman St., Rockford

McHenry County
Thursday, May 16, 4:00 – 5:30 pm at Woodstock Public Library, 414 W. Judd St., Woodstock

Boone County
Tuesday, May 21, 4:00 – 5:30 pm at Community Building Complex of Boone County, 111 W. 1st St., Belvidere

POP-UPS
Food Truck Tuesday
Tuesday, May 14, 4:00 – 6:00 pm at Nicholas Conservatory, 1354 N. 2nd St., Rockford

Rockford Public Library
Saturday, May 18, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm at Rockford Public Library East Branch, 6685 E. State St., Rockford

Rockford City Market
Friday, May 31, 4:00 – 8:30 pm at Rockford City Market, Water St. at E. State St., downtown Rockford

Our May meeting should be very informative. After all, the local labor market plays a key role in driving economic growth. A well trained workforce is what attracts employers and investment. Our special guest this month is Dr. Gina Caronna Marvin, Executive Director of The Workforce Connection. She will discuss labor market trends in our region.

The Workforce Connection is our local workforce board, which every region has. The workforce board oversees the allocation of federal and state grant funds for workforce development. This includes skill trainings, apprenticeships, and employment services, to name a few.

Special Non-Profit Guest: RAMP. This is a respected community organization which advocates for individuals with disabilities and encourages them to reach their fullest potential.

Did you know families in Winnebago County can enroll their children in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library at birth, or any time after birth through age 5, through United Way of Rock River Valley? Every month until age 5, a free age-appropriate book is mailed directly to the child’s home with the child’s name on the envelope. Learn more and sign up here: https://www.unitedwayrrv.org/imaginationlibrary

Another great meeting of Next Rockford. We meet semi-regularly with Mayor McNamara and Chairman Chiarelli, to get updated on issues and policies facing our community. -EF