Local Economic Development

COMMUNITY PLANNING

Building sustainable communities requires new, participatory forms of leadership and planning. Whole community planning gives everyone a voice in building their community's future. It also means building on the strengths and resources already within the community.

Envision's services include:

• Community engagement strategies
• Community action planning
• Sustainability planning and policy development
• Surveys and research

LOCAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Locally owned businesses play a major role in creating the social and economic glue that holds communities together. They provide the local leadership, self determination and diversity that build strong local economies and give each community its unique character. They also create more jobs, contribute more to the local economy and put more back into the community than large chains.

Envision's services include:

• "Buy Local" and joint marketing campaigns
• Business retention strategies
• Eco-efficiency audits
• Sustainability strategies

COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE

Community Enterprises are businesses established to benefit the community - primarily through creating local jobs. They are run by locally elected directors who employ staff to manage the day to day operations of the business and reinvest profits directly back into the community.

Community Enterprises generate income from a wide variety of sources including council contracts, training subsidies, sales and grants. They often operate in areas that are financially unattractive to the private sector.

Envision's services include:

• Business planning and marketing strategies
• Training workshops and facilitation
• Organisational reviews
• Advocacy and funding proposal assistance
• Resource recovery system and infrastructure design

 

TOWN CENTRE DEVELOPMENT

Communities have developed their civic centres with pride over the years, but the viability of main streets and town centres can no longer be taken for granted. The modern big box and mega retail phenomena is rapidly changing the way people shop and threatening the future of local ownership and public spaces. Envision helps communities develop the tools and strategies to protect town centres and create balance between locally owned businesses and responsible chains and franchises.

Envision's services include:

• Strategies for competing with mega retail chains
• Main Street and Town Centre surveys
• Assistance with planning submissions
• Workshops and public meetings
• Study tours to assess alternatives and assist networking