By ALICIA LEONARD
While sports might be what comes to mind when competition comes into play, small towns and rural areas in Florida aided by the Department of Economic Opportunity’s (DEO) Competitive Florida Partnership are preparing to suit-up and hit the field for possible growth, and economic prosperity in the future.
One of three areas in Florida picked to share the partnership this year, DeFuniak Springs, will receive $40,000 each year for the next two years, as well as a lot of of detailed guidance, information, and data to help them decide what vision the members of the community and civic leaders want for their town and how to achieve it.
In a press release sent out on Aug. 25, the DEO stated, “The Competitive Florida Partnership helps rural communities value and market local assets and challenges them to set realistic goals for advancing their economic development vision. The three currently participating communities, the city of DeFuniak Springs, Putnam County, and the city of Madison, will design and develop innovative strategies that promote partnerships, community design, and a viable local economy. Since the inception of the program in 2013, the city of Port St. Joe, the city of Newberry, the city of White Springs, DeSoto County, the city of Webster, the city of Starke, the city of Chiefland, and Gadsden County have participated in the program.”
City Council members, citizens and city staff got to sit down and meet with three representatives from DEO on the morning of Sept. 3 to ask questions and to have the program more fully explained as far as what it could do and what it might not.
DEO representative John Reddick explained to the group that their role was to gather information on what the city has to offer, first. After the information is compiled, the representatives help connect the city to resources that can help aid them in the vision they have for their community, but it’s up to the city to decide their direction. “You are driving this train. It’s about what you want for DeFuniak and where you want to get to,” Reddick said.
DEO representative Liesl Voges told the group the first year was the most involved for the the partners, and often a fresh set of eyes during the assessment phase could reveal strengthens communities didn’t know they had.
“We look at schools, infrastructure, health, employment, wages….and every bit of data we compile helps guide you to decide your direction and make decisions, and we are here to not only compile the data, but show you how to utilize all of that data to your community’s benefit for the future.”
Voges was speaking of a benefit of the partnership called Community Asset Mapping. According to the Competitive Florida web site, “DEO Staff will facilitate an asset mapping exercise with participation of other state agencies through the Rural Economic Development Initiative resulting in a report that details suggestions on how the community can build on existing assets and make improvements.”
The build-on-what-you-have approach helps communities use what they already contain to market themselves and improve economic growth and prosperity. The funds the city is eligible for the first two years of the partnership cannot be used for “brick and mortar” infrastructure, according to Reddick. But, it can be used for marketing, branding, and a wide variety of other services that will ideally lead to increased business, employment and economic viability for the communities taking part in the program.
Florida political leaders including Governor Rick Scott, Florida Senator Don Gaetz, and Representative Brad Drake have praised the initiative seeking to further rural economic growth.
Reddick told the group they will meet with the representatives the city picks to helm their side of the partnership in meetings five to six times times the first year, or “whenever you need us. Call us every day if you need to. We are here to help you with whatever we can.”
A kick-off meeting will be scheduled in the future for the group to meet more of the community.
A more detailed explanation of the types of assistance the partnership can offer for the DeFuniak Spings community can be found on their web site as well as prior asset mapping reports for former towns in the program and much more at www.floridajobs.org/CompetitiveFlorida.
