A Million Small Things

The "long tail" approach, economic gardening, social innovators: all recent buzzwords when it relates to our rapidly changing economy.

Rapid Growth Media and GVSU’s Johnson Center for Philanthropy will host a panel of community and business development professionals to talk about the new economy and how small businesses, neighborhood level redevelopment projects, small nonprofits, entrepreneurs and social innovators are driving economic growth.

Wednesday April 25
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. (Doors open at 5:15 p.m.)
Johnson Center, 201 Front Ave SW on the West Side (the site of the old bicycle factory).

The panel will focus on how the economy is transforming, what innovative programs are working at the neighborhood level to make strategic change, the concept of economic gardening, social innovation and philanthropy, and creating sustainable grass roots initiatives. We’ll also hear from one of the leading advocates of social innovation at the Knight Foundation’s Detroit bureau. Panelists include:

Rishi Jaitly, Program Director for the Knight Foundation (Detroit)
Darel Ross II, Co Executive Director of LINC Community Revitalization
Elissa Hillary, Executive Director of Local First
Laurie Craft, Program Director at Grand Rapids Community Foundation

The public is also invited for a tour of LINC’s new incubator space at 1258 Madison Ave SE from 4 - 5 p.m., currently housing six new startup businesses.

Parking for the event at Johnson Center is exclusively offered at the GVSU Watson Lot at the corner of Watson and Mount Vernon. The facility is also served by The Rapid’s route 18 and bike parking is available. Please RSVP via EventBrite as space will be limited to the first 100 guests.

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/3306129723

Refreshments will be served. Admission is FREE and open to the public.
Not Your Average Speaker Series is sponsored by MSHDA and hosted by Rapid Growth Media

Contact Jeff Hill if you have any questions regarding this event at 616.581.0521.