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Building Stronger Neighborhoods committee expands free trainings; summit funded with $6,500 encumbered from leftover engagement funds
Summary
The Building Stronger Neighborhoods committee described an ongoing spring training series and a neighborhood summit. Organizers said leftover community engagement grant funds from 2024—$6,500—were encumbered to hold the summit on Gonzaga’s campus and expand capacity beyond prior limits.
The Building Stronger Neighborhoods (BSN) committee summarized a spring training series and plans for an expanded neighborhood summit funded in part with leftover community engagement grant dollars.
BSN chair Tina Lewerson said the committee is running hour‑long trainings on parliamentary procedure (February), empowered communication with Toastmasters (March), a CA inventory workshop (April), and a Clifton StrengthsFinder training in May in partnership with Gonzaga’s School of Leadership Studies. The committee also organizes the annual Good Neighbors celebration and supports the Spokane Neighborhood Leadership Academy.
Tina told the assembly the neighborhood summit historically sold out at about 85 participants and ran with no city funding. With $6,500 encumbered from leftover community engagement grant funds at the end of 2024, the summit can be held on Gonzaga University’s campus in 2025, increasing capacity without additional city operating dollars.
Why it matters: The trainings and summit are intended to build resident capacity to lead neighborhood councils, run meetings and carry out outreach. Committee members and council liaisons urged elected officials to help promote events and connect residents with neighborhood councils.
Questions from council members focused on how elected officials can amplify outreach and whether the summit can secure ongoing funding in future years. No formal changes to BSN programs were voted at the meeting.
