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Panama City CRA approves $59,300 contract for small‑developer training with IncDev
Summary
The Panama City CRA approved a $59,300 contract with the Incremental Development Alliance to run a virtual small‑development boot camp, pitch session add‑on and at least six monthly meetup cohorts after board members pressed staff on ensuring local relevance and access.
The Panama City Community Redevelopment Agency on Dec. 2 approved a contract with the Incremental Development Alliance (IncDev) to offer a virtual small‑development boot camp, a pitch‑session add‑on and a minimum of six monthly meetup cohorts for a total staff‑recommended amount of $59,300.
CRA staff said the boot camp follows two prior introductory programs that drew more than 90 and nearly 50 participants, respectively, and that participants expressed strong interest in continuing training. The staff recommendation specified the virtual format plus the pitch add‑on and a minimum of six cohorts to sustain local capacity for small‑scale, community‑driven development.
Several board members raised concerns about local fit. One board member said they worried organizers would “be given prewritten sessions that work well for other cities, but not necessarily us” and suggested roundtables where local participants bring specific problems. A staff member replied that meetups are designed to be project‑based: participants will work on a business idea during the boot camp and the monthly meetups can be tailored to local needs and bring in subject‑matter experts as needed.
Staff and board members also discussed access for people who missed prior sessions. A board member asked whether recorded sessions or a catch‑up option could be made available so newcomers could join later cohorts; staff said they could explore that option but attendees would likely need to pay the provider same as workshop participants. Staff said feedback from prior events suggests at least 10 participants for the next cohort.
The board moved to approve the staff recommendation; the roll call recorded Board members Granger, Street, Hughes, Lucas and Chairman Branch voting yes and the motion passed 5–0. No amendments or conditions were added.
Next steps: staff will finalize the contract and coordinate cohort scheduling and participant recruitment.
