Faculty, staff and students are invited to join area residents in again participating in the Knight Cities Challenge. Launching Oct. 1, the challenge seeks the most innovative ideas “for making the 26 Knight communities (one of which is Akron) more vibrant places to live and work."
The James L. and John S. Knight Foundation will award grants of all sizes from a pool of $5 million for the winning ideas. The proposed projects should focus on one or more of three key drivers of a city's success:
- Attracting and keeping talent.
- Expanding economic opportunity.
- Creating a culture of civic engagement.
In 2014, 32 winners were chosen from among more than 7,000 applicants, including two Akron-based projects. They are:
- Better Block International Hostel on AirBnB, proposed by Team Better Block, received $155,000. The goal of the project is to turn a vacant property into an AirBnB hostel and cultural hub in Akron’s North Hill neighborhood “to tap the entrepreneurial potential of the growing Bhutanese populations.”
- Unbox Akron, proposed by Chris Horne, was awarded $52,168. To foster a stronger connection to the city, the funds will be used to create “a subscription service that celebrates Akron with a monthly selection of local goods and experiences delivered in a box.”
To learn more, or apply, beginning Oct. 1, visit the Knight Cities Challenge online. The 2015 application deadline is Oct. 27.