Dade County Selected For Two Thrive Regional Partnership Initiatives
Dade County has been selected for two separate regional initiatives aimed at strengthening local resilience, civic engagement and community problem-solving.
The county has been selected to participate in the Resilient Communities program through Thrive Regional Partnership and the Open Space Institute, and separately has been selected as a recipient of a Civic Experiment grant through Thrive Regional Partnership and the Trust for Civic Life.
The Resilient Communities program is designed to help communities address long-term challenges related to severe weather, flooding and environmental resilience while protecting people, infrastructure and natural resources.
“We are extremely pleased that Dade County was selected to participate in the Resilient Communities program,” County Executive Don Townsend said. “This initiative provides an important opportunity for our community to proactively address long-term challenges related to severe weather, flooding, and environmental resilience while helping protect the people, infrastructure, and natural resources that are so important to our county. We appreciate Thrive Regional Partnership and the Open Space Institute for investing in communities throughout our region.”
Dade County was also selected for Thrive’s Civic Experiment grant program, which supports local residents and grassroots projects that encourage connection, collaboration and community-led action.
According to Thrive Regional Partnership, the organization received 85 applications from organizations in 14 counties across the tri-state region. Selected grant recipients will receive funding ranging from $6,000 to $16,500 over six months.
Dade County’s project, called Community Coffee & Conversations, will be led by the Dade County Board of Commissioners. The initiative is designed to strengthen civic engagement and build stronger connections between residents and local government.
According to Thrive’s announcement, the program will create open dialogue and encourage participation from a broad cross-section of the community, promoting transparency, strengthening trust and fostering a stronger sense of shared purpose across Dade County.
“We are honored to have been selected as a recipient of the Civic Experiment grant program and grateful to Thrive Regional Partnership and the Trust for Civic Life for their support,” Townsend said. “This opportunity will help encourage stronger community engagement, collaboration, and local problem-solving efforts here in Dade County. I also want to recognize Kathy Ragon for her hard work and dedication throughout the grant application process, and thank Thrive Regional Partnership for continuing to invest in communities across our region.”
Thrive Regional Partnership said the Civic Experiment grant program is intended to support projects that bring people together in places such as streets, parks, gathering spaces and shared community settings.
Thrive Regional Partnership works across southeast Tennessee, northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. The nonprofit focuses on regional collaboration while supporting responsible growth, local economies, rural landscapes and outdoor recreation access.
