On May 17, the Neighborhood Services Department, supported by the Equity and Engagement Department, hosted the Champaign Neighborhood Networking Conference (CNNC). This conference was designed to bring neighborhood stakeholders, community members, and professional experts together to discuss a wide variety of topics. Presentations included information on how to apply for grant funding and develop programming at the community level. With more than 20 presentations throughout the day and 15 vendors hosting resource tables, there was something for everyone! City staff were also able to highlight all the work being done within their respective departments.
The event was capped at 100 participants and quickly sold out. At the event, multiple people who hadn’t registered were also able to get seats. Attendees were served breakfast and lunch at the iHotel and Conference Center.
This conference served as the kick-off to a jam-packed summer full of events. On May 18, the party continued with the Champaign Neighborhood Networking Summer Kickoff event! This family friendly event featured games for all ages, tasty food off the grill, and tons of opportunities to connect with community members. Service providers hosted booths to share resources and City staff were available to answer questions. This event was just one of many that NSD will be hosting this summer so look out for more!