Last week, ANCA took big steps toward mapping our course for the next five years.

On the heels of a inspiring evening with farmer and author Anthony Flaccavento, ANCA's board and staff dug into YOUR responses to our strategic plan survey and began the hard work of crafting a plan that will help us address the region's most pressing challenges.

The survey captured key understandings of how you, our constituents, perceive ANCA's work and where we might focus our efforts, moving forward:

What you love about the region (top 4 responses):

1. Landscapes
2. Clean air & water
3. Quality of life
4. Communities

Biggest challenges in the region:

1. Economic conditions
2. Aging population
3: Lack of affordable, efficient housing
4. Climate change

ANCA strategies for next five years:

1. Advocating for policy changes
2. Building high impact partnerships to address challenges
3. Increasing access to skills and capital for local entrepreneurs
4. Increasing opportunity for low-to-moderate income individuals

Many thanks to Anthony Flaccavento for traveling from Virginia to present to over 100 North Country residents about "Building Economies that Rebuild Community."

Anthony's experiences as an Appalachian farmer, nonprofit leader and consultant lend insight and examples of how a ground-up approach to economic development can increase equity, promote community and empower rural people.

Thanks to the Adirondack Nonprofit Network and the Lake Placid Center for the Arts for supporting the event, The Bookstore Plus for providing copies of Anthony's book, Bliss & Vinegar and Ausable Brewing Co. for providing food and drink and to all of you who attended Anthony's presentation on June 6th. 

Learn more about owning and operating a local lodging establishment in this free webinar, presented by the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce and the Center for Businesses in Transition.

What: Webinar: Is owning a North Country B&B or Motel right for you?
When: Thursday, June 20 at noon

Free! Please register to receive webinar link and access information.

The 4th in a 5-part Center for Businesses in Transition workshop series focuses on intergenerational family business transitions.

What: Intergenerational family transitions: creative solutions & alternative structures
When: July 10, 2019, 8:00-10:30 a.m.
Where: Anchorspace, Potsdam

Host: St. Lawrence Chamber of Commerce

FREE & open to the public. Viewing parties and post-event online viewing also available. 

Brookfield Renewable is a generator of clean, renewable energy. Its 74 hydropower assets in New York produce 711MW’s of reliable power — enough energy to power roughly 504,000 homes. In addition to hydropower, Brookfield is incorporating solar pv into its portfolio and investigating battery storage to improve energy efficiency.

Essex County Health Department and partners are bringing local food education to more North Country families through the Food & Fun Fridays program, which provides cooking demonstrations for parents while their children play.

This is one of five projects supported by ANCA's 2019 FarmShare Fund mini grant program.

The Village of Champlain installed blower units in its wastewater treatment plant -- a project that was partially funded by the villages $50k Clean Energy Communities grant.

Treating wastewater is a considerable expense for a small municipality. Blowers, which provide aeration to promote aerobic digestion of organic matter, are often the largest consumer of electricity. High efficiency motors, combined with variable frequency drives, offer significant energy and financial savings.

Congrats to the Village of Champlain for making this project work for your community!

Thirteen municipalities in Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties are participating in ANCA's Street Light Audit & Design Aggregation (SLADA) program.

Buffalo-based energy consulting firm Troy & Banks is conducting audits on current street lights. Each municipality will then work with a design firm to choose an LED lighting option that works best for them.

Close communication and collaboration with residents and community leaders are essential to adopting projects that reduce energy use and costs and that have lasting positive impact for North Country communities.

Many thanks to all involved in these projects! 

Join the Adirondack Common Ground Alliance in addressing issues that affect the whole Adirondack Park. We welcome more voices that represent all communities and multiple viewpoints. Please join the conversation!

What: Common Ground Alliance Forum
When: July 24, 2019
Where: Lake Placid Club Golf House

More info & forum agenda coming soon. 

When: July 24, 2019
Where: Lake Placid Club Golf House

When: September 20, 2019
Where: TBA

When: September 29, 2019
Where: Tucker Farms, Gabriels, NY

ANCA members are growing the New Economy by building strong systems for local food, clean energy and small businesses. Become an ANCA member today.