Office of Planning and Economic Development: City of Springfield

?? Exciting Opportunity Alert! ?? Are you interested in the future of development? The City of Springfield Illinois is looking for a Professional Planner to join the Office of Planning and Economic Development. As a Professional Planner, you will be responsible for developing, managing, and directing a comprehensive planning program that utilizes city resources efficiently. You will advise the director on planning and development matters, help establish long-term departmental goals, conduct specialized research and analyses, and manage special projects that contribute to the city's growth. Key Responsibilities: - Develop and maintain a comprehensive planning program for the City of Springfield. - Advise the director on planning and development-related issues. - Assist in setting long-term goals and objectives for the department. - Conduct specialized research and analysis to support decision-making. - Lead and manage special projects that advance city planning initiatives. - Participate in public meetings and presentations before community groups and professional organizations. If you're ready to contribute to the growth and sustainability of Springfield, apply now to join our team. #Development #JobOpportunity #SpringfieldILCareers #JoinOurTeam Apply Now - https://lnkd.in/gaZyjVAC

Are you passionate about City Government, Economic and Workforce Development and have experience working in these sectors? We are looking for YOU! ?? ? Office of Planning and Economic Development: City of Springfield is HIRING! ? The Springfield Economic Empowerment Project (SEEP) is an ambitious, collaborative initiative born out of the ReCompete Pilot Program, a federally funded Strategy Development Grant awarded to the City of Springfield Illinois by the Biden-Harris Administration's U.S. Department of Commerce/U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). ? This two-year funded position will be a lead in championing Strategy Development work for the coalition of grassroots partners working towards workforce development in economically distressed communities of Springfield. ? Applications are open until April 10th, and we encourage you to apply! ? Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gqNy-FUF

This Women’s HERstory Month, Office of Planning and Economic Development: City of Springfield proudly celebrates the rich contributions and accomplishments of women, women-owned businesses & entrepreneurs. We are joining the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) in celebration of all things Women's History Month. Visit DCEO’s website for information about events and resources – https://bit.ly/3SOFTFh?#ILWHM2024 Join us in celebrating Women’s HERstory Month:?? ?Attend events hosted by @illinoisDCEO https://bit.ly/3SOFTFh? ?Support women-owned businesses? ?Spread the word using #ILWHM2024 City of Springfield Illinois

?? INTRODUCING LEADERSHIP AT THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (OPED) ?? Kayla Graven is the City of Springfield Illinois's Economic Development Operations Coordinator. She is a passionate advocate for Business Development and historic neighborhood revitalization. Her experience has been marked by a series of notable achievements. These accomplishments include the growth of the Old Capitol Farmers Market, the successful recruitment of brick-and-mortar businesses, and the development of the small business Isringhausen Imports DRIVE grant. Kayla Graven’s contributions have been recognized through a series of prestigious accolades, including “Top Outstanding Young Person” – recognized in the category of Children, World Peace, and Human Rights by the Illinois Jaycees, “WOW Award” from the Central Illinois Customer Service Association, “Forty Under Forty” by the Illinois Times & Springfield Business Journal, a The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce Leadership Springfield graduate, and Historic Real Estate Development Finance Professional Certification – from NDC. Kayla devotes her spare time and expertise to serving on the board of the Springfield Citizen’s Club, MacArthur Boulevard Association, and the Springfield Jaycees. Kayla Graven’s unwavering dedication to community development, her steadfast commitment to revitalizing historic neighborhoods, and her extensive involvement in various civic organizations all underscore her profound commitment to the enhancement and progress of Springfield, Illinois. Outside of her professional endeavors, Kayla loves spending time with her dog, Tucker, and cats, Lyle and Macy.?She enjoys spending time with her friends and family whenever her free time allows, going to farmers markets, and exploring vibrant downtown areas.

Join us in celebrating Black History Month in the City of Springfield Illinois. We're excited to highlight one of our Cannabis grant recipients: Ms D's Kitchen & Grill. We support black-owned businesses through economic development incentives such as the Cannabis grant funds. "The grant helped a lot and helped take care of things to help get us open. I am very thankful!" -Ms. D Show support to businesses like Ms. D's Kitchen & Grill! #CelebratingBlackOwnedBusinesses?#BlackHistoryMonth?#SpringfieldHistory?#CelebrateBlackHistoryMonth

?? Nationwide AT&T Outage Alert ?? We want to inform you that there is currently a nationwide AT&T outage affecting mobile and internet services, including Springfield citizens. If you're experiencing connectivity issues, rest assured, it's not just your phone! Additionally, please note that the temporary outage of the Springfield free WiFi service is also related to this larger AT&T issue. We understand the inconvenience this may cause and assure you that service providers are working diligently to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time. Stay tuned for updates. #AT&TOutage #SpringfieldWiFi #StayConnected #CommunityAlert

Thank you, Springfield Business Journal, for featuring the Office of Planning and Economic Development: City of Springfield leadership team on the cover of the February '24 issue. We are making proactive efforts to improve and accelerate the economic mobility of our community. You can access the digital copy here: https://lnkd.in/gmfbJEQE ?? Read the excerpt from Editor Michelle Ownbey's Note in the issue:? "... The problem has transcended multiple administrations, but the new mayor, Misty Buscher, says she wants to make city government more efficient and helpful to businesses." "..Val Yazell has returned to head up the Office of Planning and Economic Development and points to new hires and new roles as key to carrying out her goals for the office (p. 26). She has certainly assembled an impressive team with extensive knowledge of what other cities have done to become more friendly to businesses that want to launch or expand. And while it’s important to provide some hand-holding during the often-cumbersome process of permitting, licensing, and inspections, helping business owners who come to the city with projects is only a small piece of the puzzle. What Springfield needs are bold visionaries with fresh ideas for revitalization and the will to carry out those plans." Featured on the cover: (From left to right) Kayla Graven, Economic Development Operations Amy Rasing, Grants Management Val Yazell, Director Julia Cave, Housing and Community Development Operations Sai Joshi, Bloomberg-Harvard Fellow #businessdevelopment #economicdevelopment #cityofspringfield

The Biden-Harris administration announced Springfield as one of the 24 communities to receive a Strategy Development Grant (SDG) as part of the ReCompete Pilot Program. U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) received over 560 applications during the ReCompete Program’s initial competition, representing the highest demand of any national program in EDA’s history. The Biden-Harris administration launched the ReCompete Pilot Program through the U.S. Department of Commerce's U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). ReCompete was authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act to invest in projects that spur economic activity in geographically diverse and persistently distressed communities across the country. Specifically, this program targets areas where prime-age employment significantly trails the national average. The ReCompete program aims to close these gaps by utilizing EDA’s place-based approach and delivering large, highly flexible grants based on community-driven strategies to address the unique workforce and economic development needs of individual communities and regions. Led by Sai Joshi, Bloomberg-Harvard Fellow at Office of Planning and Economic Development: City of Springfield, Springfield submitted an application in October 2023 and was notified of their selection in December 2023. The project titled Springfield Economic Empowerment Project (SEEP) is a public, institutional, and philanthropic alliance that includes local partners like Lincoln Land Community College, The Springfield Project, CDC, Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance, and the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln. Mayor Misty Buscher said, “We are thankful to the Biden-Harris administration for this win for Springfield. As the capital city of Illinois, the City of Springfield Illinois is committed to championing efforts to improve the economic mobility of our distressed communities. Our public, institutional, and philanthropic partners’ coalition has been leading the way to bridge economic gaps holistically. The ReCompete Program funding will elevate our efforts to revitalize Springfield’s socio-economic fabric. The Springfield Economic Empowerment Project stands as a symbol of Springfield’s unwavering commitment to inclusive growth. We are excited to hit the ground running!” The link to the full Biden-Harris administration press release can be found here: https://lnkd.in/g6uXPv_a

?? INTRODUCING LEADERSHIP AT THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (OPED) ?? Julia Cave is a native of Springfield, IL, and has over 20 years of experience in Public and Health Service administration. She attended the University of North Carolina Charlotte and has a degree in Human Service Management. Julia is passionate about helping others and making a difference in her community. As Operations Coordinator in the Office of Planning and Economic Development: City of Springfield, Julia oversees the Housing and Community Development division and the related programs. Mayor Misty Buscher recently selected Julia as an ‘Emerging City Leader.’ She was asked to serve on a team of seven, focused on problem-solving specific City issues of Mayoral priority. Harvard University faculty and colleagues in innovation trained this team of objective thinkers. This training has equipped Julia with knowledge and capabilities related to innovation, collaboration, and data, enabling her to address specific social problems within the community. Of her many accomplishments, Julia’s current innovative pilot project is a robust training and certification program to attract local lead abatement contractors. This program offers free training, testing, and certification to the participants and is a one-of-a-kind, proactive approach to addressing a critical need in the Springfield community. Julia lives in Springfield with her husband, Larry. They have three children, Madisyn, Ivy, and Larry, two grandchildren, and a Great Dane named Draco.

The Office of Planning and Economic Development: City of Springfield is delighted to report a significant turnout for last week's Free Lead Abatement training. ? A total of 13 participants successfully completed the first training program, earning certification as lead abatement workers. ?? The demand for lead abatement contractors in the City of Springfield remains pressing. A considerable number of families are currently in need of assistance due to lead paint present in their homes. Engaging in this training initiative not only enhances your professional repertoire but also directly contributes to addressing a critical need within our community. ?? By bolstering our ranks of certified lead abatement workers, we are actively advancing our commitment to proactive government initiatives. Through such endeavors, we aim to measurably improve public health outcomes and foster safer living environments for all Springfield residents.