Partners for Livable Communities is a national nonprofit organization working to restore and renew the communities we work and live in. Partners has over 40 years of experience in solving community problems by providing information, leadership and guidance that help communities help themselves. We welcome the opportunity to bring our experience to your community.
Partners for Livable Communities was born out of a meeting at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in 1975. Nancy Hanks, chairperson of the NEA, asked the group of people meeting to consider how they could help communities by sharing information and working together. Their conclusion was to form a consortium concerned with livability and the built environment. That consortium, then called Partners for Livable Places, became officially incorporated in August 1977.
Partners initially focused on design and culture as resources for livability. Two years later, Partners launched a program to document the economic value of design and cultural amenities. This program, entitled The Economics of Amenity, illustrated how amenities and the quality of life in a community are linked to economic development and job creation. By hosting conferences like the 1981 Arts Edge Conference in Pittsburgh and executing publications on various aspects of design and amenity of cities, Partners emerged as a national resource on the economic value of using amenities for community development. Cities were changing, and livability involved more than open spaces and concert halls. It involved managing the social and physical changes that affect every community. In response, Partners launched three new programs: Cities in Transition, The New Civics and Celebrate the American Community.
During the early 1990s, Partners continued to broaden its definition of livability. The program Shaping Growth in America added a human dimension that involved social equity, children and families, and marginalized populations. One of the lessons of Shaping Growth has been that people, jobs, place, leadership and finance are what make up the agenda for American communities. The 1990s also brought a new name -- Partners for Livable Communities -- and the redefinition of Partners' Resource Center as the National Center for Community Action. Underlying both revisions is Partners' firm belief that social equity and human potential are the most important elements of a livable community.
As the dynamics of American communities continue to evolve, the organizations dedicated to enhancing livability must adapt as well. To meet the emerging challenges that communities face in the 21st century, Partners' program development and organizational policies were redefined to emphasize broad and equitable citizen participation. Rather than reinventing the wheel, redefining organizational goals allowed Partners to continue to apply its traditional strength as a civic improvement resource.
Partners for Livable Communities was born out of a meeting at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in 1975. Nancy Hanks, chairperson of the NEA, asked the group of people meeting to consider how they could help communities by sharing information and working together. Their conclusion was to form a consortium concerned with livability and the built environment. That consortium, then called Partners for Livable Places, became officially incorporated in August 1977.
Partners initially focused on design and culture as resources for livability. Two years later, Partners launched a program to document the economic value of design and cultural amenities. This program, entitled The Economics of Amenity, illustrated how amenities and the quality of life in a community are linked to economic development and job creation. By hosting conferences like the 1981 Arts Edge Conference in Pittsburgh and executing publications on various aspects of design and amenity of cities, Partners emerged as a national resource on the economic value of using amenities for community development. Cities were changing, and livability involved more than open spaces and concert halls. It involved managing the social and physical changes that affect every community. In response, Partners launched three new programs: Cities in Transition, The New Civics and Celebrate the American Community.
During the early 1990s, Partners continued to broaden its definition of livability. The program Shaping Growth in America added a human dimension that involved social equity, children and families, and marginalized populations. One of the lessons of Shaping Growth has been that people, jobs, place, leadership and finance are what make up the agenda for American communities. The 1990s also brought a new name -- Partners for Livable Communities -- and the redefinition of Partners' Resource Center as the National Center for Community Action. Underlying both revisions is Partners' firm belief that social equity and human potential are the most important elements of a livable community.
As the dynamics of American communities continue to evolve, the organizations dedicated to enhancing livability must adapt as well. To meet the emerging challenges that communities face in the 21st century, Partners' program development and organizational policies were redefined to emphasize broad and equitable citizen participation. Rather than reinventing the wheel, redefining organizational goals allowed Partners to continue to apply its traditional strength as a civic improvement resource.