Overview
Action Greensboro serves as connectors and relationship builders to strengthen collaboration in Greensboro. Since our early days, Action Greensboro has served as a catalyst for public-private partnerships and as an intersection of government, education, nonprofit sector, entrepreneurial community, arts & culture and young professionals.
Our staff has diverse skill sets and interests. Our intellectual capital spans from public policy, strategic communication, horticulture, nonprofit management, sustainability, business, urban planning and higher education. Though our capital and collective influence we have developed a variety of community initiatives that have influenced the landscape of our community’s footprint and overall well-being.
Community Convening
Action Greensboro’s culture is prime for community participation, as we are dynamic, youthful and fun. Since our inception we have served as a connector for countless engagement opportunities for community partners, civic leaders, business, young professionals, artists, educators and students.
National Folk Festival
In 2014, Action Greensboro partnered in leading the recruitment of the National Folk Festival with ArtsGreensboro, the Greensboro Convention & Visitors’ Bureau and the City of Greensboro. Greensboro was chosen from among 32 potential cities to host the National Folk Festival from 2015- 2017.
In 2015, the National Folk Festival kicked off in downtown Greensboro! The free, three-day festival included 30+ performing artist groups, crafts, food and workshops and had over 100,000 diverse visitors exploring our unique downtown landscape. In partnership with ArtsGreensboro, the City of Greensboro, the Greensboro Convention & Visitors’ Bureau, and DGI – Action Greensboro worked to revitalize downtown in preparation for the festival including 200+ new downtown banners, refreshed crosswalks and decorative enhancements.
Over 240,000 visitors have participated over two years of the festival downtown Greensboro
Public Art Map
Celebrating Greensboro’s rich collection of public art works, Action Greensboro developed an online interactive map showcasing each work through professional photographs, art work descriptions and artist information. The geo-map includes over 100 pieces of public art works and was a collaboration with nine local professional photographers that donated their talents to the project. This living map continues to evolve as art works are installed.
Special thanks to our partner photographers: Lynn Donovan, Bert & Rebecka VanderVeen, Smith Woosley, Khadejeh Nikouyeh, Ted Partrick, Lynn Hey, Carolyn DeBerry and Julie Knight.
In 2018, Action Greensboro, in collaboration with the Public Art Endowment, have launched a new public art website, publicartgso.org . The website publicartgso.org will be managed by the PAE and be available for all to use – what a great asset for teachers, students, visitors and residents alike!
Spark Grant
Action Greensboro and Downtown Greensboro Inc. are helping to pioneer an innovative method of community development. We are interested in supporting unexpected, fun and exciting projects in downtown Greensboro that create buzz, community involvement and vitality.
Sometimes big ideas do not need a lot of money to get off the ground. Nor do they need a lot of time to plan and complete. However, these smaller types of activities can often help to improve a neighborhood and make it a better place to live, work and play. How can you help to improve downtown and make it a better place to live, work and play? Allow us to spark your idea into action!
co//ab
In 2014, Action Greensboro and the Greensboro Chamber opened co//ab, a co-working, entrepreneurial, and higher education experiential learning center located in downtown Greensboro. Set in a 4,800-square-foot space generously provided by Elon University, co//ab’s home features Greensboro’s first early stage entrepreneur co-working / higher education experiential learning space, gigabit Internet connection as well as Elon’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship. co//ab currently has an active and growing membership, in addition to weekly events for the entrepreneurial community provided by Launch Greensboro. co//ab represents a $100K Action Greensboro investment in the center city.
Yes 4 Greensboro Bonds
Action Greensboro, in partnership with other community organizations, led the effort to pass 126 million dollars in bonds to support capital projects for transportation, community and economic development, housing and parks and recreation.
On November 9, 2016 the community received an overwhelming endorsement from Greensboro residents passing all four bonds!
