Partnering with Your Local Government

Or How KCB went from a $300,000 City contract to

$1.2 million

In the Beginning

• Cincinnati’s City Manager Declares war on litter

• He appoints a City Councilwoman who lost her seat to start a KAB Affiliate

Structured for Stability

• KCB was set up as a 501( c ) 3• City set up a contract with the

organization• They agreed to fund staff and

operating cost and they threw in Office Space

• KCB agreed to raise programming dollars on a 1-1 basis (including volunteers)

Filling a Need

• Original Staff: Executive Director and part time Secretary

• 1982 ODNR, R&LP grant hired an Ed. staff

• 1987 City added dollars to KCB’s contract to study the feasibility of recycling– By 1989 KCB had full time coordinator,

assistant and through ODNR a person to develop a compost program

Evolving with the City

• 1993 the City asks KCB to focus on littering

• City took our recycling coordinator but did not reduce our contract and when ODNR went away they increased our contract by two staff

• Focus on Littering leading to focus on Blight– Great American Cleanup, Don’t Trash

the ‘Nati, graffiti prevention, illegal dumping, art to address abandonment, vacant property reclamation and Sheriff’s Work Crews

Art

Changing the Face of Abandonment

Vacant Property Reclamation PLAP

Transitional Workforce Training

Elements for Growth

• Stay true to your mission• Stay tuned into the politics• Build strong relationships with City• Turn negatives into opportunities• Diversify funding sources