Niagara’s flagship quality of life report has a new home at Community Potential – a newly-launched organization focused on collaboratively building stronger communities.
The Living in Niagara-2023 report is available through Community Potential, a non-profit social enterprise conceived by Armstrong Strategy Group, and Niagara Connects, with the endorsement of the Niagara Community Foundation.
Community Potential is an invaluable resource for organizations looking to improve the well-being of people living in Niagara, and beyond. The organization will share resources and research, while helping to build connections among diverse groups, and strengthen the work of coalitions that are addressing pressing community issues of common concern.
“Many organizations in Niagara are already doing great things. With Community Potential as a resource, the work can move from being done side-of-the-desk or in isolation, to a collective approach. We can join forces and think strategically about community-building all at the same time,” says John Armstrong, President of Armstrong Strategy Group (ASG).
ASG worked with Niagara Connects to establish Community Potential, to build on the work of the Living in Niagara report as well to facilitate community-driven, evidence-informed knowledge-sharing that strengthens action planning.
Community Potential is also the new home of the Niagara Knowledge Exchange. This knowledge-sharing and mobilization tool is regularly updated with reliable, Niagara-focused evidence that aligns with community priorities identified in the Living in Niagara report. It includes a comprehensive community calendar and blog, for organizations to highlight upcoming events, innovations, and important milestones.
ASG is a strategic communications, public affairs and fundraising firm that has always focused on broad community-building across multiple sectors. This mission aligns with the work of Niagara Connects, and the Living in Niagara report’s broad analysis of community well-being.
Armstrong said Community Potential is envisioned as a vehicle for getting organizations in multiple sectors of Niagara life engaging with each other in new and different ways. “Our hope is to facilitate creation of new neural networks in the community,” he said.
Community Potential Knowledge Mobilization Lead, Mary Wiley, says, “The Living in Niagara report has always been about taking a holistic view of our community’s well-being across socio-economic sectors. Through Community Potential, there are even more opportunities to leverage the community-driven report, and further strengthen Niagara as a vibrant community.”
Community Potential’s Executive Director, Rachel Gillmore says, “Community Potential being at a level outside any given sector allows us to facilitate cross-pollination of ideas between the different groups. It’s about being able to link similar work with different focus points, so that outcomes can be more innovative and broader in reach.”
Contact:
Rachel Gillmore, Executive Director, Community Potential
rachel.gillmore@communitypotential.ca
