Monthly Archives: July, 2011
Change by Us NYC belongs to great family of programs called NYC Simplicity. The aim of NYC Simplicity is. . . well, simple: to create a City government that’s more responsive, efficient, and innovative. Another one of NYC Simplicity’s programs is Big Apps, which organizes challenges that encourage people to create software that will increase City government’s transparency, accesibility, and accountability. Right now, Big Apps is running an idea challenge that asks folks to give their ideas for the apps they’d really like to see made a reality. Take a look at the innovative ideas being offered by fellow New Yorkers. And then tune in on August 11th when they announce the winners.
We just want to take a moment to thank everyone who has helped to give Change by Us NYC such a terrific launch. There are already 140+ projects and nearly 1200 ideas on the site, and we’ve only just started.
To keep the momentum going, we ran a grant application workshop with our partners CCNYC this past Thursday. With more than 30 local organizations in the room, we had a chance to really get to know some of the people behind the projects and resources on the site. The evening was a great success, so thanks to everyone who attended! The next application workshop will be held on Saturday, August 6th in the Bronx.
In the meantime, look for the Change by Us NYC team at a greenmarket near you.
We’re going to be visiting greenmarkets around the city over the next week. We want to spread the word and answer any questions folks might have about the site. Be sure to stop by and talk to us about community greening and how you can use Change by Us NYC to support your local efforts.
Here’s the schedule for where you can find our team in the coming week:
Saturday, July 23rd: 82nd Street
Fort Greene
Sunday, July 24th: Carroll Gardens
Tuesday, July 26th: Bronx Borough Park
Wednesday, July 27th: Mount Sinai
Thursday, July 28th: Brooklyn Borough Hall
Friday, July 29th: 97th Street
City Hall
We look forward to seeing you there. If there’s a greenmarket near you where you would like to see the Change by Us NYC team visit or if you would like to help us with our outreach efforts, write us at info@nyc.changeby.us.
All across our City, green-thumbed residents are caring for carnations, tending to thyme, and helping keep New York abloom. Check out the recent New York Times article on the community associations that are participating in this year’s Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest – it’s pretty inspiring.
Change by Us NYC is here to tap into that same spirit and passion for greening New York. So take a moment to read about these beautiful Brooklyn blocks — and the people behind them — and then post a project for your own neighborhood on Change by Us NYC.
You’ve created a project on Change by Us NYC. And now you’re wondering, what’s next? It’s actually pretty simple. Getting members involved and keeping them informed is the key to making your project a success. And there are a number of great features on Change by Us NYC that can help you do just that.
Recruit, Recruit, Recruit
(1) “Invite people with similar ideas” is a feature in the lower left of your project page. It automatically searches for ideas likely related to your project. Click “invite” to send a message to anyone with a similar idea who might like to join your project.
(2) Click on “members” at the top right of your project page. It lists your current members and gives you a way to send email invitations for others to join. The email will include a link to your project and space for a brief message.
(3) Click the Facebook and Twitter links on the top of your page to share your project on Facebook and Twitter.
(4) Use the search page to find similar ideas by keyword. Click the “invite” button to send a message to anyone who posted a related idea. Be sure to search again in a few days, because there are always new ideas posted to the site.
Details, Details, Details
(A) Post a goal that brings people together. Events, meetings, drives, etc. Long-term goals are good, but if you tell folks where to go, what time to be there, and what to bring, they’ll put it on their calendars.
(B) Post a message and introduce yourself – say a little bit about why you started the group, what interests you about the work. Tell them why it’s important! People want to connect with people, so let them know who you are.
(C) Use the links section on the left of your project page to link to your blog, Facebook group, or other sites useful to your project. You can start it off by pointing to information that might be helpful and then encourage your members to post anything they run across.
(D) Add resources that are relevant to your project. Resource owners are emailed with a link to your project when they are added. It’s a great way to connect with community-based organizations and City agencies that just might be able to get your project to the next level.
If you need a bit more help getting your project started, you can contact us at info@nyc.changeby.us. We’ll be more than happy to help!
PlaNYC: The Making of a Greener, Greater New York City premieres tonight, Friday, July 15th at 8:30 pm on NYCTV. It’s a terrific new documentary that accompanies the recent release of the updated PlaNYC and highlights some of the key elements in creating a sustainable future for our ever-growing city. If you don’t have a chance to tune in tonight, make sure to click here to watch it on the NYC Media website. It’s certain to inspire the next great projects on Change by Us NYC.
When it comes to greening New York City, a little funding can go a long way. That’s why the City of New York and Citizens Committee for New York City (CCNYC) are so pleased to be able to invite volunteer-led community groups to apply for a Change by Us NYC grant.
There will be a total of 20 to 40 grants, ranging from $500 to $1,000 each. To be eligible, your project needs to meet a few requirements:
• Be posted on the Change by Us NYC website;
• Include a minimum of 20 members on your Change by Us NYC project page;
• Focus on composting, tree and park stewardship, or community gardening and agriculture.
Click here to visit the Change by Us NYC page on the CCNYC website. Download the application and sign up for one of the application workshops. The first one is coming up quickly (Thursday, July 21st) and space is limited, so don’t wait.
If you have questions about the grant application process, feel free to contact Saleen Shah of CCNYC at sshah@citizensnyc.org or (212) 822-9566.
We’ve written about some of the coverage Change by Us NYC has received since the site launched. Now, here are a few places in the blogosphere where the site is popping up. And they just keep coming. Read up on what grassroots leaders, the tech community, and others are saying about Change by Us NYC:
• Harvard Kennedy School: “NYC Launches Change by Us”
• Pratt Center: “Pratt Center Participates in Launch of Change by Us Social Network”
• Public Interest Design: “Change by Us NYC Launched”
• Streetsblog: “New Online Platform Focuses on Greening NYC”
• Typekit: “Sites We Like: Change by Us. . . “
Since we launched Change by Us NYC last week, the response has been overwhelming. Lots of people are signing up to share ideas and post projects, while others are visiting just to see what the buzz is all about.
Several national and local online news outlets have already covered the site’s first week, and NY1 aired a great piece. Here are a few of the stories that have appeared so far. Check them out, and when you’re finished, help spread the word about Change by Us NYC.
• New York Daily News: “NYC Flexes Its Social Media Muscle”
• New York Times: “City Web Site Seeks to Link Up Ideas From the Public”
• Staten Island Live: “City launches Change by Us NYC social media site”
• Wall Street Journal: “A Place to Post Projects, Ideas for NYC”
• WNYC: “City Launches Website to Turn Ideas into Action”
New Yorkers can use Change by Us NYC to turn their ideas for greening their neighborhoods into reality – and we want to help make that happen.
That’s why the City of New York, in cooperation with Citizens Committee for New York City, will be inviting volunteer-led community groups to apply for a Change by Us NYC grant. There will be a total of 20 to 40 grants, ranging from $500 to $1,000 each. The full eligibility requirements and application materials will be available soon, so check back for updates.
When it comes to greening NYC, a little funding can go a long way, and we look forward to seeing what project groups can achieve.
Supported by
Design and Development
© 2011 Local Projects, LLC.
All rights reserved.
Content and NYC Logo
© 2011 Mayor's Fund to
Advance the City of New York
All rights reserved.