Little Rock, Arkansas

Consensus Community Strategy

In 1963, a group of business leaders called Fifty for the Future organized to respond to the needs of the Little Rock region and to support specific community projects with significant long-term positive impacts on Central Arkansas. Initiated by Fifty for the Future and led by the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Better Together – Metro Little Rock initiative provided the community with an opportunity to build on past success, holistically address challenges, and effectively maximize future opportunities.

Better Together included many different constituencies that, collectively, make up the Metro Little Rock community. The community’s leadership has since taken an important first step in facing its challenges by working collaboratively on key multi-jurisdictional projects. Market Street Services helped build momentum for quality, sustainable, community development in Metro Little Rock’s near and long-term future.

 

Market Street assisted the diverse community Steering Committee in examining competitive issues facing the Metro Little Rock area. Socioeconomic and demographic trends were examined in the Competitive Realities report to identify key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. These opportunities and challenges, in addition to input from over 1,500 residents, guided the development of the Consensus Community Strategy, which strives to build a stronger Metro Little Rock through effective, collaborative, and visionary leadership.

 

The Strategy brought together all quantitative and qualitative research to create a blueprint for future community development efforts. With a focus on reversing a history of families abandoning public education, addressing public safety challenges, and creating an inclusive community, the goal areas were as follows:

 

• Goal I: Deliver World Class Early Childhood Through 12th Grade Education
• Goal II: Establish Safe Neighborhoods

• Goal III: Build Community

 

Market Street assisted the Steering Committee in preparing an Implementation Plan which prioritized actions, assigned roles and responsibilities of key participants, developed a realistic timeframe, and reviewed funding needs for implementation.

 

Metro Little Rock has had success across all goal areas. The Little Rock Regional Chamber and the Metro Little Rock Alliance both received accolades from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis quarterly review (Winter 2009-2010), as being critical to creating jobs. Further, in support of building community, the Better Together Community Task Force recently sponsored a city resolution to repeal a 1957 city declaration made in support of Gov. Faubus’ order activating the National Guard to prevent the integration of Little Rock Central High School.

 

Little Rock has garnered negative press for its high crime rates which has affected the competitiveness of the central city relative to its position within the metro area. A key issue is insufficient capacity of the Pulaski County jail and inadequate funds for treatment, prevention, and intervention services. A public referendum voted 57 percent against a sales tax campaign to fund these efforts to bolster community safety. In response, Chamber has partnered with the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) and the University of Little Rock to make recommendations about educating the public and building consensus necessary to implement infrastructure and programmatic changes. The campaign was successful as 54 percent of Little Rock voters approved the one cent sales tax. While projects are still being prioritized, the tax is expected to bring in about $500 million over the next ten years.

 

In recognition of the fact that economic development “is now a talent war,” the Little Rock Regional Chamber established a new education and talent initiative, Create Little Rock in January 2010. The initiative’s sole focus is to keep, attract, and grow talent to enhance economic development in the region. In support of this goal, the group is structured through a series of committees, including the elected Steering Committee, the Special Events Committee, and the Community Development Committee. The Land in the Rock Committee is specifically tasked with coordinating an internship program for summer interns, law clerks, and medical residents. The committee also develops year round internship opportunities with businesses in the region. The Talent Development Committee plugs young professionals into leadership positions through its Nonprofit Board Internship Initiative. Membership in the group is free and is supported by a host of community partners.