Osage Nation wins competitive award to help with Smart Growth America

CONTACT: RM Kirk, rmkirk@osagenation-nsn.gov; 918-287-5201

Will Reckley, assistance@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-971-3903

Pawhuska, OK – Osage Nation’s work to make our community a more attractive destination has helped us win a national competitive award.

Smart Growth America—a national nonprofit that advocates for better cities, towns, and neighborhoods—announced today that Osage Nation is among 6 winning communities that will receive a free foundation for smart growth technical assistance workshop in 2017. Through the program, Osage Nation and the city of Pawhuska will receive hands-on assistance from national experts on Smart Growth 101.

“The technical assistance provided by this workshop will aid our community in creating a plan that incorporates a sustainable strategy of revitalization and economic development,” said Mark Kirk, Information Services Director for Osage Nation. ”The award of this workshop is a further demonstration of what can be accomplished when government entities and local stakeholders work together to improve the community for everyone.”

“This award is a testament to the hard work Osage Nation has already done,” said John Robert Smith, Smart Growth America’s Senior Policy Advisor. “Our program was more competitive this year than ever before, and Osage Nation and the city of Pawhuska stood out as a community doing great work. We’re excited to be able to help you continue on to the next stage of this work.”

The workshops offered through Smart Growth America’s program focus on a range of issues, downtown revitalization, Complete Streets, parking management, smart growth zoning, economic development and fiscal health, among other topics.

Smart Growth America received over 50 applications for technical assistance from 27 states and Puerto Rico for its 2017 workshops. The full list of winning communities includes: the City and Borough of Sitka, Alaska; The Town of Pagosa Springs, Colorado; The City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; The City of Tulsa, Oklahoma; The Osage Nation; and the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.

About Smart Growth America’s free foundation for smart growth technical assistance

Smart Growth America offers nine types of technical assistance workshops that help communities build stronger local economies, protect the environment, preserve sense of place and improve overall quality of life. The technical assistance is funded through a grant to Smart Growth America from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Sustainable Communities under their Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program. The Building Blocks program funds quick, targeted assistance to communities that face common development problems. Through the program, Smart Growth America has already provided free assistance to over 70 communities across the United States, from Hawaii to Maine.

Smart Growth America is the only national organization dedicated to researching, advocating for and leading coalitions to bring smart growth practices to more communities nationwide. From providing more sidewalks to ensuring more homes are built near public transportation or that productive farms remain a part of our communities, smart growth helps make sure people across the nation can live in great neighborhoods. For additional information visit www.smartgrowthamerica.org.

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