If you are unaware of the Economic Development Council of the Bloomington-Normal Area’s One Voice program, you may be missing out on a very important opportunity. One Voice is our government advocacy program in which we support local projects in their quests for federal funding. Each year, the One Voice task force (comprised of local government, business, education, labor and other community leaders) convenes several meetings where local municipalities/educational institutions/other community organizations present projects for which they are requesting federal appropriations. The One Voice task force chooses 4-6 projects to officially support for the year. Each March, the EDC and a group of 30+ community leaders travel together to Washington, D.C. in order to present these projects to our elected officials and advocate for their financial support.

One Voice, now entering its fifth year, has become well-known by our congressional delegation and is often referred to as a “best practice” for seeking federal appropriations. To date, we have helped local entities secure over $2.5 million in federal funding (over $24.5 million with the recent TIGER grant allocated to the Town of Normal for the Multi-Modal Transportation Center).

Due to the rising popularity of this program, we are changing the way we manage the One Voice project submittal process. For the 2011 One Voice program and beyond, all applicant projects will need to go through a screening and development process in conjunction with the EDC. EDC staff will now be working with each entity submitting a project to develop a rigorous and objective “argument” for every project. This argument will include a full analysis of the project’s potential economic development impacts, its risks, feasibility and financial picture. The outcome will be a comparative report for each proposed project for the One Voice Task Force’s review. We have also instituted a $250 application fee to help cover the administrative costs associated with the project development and impact studies. The EDC believes our new process will ultimately provide our elected officials with better-vetted projects with stronger arguments and objective metrics.

Because this process will be much more involved than in prior years, the deadline for project submission has been moved forward. All potential One Voice projects must be submitted to the EDC by August 1, 2010 in order to be considered for the 2011 Washington, D.C. trip – NO EXCEPTIONS. Click here to download a project application form.

For more information, contact Brooke Weishaupt at brooke@bnbiz.org or 309-452-8437.

If you are unaware of the Economic Development Council of the Bloomington-Normal Area’s One Voice program, you may be missing out on a very important opportunity. One Voice is our government advocacy program in which we support local projects in their quests for federal funding. Each year, the One Voice task force (comprised of local government, business, education, labor and other community leaders) convenes several meetings where local municipalities/educational institutions/other community organizations present projects for which they are requesting federal appropriations. The One Voice task force chooses 4-6 projects to officially support for the year. Each March, the EDC and a group of 30+ community leaders travel together to Washington, D.C. in order to present these projects to our elected officials and advocate for their financial support.

One Voice, now entering its 5^th year, has become well-known by our congressional delegation and is often referred to as a “best practice” for seeking federal appropriations. To date, we have helped local entities secure over $2.5 million in federal funding (over $24.5 million with the recent TIGER grant allocated to the Town of Normal for the Multi-Modal Transportation Center).

Due to the rising popularity of this program, we are changing the way we manage the One Voice project submittal process. For the 2011 One Voice program and beyond, all applicant projects will need to go through a screening and development process in conjunction with the EDC. EDC staff will now be working with each entity submitting a project to develop a rigorous and objective “argument” for every project. This argument will include a full analysis of the project’s potential economic development impacts, its risks, feasibility and financial picture. The outcome will be a comparative report for each proposed project for the One Voice Task Force’s review. The EDC believes our new process will ultimately provide our elected officials with better-vetted projects with stronger arguments and objective metrics.

Because this process will be much more involved than in prior years, the deadline for project submission has been moved forward. The EDC highly recommends that all entities seeking to submit a project for the 2011 year attend an informational session to be held on Wednesday, April 14^th, 2010 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. in the Heartland Bank & Trust (formerly Bank of Illinois) Community Room (200 W. College Ave., Uptown Normal – Parking is available in the deck next to the building.) This session will detail the steps required by the new process and will give potential applicants a chance to ask questions of EDC staff. All potential One Voice projects must be submitted to the EDC by August 1, 2010 in order to be considered for the 2011 Washington, D.C. trip – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please RSVP for the informational session to Brooke Weishaupt at brooke@bnbiz.org or 309-452-8437 by Monday, April 12^th.

Many people ask me how we can go to Washington, DC and ask the feds for money in a time when the federal deficit is higher than it’s ever been, and many say that earmarks are pork and wasteful. I understand what they are thinking and how they feel. I, too, have always had some trepidation in taking this trip each year. But, when I fully think about it, it becomes clear, and I am once again excited about moving forward with this effort. You see, One Voice isn’t about wasteful spending; it isn’t about pork. It is about many other things. This is why I still believe in One Voice:

1. It is our first amendment right to “petition the government for a redress of grievances.” In the context of the Constitution and One Voice, what does this mean? I think it means that as citizens we have every right to go to Washington, DC and ask our elected leaders for the things we believe are important. This ranges from the implementation of programs designed to defend our borders and punish those who might hurt our citizens, to healthcare, to immigration, to small business and to unfair taxes. It also means that we have the right, and I would even argue, duty, to ask for some of the dollars we send to the federal government back. We want to bring these dollars back to our own community to spend on projects that make us a quality place; the place where business and families can prosper. Therefore, our grievance is “We want some of our money back.”

2. Our request for funding for an appropriation is not for dollars that are “above the budget.” All we ask is that our community be given the opportunity to show how these projects will be beneficial to us. Should a career bureaucrat decide when and how our community is going to benefit due to some program that has arcane rules and national goals that don’t even come close to our needs? I say no. We send our congressional delegation to Washington, DC to do our good work and represent us. The best thing they can do from time to time is make sure that we have an opportunity to share in our national wealth.

3. Our requests are well-thought  and can withstand the  front page of any newspaper or media scrutiny. We have no “bridge to nowhere” (which, by the way, if you looked at it, was actually a decent project - its problem was the fast-moving media frenzy that occurred after someone had the audacity to criticize it which made it become the poster child for waste and pork), we have good projects and we have good outcomes. Our requests make it easy for our congressional delegation to support.

These are three strong reasons why asking our congressman or congresswomen for funding for good projects is right, fair and our duty. I love coming to Washington, DC and spending time on Capitol Hill trying to convince my elected leaders to find a way to fund our projects. There are so many groups, delegations and people milling about, waiting to meet with their elected officials to tell them their needs. Autism research, green energy alternatives, composting, small business outreach programs and a whole host of other ideas are brought to their attention every day. This is what makes us America. I can’t imagine any other place on earth where we get to do this.

EDC NAMES RICHARD EIKENBERG ONE VOICE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

The EDC recently awarded a local college student the opportunity to participate in its 2010 One Voice Washington, D.C. trip. Paige Maynard, a junior at Illinois Wesleyan University and originally from Granite City, is the 2010 Richard Eikenberg One Voice Scholarship recipient.

The scholarship, named in honor of past EDC chair Richard Eikenberg, is awarded each year to a college student from one of four EDC investor schools: Heartland Community College, Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University and Lincoln College – Normal. The EDC recently held a cocktail reception fundraiser which raised enough money to send one student on the trip, all expenses paid.

“We are very happy to be able to continue this scholarship program,” said Brooke Weishaupt, One Voice program manager. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a student to network with local leaders and discuss current issues in federal legislation with the decision-makers themselves.”

The selection process was based on applicants’ responses to essay questions regarding local economic development projects, volunteer/civic engagement experience and their personal interest in the trip opportunity. The top three finalists were then interviewed.

About One Voice:
One Voice, under the leadership of the EDC, is a pro-community campaign that has brought together leaders from the City of Bloomington, the Town of Normal, McLean County, rural municipalities, labor, local educational institutions and local private businesses. These groups form the One Voice Task Force. Each year, the One Voice Task Force chooses local projects to support in their quests for federal funding. In the spring, the Task Force travels to Washington, D.C. to meet with the Bloomington-Normal area’s congressional delegation and show them the community stands united in support of the projects. The goal of the campaign is to make McLean County a stronger economic force and a better place to live. The 2010 trip will take place March 9-11.

About the EDC:
The EDC is a private, not-for-profit organization. Its mission is to help businesses in McLean County grow and to attract new businesses to the community. The EDC is a leadership organization, investing the community’s assets to grow and improve its prosperity and quality of life.

COCKTAIL EVENT TO BENEFIT ONE VOICE SCHOLARSHIP

Each year, the Economic Development Council of the Bloomington-Normal Area gives one local college student the opportunity of a lifetime – a chance to travel to Washington, D.C. to network with local leaders and discuss current issues in federal government with the decision-makers themselves. The Richard Eikenberg One Voice Scholarship, created in 2008 and named after the EDC’s board chair at the time, is awarded to a college student from an EDC-investor school (Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College and Lincoln College-Normal). The scholarship covers all expenses of the trip, from flight and hotel to all meals and events.
On Wednesday, Feb. 10, the EDC will be hosting a cocktail reception to raise money for the Richard Eikenberg One Voice Scholarship Fund. The event will run from 5:00-7:30 p.m. at the Bank of Illinois in Uptown Normal (200 W. College Ave.).

Ticket Information:
Tickets are $50/person, $75/couple or $200/group of five. To purchase tickets or to make a donation, call the EDC at (309) 452-8437.

About One Voice:
One Voice, under the leadership of the EDC, is a pro-community campaign that has brought together leaders from the City of Bloomington, the Town of Normal, McLean County, labor, local educational institutions and local private businesses. These groups form the One Voice task force.  Each year, the One Voice task force chooses local projects to support in their quests for federal funding.  Each spring, the task force travels to Washington, D.C. to meet with our congressional delegation and show them our community stands united in support of the projects.  The goal of the campaign is to make McLean County a stronger economic force and a better place to live. This year’s trip will take place Mar. 9-11.

The Economic Development Council of the Bloomington-Normal Area is a private, not-for-profit organization. Its mission is to help businesses in McLean County grow and to attract new businesses to the community. The EDC is a leadership organization, investing the community’s assets to grow and improve its prosperity and quality of life.

For more information about the EDC or its One Voice program, visit www.bnbiz.org.

In 2008, the EDC created the Richard Eikenberg One Voice Scholarship Award, in which we invite one student from an EDC-investor school (Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College and Lincoln College-Normal) to participate in the One Voice Washington, D.C. trip. (Click here to learn more about One Voice.)

Washington, D.C. Trip Details:
The 2010 One Voice trip will take place March 9-11. The scholarship covers all expenses of the trip, from flight and hotel to all meals and events. Specific trip details will be presented at our pre-trip briefing luncheon for all participants – Thursday, March 4. The scholarship recipient MUST attend the pre-trip briefing – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Nearly 40 local community, business and labor leaders attend the trip. During the trip, we meet with our U.S. senators and representatives, along with leaders of other government agencies.

This trip is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet and network with local leaders and discuss current issues in federal government with the primary decision-makers. Participants also attend receptions and meetings with speakers from various economic development-related institutions. There is also limited time for sight-seeing opportunities. Videos from past trips can be viewed at www.bnbiz.org/datacenter/government_advocacy.php.

To Apply:

To apply, download the scholarship application. Please also download and read the scholarship guidelines to ensure that you understand all the details and requirements associated with the program.

For more information, contact Brooke Weishaupt (brooke@bnbiz.org) or Cathy Milligan (cathy@bnbiz.org) at (309) 452-8437.

On Saturday, Jan. 9th from 10-11:30 a.m., Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson will be presenting a seminar on federal funding at the Bank of Illinois Community Room in Uptown Normal.  She will be discussing the appropriations process as well as federal grant opportunities. Joining her will be Corey Tellez, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Jeremy Ly, Grants and Special Projects.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Christina Rogers at (309) 808-1194 or christina.rogers@mail.house.gov.

One Voice is a pro-community campaign bringing local leaders together to make McLean County a stronger economic force and a better place to live. Leaders from our municipalities, labor unions, educational institutions and private businesses stand united; working to support local projects worth of funding and taking it all the way to Washington, D.C.

Nearly 40 local leaders will take part in the fly-in on March 9-11 to be among other local leaders, attend receptions and educational forums and meet with our U.S. senators and representatives, along with leaders of other government agencies. This is the experience of a lifetime, and we are proud to share it with one worthy, local student.

The Richard Eikenberg One Voice Scholarship allows us to invite one local college student to participate in the incredible One Voice Washington Trip. The scholarship covers all expenses of the trip, from flight and hotel to all meals and events….and we need your help to make it happen.

DONATE and CELEBRATE with us on February 10, 2010 from 5:00-7:30 p.m. at the Bank of Illinois, 1st floor conference room, 200 W. College Ave., Uptown Normal.

Please help us support a student and create a life-shaping experience. Tickets are $50/single person, $75/couple, $200/group of five. If you are unable to attend but would still like to support this cause, please contact us at (309) 452-8437. (Visa, MC and Discover accepted)

One Voice, under the leadership of the EDC, is a pro-community campaign that has brought together leaders from the City of Bloomington, the Town of Normal, McLean County, labor, local educational institutions and local private businesses. These groups have formed the One Voice Task Force. The goal of the campaign is to make McLean County a stronger economic force and a better place to live.

Each year, the One Voice Task Force chooses local projects to support in their quests for federal funding. Each spring, the One Voice Task Force travels to Washington, D.C. to meet with our congressional delegation and show them our community stands united in support of the projects. Click here to learn about the 2010 Priority Projects.

The 2010 One Voice Washington, D.C. Fly-in will take place:

Tuesday, March 9th – Thursday, March 11th

Cost per person is $1450. This includes hotel, receptions, some cab fares and most meals. (Note: Airfare is not included and must be booked on your own.)

To Register:

Registration is now closed.