Blog
Seeking ideas for Prize2theFuture
More then 50 families and individuals contributed Community Catalyst Funds as part of the 50th anniversary of the Community Foundation. These new resources served as philanthropic venture capital to launch Prize2theFuture in January 2011 as an on-line idea contest.
The challenge? Focusing creative minds on transformational possibilities for one city block in downtown Birmingham. The result? Almost 3,000 contestants from 39 countries focusing their time and talent on a way to make our city center cooler and more vibrant.
The winning idea, announced in May 2011, was One Birmingham Place: An Eight-Part Celebration of Community and Social Reengagement, that incorporated many of the consistent themes identified by judges in what became a true community workshop:
- A multi-use facility that brings people together, featuring indoor and outdoor elements
- Environmentally friendly, LEED designed, sustainable, with material reuse
- Very high tech using light and sound
- Focus on food, with restaurants, cafes and markets)
- Focus on railroad, including many tributes to the Terminal Station
“The fact that our 10 finalists and three top winners are from greater Birmingham validates what people in our community think is important,” said Karen Rolen, Senior Vice President Grants & Initiatives.
The final submissions by teams and individuals, more than 1,100 of them, are available in the Idea Library on the Prize2theFuture website, which also highlights the top 10 winners.
