Blogging from St. Petersburg, Fla. This Week

I am pleased to say I will be blogging from the beautiful and historic Renaissance Vinoy in St. Petersburg, Fla., all week during our first combined conference for Community Investment Futures Community and Economic Development and NCAF Energy Leveraging Programs.

This year's conference could not be more timely. The months leading up to it have brought our network unprecedented Recovery Act investments from weatherization to expanded housing services, employment programs, Head Start and job development resources.

We have partnered the CIF and Energy conferences because community economic development is vital to all the changes Community Action and its partners hope to achieve. Clearly, the Obama Administration is looking for vigorous local leadership to re-direct local economies, change the way resources have been distributed and form unprecedented and innovative partnerships. There is national support for investment and innovations that have an element of environmental and resource sustainability.

The training and discussions that will go on here in the next five days are designed to present the possibilities that the current moment presents, as well as to help learn from the sometimes pesky operational problems that stand in the way of rapid growth.

It is my hope that the hundreds of attendees who are here with us in St. Petersburg will leave renewed and ready for some of the most interesting times and best opportunities Community Action and its partners have ever known. Through this blog, I also hope to share a glimpse of the expertise gathered here with those unable to join us this week.

Stay tuned!