Knowledge Center
Policy and Advocacy
The urban place manager advocates for resources and policy in support of the successful management of equitable and inclusive urban places. Ensuring the success of a managed place requires identifying and implementing the appropriate policies representing the values, mission, and objectives of a place’s strategic plan. While seeking to maximize a user’s experience within a place, the urban place manager acts as a convener and facilitator for various stakeholders including, the private sector, local and regional government, community organizations, and everyone who interacts with the place. The place manager is tasked with the ability to win the trust and confidence of a diverse group of stakeholders, understand the issues confronting the urban district from a multitude of perspectives, and manage complex partnerships to focus on the district’s issues, projects and initiatives.
Top Issues Council Brief: Increasing Stakeholder Engagement
Increasing Stakeholder Engagement for District and Organizational Growth provides a framework for turning board members, property owners, workers, and residents into active champions of downtown organizations. Featuring examples from Downtown San Diego Partnership, Milwaukee Downtown BID #21, Downtown Cleveland, and others, it outlines governance structures, communication strategies, placemaking tools, and engagement ladders that improved advocacy, participation, and district outcomes.
Read MoreThe Madison + Milwaukee Downtown Exchange
The Madison + Milwaukee Downtown Exchange is a virtual event series launched by Downtown Madison, Inc. (DMI) and Milwaukee Downtown, BID 21, designed to strengthen the economic and social ties between Wisconsin’s two largest cities. The initiative fosters cross-city collaboration through engaging panel discussions featuring experts, policymakers and business leaders.
We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
Ogilvy Square – Construction Mitigation Mural
When continual delays to street repair threatened to impede business foot traffic into the busy summer patio season, the BIA established two priorities in response. First, Advocate on behalf of restaurants to ensure patios could remain operational and ensure that Ogilvy Square was attractive to visitors. Second, the Downtown Rideau BIA commissioned a mural to transform the unsightly temporary asphalt into a vibrant art piece.
We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
River Hall YYC
River Hall is a significant part of downtown revitalization efforts in Calgary. With opportunities for longer-term investments in amenities and programming in the area, there is value in exploring nimble short-term pilots. Through this approach, the city can assess which amenities are best suited for downtown, informing future investments while providing immediate community benefit.
We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
Mary W. Rowe Master Talk
Mary W. Rowe is a leading urban advocate with extensive experience working in cities across Canada and the U.S. A leader in urban policy and civic engagement, her career includes leading Ideas That Matter, supporting post-Katrina rebuilding in New Orleans, and serving as Executive Vice President of the Municipal Art Society of New York. As President and CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI), Mary has expanded CUI’s impact, fostering collaboration across government, industry and
We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
Jason Ilstrup Master Talk
Jason Ilstrup is the President of Downtown Madison, Inc. (DMI), a member based non-profit working to create the best quality of life downtown for everyone. Prior to joining DMI, Jason worked in hotel management and development at HotelRED, the Iron Horse Hotel and the Madison Concourse Hotel. Before entering hospitality, Jason served as a legislative aide and legal counsel for several politicians including Rep. Martin Sabo and Rep. Barney Frank. He is also a returned Peace Corps Volunteer
Read MoreCreating Vibrant Places and Changing Lives
UPMOs have a unique opportunity to turn public space development and maintenance into a pathway for inclusive economic growth. By training local talent to deliver landscape maintenance and installation services, and by partnering with the businesses and institutions fueling local growth, UPMOs can spark a virtuous cycle of prosperity rooted in community.
We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
Transforming Data into Stories for Stakeholder Engagement
Communicating with diverse stakeholders, often with competing interests, requires UPMOs to be creative and strategic in their messaging. This presentation will delve into diverse data collection methods, reveal how organizations analyze common sources for narrative building, and present creative data gathering techniques.
We’d love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
Better Safe Than Sorry
Urging candidates to prioritize safety in the 2024 Provincial Election, the campaign featured a comprehensive advertising strategy that included digital, print and out-of-home placements. The website served as a resource hub for voters, offering access to each party’s platform, voter registration information and a customizable letter template for those wishing to contact their candidates directly. The campaign’s focus on community safety classified it as “issue” advertising.
Read MoreAdvancing Places: Local Advocacy for Your District
Advocating for downtowns is a core function of place management organizations: policy choices that municipal leaders make have profound impacts on downtowns. But local politics can be complicated, how do you make sure that they pay attention to downtown’s needs? Hear from seasoned BID leaders how they built and sustained successful local government advocacy strategies that enable them to set the agenda and make a difference for their districts.
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