Ignite! New Haven crowdfunding site connects city government, citizens, entrepreneurs and nonprofits

[Mendi Blue]

Today the City of New Haven launched Ignite! New Haven, a web platform designed to highlight and attract funding for local community projects.

Ignite! New Haven features business and civic initiatives that improve the vitality of the historic and innovative city. The Office of Development and Policy partnered with Citizinvestor, a civic engagement platform for government projects, to create www.ignitenewhaven.com, a community site where citizens can lend their support to local initiatives, as well as recommend their own ideas for funding.

Ignite! New Haven speaks to the most inventive ideas that make New Haven a great place to live, work, learn and play, bringing together the community, technology, non-profits, and businesses to create meaningful impact. City officials look forward to working with the entire New Haven community to present, fund and execute projects that reflect the diversity, creativity and heart of the city.

Ignite! New Haven is launching three pilot projects:

New Haven Public Kitchen – Nadine Nelson, Local Food Entrepreneur, in collaboration with CitySeed
Livability.com ranked New Haven, CT the #1 Foodie City in the country in 2014. The city’s vibrant and popular food trucks bring communities together and are only one reason New Haven is a premiere food destination. The New Haven Public Kitchen will build off of the food truck culture, serving as a food-based instructional resource, gathering place and refuge. The Public Kitchen will be a local hub where anyone can cook, feast, learn and take culinary action. The $7,500 in requested funding will purchase a high quality mobile kitchen to be used during public cooking events that unite the city one bite at a time. #publickitchennhv

Secure Bike Racks – City of New Haven, Department of Transportation, Traffic & Parking, in collaboration with Elm City Cycling
New Haven has made tremendous strides in becoming a more bike-friendly city through the creation of additional bike lanes and bike storage spaces. Yet despite these advancements, there is still a lack of sufficient, secure bike parking to meet public demand. Many of the current bike storage spaces also do not have the most advanced systems to deter bike theft. In order to address these concerns, the Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking will purchase and install 15 new bike racks with increased anti-theft protections. Raising $6000 to fund this project will lead to a greener, safer, more bike-friendly New Haven. #securebikesnhv

Youth Lacrosse League – City of New Haven Police Athletic League, in collaboration with the Department of Parks and Recreation
The New Haven Police Athletic League will expand its successful youth sports programs by forming a youth lacrosse league for children ages 6 to 15. The $7,400 in requested funding for this initiative will support 40 units of full equipment for up to 100 student participants to share and use during training sessions and workshops, weekly lessons, and parent orientations to introduce the sport. #youthlaxnhv

To learn more about Ignite! New Haven, and to make your mark on New Haven’s future, please visit www.ignitenewhaven.com, and attend our launch event with Mayor Harp at City Hall on December 9th at 5PM.

Mendi Blue, Director of Development and Policy, City of New Haven
203-946-2834
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