Download a .pdf of our current Outdoor Resource Directory

You can use these listings to:

• Contact the appropriate officials
• Research grants for which your organization is eligible
• Seek out new partner organizations
• Advertise events to related groups

Keep checking back for more information as our research efforts continue!
Soon we hope to provide these listings through an easy internet search.

Recycling programs can be established anywhere. Additionally, with good management practices and sound business considerations, they can turn waste into revenue and produce local jobs which cannot be outsourced. However, every community has different opportunities and needs. By following this guide, you will gather the necessary information to custom-fit a program for the specific opportunities and challenges that face your own community.

Get started today with our Recycling Community Development Guide
(You may also download this guide as a Word Document
More Links:

• The Economics of Recycling in the Southeast
• Alabama’s Recycling Economy
• Southeast Recycling Development Council
• SERDC Southeastern Recycling Markets Map
• Alabama Recycling Coalition
• EPA WasteWise Partnership
• Georgia Municipal Solid Waste Characterization Study

Holiday Letter from Black Belt Treasures

The report contained state of the workforce reports for Alabama and each of the state’s local workforce investment areas and workforce regional advisory council areas.  For the purposes of the report, the substate workforce investment areas are referred to as workforce investment advisory areas (WIAAs).  The reports analyze supply, demand, and other issues regarding the workforce for the state and each WIAA, using available metrics of workforce characteristics.  Follow-up reports have been performed, and a special report on the Alabama counties impacted by Hurricane Katrina was also performed.

The resulting report described the findings of the study effort, delineated potential areas of opportunity for forest-based economic development, and made recommendations for facilitating the realization of those opportunities within the WAEM region.

• Three WAEM Mayor Network Events
• Six Mississippi WAEM charrettes
• Seven Alabama WAEM charrettes
• Two WAEM YourTown workshops
• Orientation and Training of WAEM WIRED staff through YourTown workshop, inclusion in STDI and WAEM charrettes, mentoring on assigned follow up of implementation projects

The three main objectives of the project included:

1. Provide training and expert support in the delivery of the assets-based illustrative master planning process and methodology that has been developed through YourTown Alabama and the Auburn Urban Studio Small Town Design Initiative (STDI) Program.
2. Identify implementation support needed in WIRED communities, and provide training, mentoring support and guidance to WIRED Community College staff in their technical assistance efforts; and
3. Provide training and support to create a WAEM Mayor network.

The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development (UACED) is performing a study to assess the current assets and economic condition of Wilcox County, collect input from its citizens, identify opportunities both for business and industry and outdoor recreation/tourism, and propose strategies and actions which will provide guidance for investments and programming to exploit the County’s potential.

Project Details and Elements

More specifically, the study will accomplish the following:

1. Provide an assessment of Wilcox County’s current approach to economic development and recommendations for supporting the marketing and development of the County
2. Identify and research business and industrial sectors that are a good fit for the County’s assets, in order to position the County for participation in future growth sectors (Green manufacturing and services, as an example)
3. Provide a detailed County Profile, which will include demographics and information on population, housing, industry/business, and workforce, to be used in marketing the County
4. Identify potential sites for business and industry
5. Analyze the current retail market, to identify potential gaps and opportunities for new businesses
6. Devise a plan to enhance and expand outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the County, to serve its citizens, and to encourage tourism into the County, thus expanding economic growth
7. Develop site specific design and recommendations for improving amenities and services at various City and County controlled properties, in order to support expanded outdoor recreational opportunities

Develop recommendations and an action plan to assist City and County decision making in investments and improvements of amenities, facilities and programming.

The overall goal of this project was to take steps towards “Building a Competitive Region in Southwest Alabama.” The work of the University Center for Economic Development (UCED) team addressed all counties in the Alabama-Tombigbee Resource Conservation & Development (ALA-TOM RC&D) Region (Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Washington, and Wilcox). Each county was analyzed by population trends, education levels, unemployment, and underemployment. The nine rural counties that comprise the ALA-TOM RC&D Region were determined to be homogeneous on all four of these indicators. First, population trends were analyzed by comparing census data for each county from the 1990 census, the 2000 census, and 2008 projections. Each county declined in population during the decade with the average declining more than 6 percent while the state grew by 7.2 percent and the nation by 10.2 percent. Second, education levels for each county were compared for adults 25 years and over. Over 32 percent of adults in the region have less than a high school diploma. Only 36 percent of adults in the region have a high school diploma, with only 30 percent in Perry and Wilcox counties. Only 9.5 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to over 24 percent nationally. Third, unemployment data were compared to state and national levels. The deep recession affected everyone. The unemployment rate rose for the State of Alabama from 5.0 percent to 8.8 percent from May 2008 to May 2009. During the same period for the nation, the rise was from 5.8 to 8.8 percent. But for the ALA-TOM RC&D Region, the unemployed rose from an already high 8.8 percent to 15.1 in May 2009 and continued to rise to almost 20 percent for the Region at the zenith. Four, underemployment for each county and the Region was also analyzed. For the entire ALA-TOM RC&D Region, the underemployment rate was over 20 percent, making the available workforce more than double the unemployed . From this overview, the need for greater effort toward economic development from both internal and external resources cannot be overstated.

This daunting review of current and declining status for each county merely confirmed the strong need for short-term tactics, long-term economic strategies, pilot projects, rural models, and practical examples of success. Following this logic, three initiatives were developed toward the goal of economic preparedness.

Initiatives aimed toward this goal include activities in the following categories:

1. Enhancing Regional, County, and City Planning Efforts;
2. Establishing or Improving Economic Development Mechanisms; and
3. Augmenting Workforce Development and Preparedness Activities.

Details of specific initiatives in each of these categories are described in subsequent sections.  These descriptions include the goal or desired outcome for each activity and the planning activities for each.  Included in these descriptions are details of meetings, collaborations, and partnerships formed as well as the outcomes and successes from each activity, the current state of the initiative, and anticipated future developments.  A bulleted summary of the project accomplishments are:

Accomplished Goals:

1. 1. Enhancing Regional, County, and City Planning Efforts

• Establish The Montgomery Institute, Alabama Office
  • City of Monroeville Annexation of Certain Monroe County Properties
  • Input to Monroeville City Five-Year Plan
  • Model for Health Screening for Children in 5 Southwest Alabama Counties
  • Collaboration with the Alabama Tombigbee Regional Commission
  • Multi-year Plans/Vision for the City of Linden AL

1. 2. Establishing or Improving Economic Development Mechanisms

• Establish an Economic Development Authority in Monroeville and Monroe County as a Model for Rural Communities
• Collaboration with the Coastal Gateway Economic Regional EDA
• Multi-County Partnerships

1. 3. Augmenting workforce development and preparedness activities

• Extend WIRED grant to support training for citizens in 16 rural west Alabama Counties
  • Plan for Enriching Training for Pulp and Paper Employees in the Region

This project is crucial in developing a truly integrated system of exchange information vital for economic development.  Local economic developers often do not have access to key information needed to support grant applications that could assist in locating new businesses.  Many of these data are available through Alabama’s universities and state agencies.  However, these data are often difficult to access without substantial expertise in working with the complex formats used in the databases.  The On-line Economic Development Initiative centralizes this data in a user-friendly format through a web-based interface providing “one-stop shopping” to developers.

http://choosealabama.net/

AmeriCorps VISTA is the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. Founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965 and incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993, VISTA has been on the front lines in the fight against poverty in America for more than 40 years.

What VISTA Members Do

VISTA members commit to serve full-time for a year at a nonprofit organization or local government agency, working to fight illiteracy, improve health services, create businesses, strengthen community groups, and much more. With passion, commitment, and hard work, you’ll create or expand programs designed to bring individuals and communities out of poverty. > Learn more

• Read “VISTA: Overcoming Poverty, Building Capacity” (6.67 MB PDF)

The Benefits of VISTA Service

By serving through VISTA, you’ll gain new skills, friends, and experiences—plus you’ll get the satisfaction that comes from helping others. During your service, you’ll also receive a modest living allowance, health care, and other benefits. And, upon completing your service, you can choose to receive either an education award worth $4,725 to pay for college, or $1,200 in cash. > Learn more

A Proud History of Service

Did you know that President John F. Kennedy came up with the idea for VISTA? Or that the 170,000 VISTAs who have served since 1965 have played a key role in establishing many of the best-known anti-poverty programs, including Head Start, Upward Bound, and the credit union system? > Learn more

Become a VISTA Sponsor

Public, private, and faith-based nonprofit organizations—as well as local, state and federal organizations—can benefit greatly from linking up with AmeriCorps VISTA. Applications for members are handled by Corporation State Offices. Project sponsors are not required to provide a financial match but must be able to direct the project, supervise the members, and provide necessary administrative support to complete the goals and objectives of the project. > Learn more

Contact Us

For more information, call our toll-free line at 800-942-2677 ( TTY: 800-833-3722). Or, you can email your questions to questions@americorps.org.