Process
2018–2019
Developed through end of 2019
The first major announcement of Hartford400 is of the project’s framework and initial recommendations
This work is being done to give Hartford400 a way to organize how the next steps come together. This is important, because a regional vision plan can contain so many things—from a bigger Bradley Airport to a new Boys and Girls Club in Hartford. By giving five major ideals and some high-level recommendations, this step is meant to get us thinking: What will Hartford be like in 2035?
Conversations began end of 2018
Many organizations have already thought about their Hartford400
The Hartford400 team has already had the chance to learn about the plans of nearly 50 organizations for their future. While many of those organizations were a part of the work of the iQuilt Plan, it will be important to engage organizations outside of Hartford, as Hartford400 is a vision for the city and 28 surrounding towns in the Connecticut Valley region.Listening Tour through mid-2019
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has played an important role in building a regional scope of our Hartford community
Through their Greater Together program, HFPG has held town hall meetings with their 29 municipalities and learned the many common threads each community shares. As a result, each town now has the opportunity to use a Community Fund. The work those funds are used for are considered guides for what people want in Hartford400.HFPG Listening Tour Doodles
Beginning mid-2019
The important work follows: what plans are underway or being developed that support the vision of Hartford400?
While the Hartford400 team has reviewed over 100 plans from the last 20 years to develop the framework, this project is about what happens in the next 15 years. This means the next step is to see how the vision plays out through the work of organizations, neighborhoods and towns, and citizens. Along the way, clusters of groups might be formed in order to build common goals within industries.
The City of Hartford developed its 10 Year Plan, Hartford2035, on the pillars of Hartford400.
This partnership with the City set the tone for future plans to work together. By supporting the City in developing their plan, the Hartford400 team will use the ideas from the City Plan to inform and influence the direction of Hartford400. Throughout the process, the City hosted nearly 30 workgroup meetings to gather ideas. When other cities update their 10 Year Plans, hopefully they will be tools of working together as well. Visit hartford2035.org.
Ongoing
Reaching people at a grassroots level is key to building a vision the region stands behind
The Hartford400 team is initially planning several parts to this outreach, and will be continually improving as feedback is received, and is creatively evolving in light of the need for social distancing:
- Community Dinners: Modeled after the work of the Knight Foundation in Chicago, local community leaders will gather members of their networks for an unscripted conversation—over food! Those leaders will pass along ideas and feelings from the conversation, which will influence the Hartford400 vision.
- College Outreach: The Hartford400 team will work with college officials to develop a strategy for each campus on the best way to engage students, with the same goals as the pop-up teams.
- Street Team: People between the ages of 17-35 are important contributors to a plan envisioning 15 years in the future. So we are recruiting people in this cohort to have conversations with their friends and neighbors to bring their ideas into the plan. If you are interested in being a part of this work, send an email to jackie@theiquiltplan.org.
