Projects

Saguache County Sustainable Environment & Economic Development (ScSEED)

Contact Information:
OSM/VISTA: Devon Pollack
Supervisor: Kim Smoyer
Address: P.O Box 92 Saguache, CO 81149
Phone: (719)655-2237
Email: scseedvista AT gmail DOT com
Website: www.scseed.org
US Congressional District: 3
County: Saguache

Description of Organization and Mission:

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND: The idea of ScSEED first took root in 1997 during a 1-day Nature Conservancy and Center for Compatible Economic Development (CCED) workshop for 30-40 Saguache County citizen leaders. The training session offered a short course on CCED's Pathways: Building a Local Initiative for Compatible Economic Development. With this inspiration, residents engaged a diverse group of community members in pursuing the Pathways strategic planning process and won one of four nation-wide CCED fellowships. In 1998, a ScSEED steering committee was convened and over a 2 year period, 250 diverse residents participated in a series of intensive public forums to assess local needs and create grassroots strategies. In 2002 ScSEED was granted tax exempt status from the IRS. The four (4) strategies, that today are the primarily focus of ScSEED work in the community, include: #1: Encourage the communities and people of Saguache County to work together for mutual benefit. #2: Support small businesses and cooperative enterprises that use and add value to county resources in a sustainable way. #3: Preserve and protect the agricultural community character and environmental health. #4: Increase lifelong health care, educational, vocational, recreational and social opportunities.

Mission of ScSEED

To work together as a community to develop a sustainable economy that builds on our existing strength, contributes to a strong integrated community, and protects the environment, rural lifestyle and the character of Saguache County.

Goal of OSM/VISTA in ScSEED

The OMS/VISTA will work to build the capacity of ScSEED and participating organizations, enabling long-term stability and success. The OMS/VISTA will assist ScSEED in enhancing community awareness and involvement through education and outreach. The VISTA will support community revitalization through economic redevelopment and renewable energy projects.

To achieve the goals stated above the VISTA will expand community resources by assisting in the preparation and submittal of grant proposals to secure future funding for organizational capacity growth. Additionally the VISTA will assist in and/or coordinate fundraising activities. To expand community awareness of the organization's projects and programs, the VISTA will help create press releases, newsletters, brochures, and fact sheets. The VISTA will work with a collaborative of non-profits, town residents, business leaders, elected officials, utility providers, energy developers, state and federal agencies to develop a strategic action plan, to ensure Saguache's economic environmental and energy future is prosperous, productive and sustainable.