At the Partnership, we believe that the decisions, changes, and efforts should be informed by the community we represent. That’s why we’re supported by four citizen coalitions who have direct input into what happens downtown. These coalitions are staffed by volunteer Kalamazoo community members, who work behind the scenes to guide and set priorities and goals for the Partnership. Coalition members also brainstorm innovative ways to solve challenges and strengthen ongoing projects.
Each coalition represents the diverse voices, backgrounds, and expertise of the people who form downtown Kalamazoo. They serve across four areas of impact: People, Place, Growth, and Experience.
The Coalition for People works together with local organizations to engage the diverse community that makes up downtown Kalamazoo. We work on increasing inclusivity, getting feedback from local residents, and discovering new and better ways to make downtown welcoming for everyone.
The Coalition for Place focuses on continuously developing downtown into an inviting place that everyone can enjoy. We don’t only work on building a beautiful environment, we also work on developing public infrastructure, such as sidewalks, street lighting, and maps of downtown. This makes it easier for everyone to get around downtown safely and keeps our community connected.
The Coalition for Growth supports entrepreneurship and investment downtown, working to create a place where businesses of all sizes can launch and thrive. We actively support new businesses, help attract new businesses, and guide start-ups. We also work closely with the downtown community’s anchor institutions to continuously develop and grow the downtown economy.
The Coalition for Experience works to curate downtown Kalamazoo into an engaging social space. We brainstorm ideas for events, programs, and public art—including murals and sculpture—with the goal to draw people into downtown. We also work to promote downtown and its businesses with creative marketing ideas that showcase the unique beauty and diversity of the community.
If you love downtown and want to make a difference, take action and apply for one of our four citizen coalitions. Each coalition meets six times a year (once every other month) and works to shape our downtown into an incredible community.
If you have any questions about how the coalitions work and what’s all required from members, get in touch with us at the Partnership.
