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Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit

Register for Summit

Registration for Summit is now open! Use the link below to register.

2020 Theme: Growing Justice and Community

The 2020 Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit is Saturday, March 7, 2020 from 8 am to 4 pm on the downtown Pew Campus of Grand Valley State University. Community Celebration immediately following in the lobby just outside of the Loosemore Auditorium in DeVos Building E.

The theme reflects the power of reclaiming and sharing our personal and community stories around the environment and environmental justice. While each person and community has unique realities around various environmental topics, most stories are connected and if leveraged strategically, communities can build power by connecting stories, organizing, and showing up in solidarity for justice.

What is Summit?

The Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit is an annual one-day experience for Grand Rapids residents, business owners and stakeholders to learn with and from each other about strategies, resources and opportunities to strengthen neighborhoods and advance equity. The day typically starts with breakfast and community resource tables, an opening ceremony and presentation, several workshop offerings throughout the day, interactive lunch activities and a closing ceremony that includes a drawing of prizes from local Grand Rapids businesses and organizations. Attendees enter the prize drawing by visiting community resource tables where a table representative will stamp the attendees’ “Summit Passport”. Complete passports are entered into the drawing.

What others are saying about Summit

“Very diverse! I am hardly ever in such a diverse setting and wish it happened all the time!”
“I liked that it gave me lots of ideas and resources I can use for my family.”
“It was awesome…inspirational and informational!”
“Kids Summit was a great option because it enabled me to attend.”

Learn More

Want to learn more? Watch this video from a previous Summit!

2020 Summit Workshops

Plan Ahead by Checking Out Our 2020 Workshop Line Up.

2020 Neighborhood Summit Workshops

Getting to the Summit

Join us at Grand Valley State University's downtown Pew Campus for the 2020 Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit. Getting there is easy with these options!

Walk

Live within a couple miles of downtown? Get your exercise for the day and some neighborhood inspiration by walking to the Pew Campus. Walking along the streets of our city is one of the best ways to get in touch with our community.

Walking Directions

Ride a Bicycle

Whether you hop on your bicycle for your health, the environment, or moments of mindfulness, it’s sure to put you in the mood to be inspired at this year’s Summit. Grab your helmet and join us for great conversation and community building. There are several bike racks on the downtown GVSU campus to secure your bicycle.

Bicycling Directions

Take the Bus and DASH

Catch the bus and plan what workshops you’ll attend while you ride. Route 50 (GVSU Connector) and Route 12 (West Fulton) have stops right in front of the Pew Campus. Not your route? Transfer to DASH West from your neighborhood route.

DASH West is one of the free downtown bus routes. You can pick it up downtown and take it over to the Pew Campus. Buses come every 7-8 minutes at every stop and will start at 7:30 AM on the day on March 7, 2020.

Download Transit app for departure times, bus tracking, trip planning, and reminders for The Rapid and DASH (Google Play and the App Store)

Busing Directions

Drive

GVSU will have free parking! Park in one of the following lots:

These lots all have Disability Parking locations. Plan your parking and check out Grand Valley's campus map here.

Kids Summit

Kids Summit offers childcare and fun learning opportunities for children 5 to 12 years of age or younger. This offering is for children/dependents of adults who are attending the Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit and is limited to Grand Rapids residents and Summit workshop presenters.

Kids Summit is now open! After you register as an attendee, you will be prompted to register your child(ren)/dependent(s).

Accessibility

ADA Compliant

The Summit location is completely compliant with the American Disability Act (ADA) and we are partnering with the Disability Advocates of Kent County to pro-actively take steps to make the event even more accessible. In addition, there are numerous disability parking options on campus.

Breastfeeding Friendly

This event is a breastfeeding friendly environment. Feed your child wherever and whenever you want. We'll have a private nursing room as well.

Interpretación/Interpretation (Spanish/English)

Servicios de interpretación profesional va a hacer disponible a las personas que lo soliciten cuando se registren. Más aparte, asistentes que hablen español e inglés y estén dispuestos a traducir informalmente pueden usar el “Soy Bilingüe” botón.

We'll provide professional interpretation services. Make sure to request this service when you register. We also ask if registrants are bilingual English and Spanish. If so, we give them a “Soy Bilingüe” button. This lets others know they're willing to help with informal interpretation.

Summit Leadership Team

City of Grand Rapids

Summit Leadership Team

Thank you to the Leadership Team for their efforts and countless volunteer hours in shaping and coordinating this event. Due to their intentionality and commitment, this event consistently receives rave reviews each year.

Elizabeth Rogers Drouillard

Independent Journalist

Jessica Solis

City of Grand Rapids

Latrisha Sosebee

Dwelling Place GR

Elissa Soto

City of Grand Rapids - Water Systems

Erica Soto

Business Leaders Linked to Encourage New Directions (BL2END)

Stacy Stout

City of Grand Rapids

Support Summit

Gift Basket Donations

Want to donate a gift basket from a local business? Or a gift basket representing several businesses in a neighborhood? We welcome donations for the prize drawing during the closing session of Summit!

This is a great way to promote businesses, business associations and encourage residents to shop local and explore neighborhoods! Please contact summit@grcity.us to make pick up arrangements!

Thank You, Sponsors

This transformational event wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our community. We are currently seeking sponsors. Each donation helps us keep registration free for attendees, allows us to provide childcare, and to create an intentional space for Grand Rapids residents, business owners and stakeholder to learn together and build relationship to strengthen neighborhoods and advance equity in our city.