OMAHA BY DESIGN, UNO ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
June 11, 2008
June 11, 2008
OMAHA BY DESIGN, UNO ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
OMAHA – Omaha by Design has a new strategic partner – the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO).
“This partnership will help infuse local academic expertise into projects that will result in the creation of a better Omaha,” said Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design.
Spellman and the staff of the organization will move to the UNO campus later this summer, taking up residence in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service’s School of Public Administration. The move will bolster the organization’s ability to collaborate with researchers from a variety of disciplines.
An initiative of the Omaha Community Foundation (OCF), Omaha by Design facilitates partnerships between the public and private sectors to execute projects that improve the quality of the natural and built environments throughout the metro. The OCF, which has provided Omaha by Design with office space and support services since 2001, will continue its support services role following the relocation, Spellman said.
“The OCF has allowed us to develop into an organization that has a strategic role in our city’s future,” she added. “Thanks to the support of Mike Leighton and his board and staff, we’ve been able to help the city’s leaders and general public understand how urban design and planning can improve the economic and social health of Omaha. We value our partnership with the foundation and are grateful for its continuing support.”
Rex Fisher, president of Qwest Nebraska and chair of the Omaha by Design Advisory Committee, views the partnership as an important step in securing the organization’s sustainability. Omaha by Design relies upon the support of corporate and family philanthropists for operating expenses as well as technical experts and other volunteers who contribute their resources to the organization. All projects rely upon fund raising as the primary method of support.
“The work of Omaha by Design is not yet complete,” Fisher said. “We now have two strategic partners, UNO and the OCF, to help us continue our mission of making our city the best Omaha it can be for our citizens, visitors to the city, and companies or families looking to make it their new home.”
UNO Chancellor John Christensen said the collaboration possibilities between Omaha by Design and the campus community are particularly attractive. “As a metropolitan institution, we need and want to be part of making our city a better place to live and work in,” he said. “This new relationship with Omaha by Design is exciting for our campus because of the organization’s innovative approach to both urban design and citizen engagement.”
For more information, contact Spellman at 402.342.3458 or connie@omahabydesign.org.