Four new communities join UGA’s Connected Resilient Communities program

The newest participants in the University of Georgia’s Connected Resilient Communities (CRC) program have been announced as part of the recently expanded program. The city of Adel, Crisp County, Rabun County and the Augusta-based nonprofit Turn Back the Block are all joining the program. This is the first year for a fall class of the CRC program and the new communities join Claxton-Evans County, the city of Fort Valley, Madison County and Pulaski County as current participants in the program aimed at promoting community development and improving quality of life for residents all across Georgia.

The expansion to eight new communities a year is part of a broader $3 million congressionally designated workforce development project, with a further $450,000 raised in private gifts to support project implementation and student experiences.

The CRC program, facilitated by the award-winning UGA Archway Partnership, helps communities tap into the resources and expertise at UGA to address local issues and become more attractive to economic development. CRC communities partner with experts from UGA to complete three projects, over 12 to 18 months, designed to increase resiliency. Communities receive silver and gold medals after projects one and two, respectively, and a platinum medal after project three, signifying they have earned the CRC designation through extraordinary planning, collaboration and partnership with UGA to build a thriving community.

Now in its fourth year, the CRC program not only helps communities work on locally-identified projects, but also helps students and faculty gain real-world experience while learning more about the state of Georgia. The collaborative work between UGA and CRC communities produced more than $434,000 in project value last year.

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