June 2020

A Word from Jay... Acting and Listening

During the first weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, I had the opportunity to participate in a videoconference session of alumni and faculty of the Institute for Non-profit Practice. The virtual gathering featured Angela Blanchard , President-emeritus of BakerRipley, the largest community development agency in Houston, Texas serving 500,000 people with an annual budget of over $300 million.

Angela shared her leadership journey helping to rebuild lives after the disaster and displacement caused by Hurricane Katrina. For me, one of the takeaways from the session was the importance of taking action in a crisis; that it is critical for leaders to move forward and not be crippled by fear and indecision. Her advice has guided me in helping shape the CDP’s response to the pandemic which you can read about in this edition of our E-news.

Over the past few weeks however, I’ve observed a need to find time to listen, reflect and understand as we attempt to strike the right balance between protecting the public’s health and saving our region’s small businesses from collapse. I found one of the most thoughtful writings about this challenge in last week’s The Atlantic . Provincetown’s Rob Anderson, co-owner with his partner Loic of the Canteen, penned an eloquent description of how this tension is playing out in our community and in their restaurant.

I encourage you to read his piece “I’m a Chef in a Seaside Town. I’m Not an Epidemiologist” in which he so beautifully shares his struggle trying to find the middle ground between those who legitimately want to close Provincetown to all visitors and others desperate to open their businesses so that they can survive. And how much more difficult that struggle is absent clear directives and strong leadership.

The article reminded me once again of the importance of listening to many community voices – particularly those voices on the front lines and not always with access to leaders or comfortable asserting their experience, thinking and voice.

Thanks for your continued support as we respond to the challenges ahead and continue to lead the Lower Cape in building a diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work and thrive here.  

Jay Coburn

Chief Executive Officer

Housing

Supporting Local Business

Since March, when most businesses closed and social distance guidelines were put into place, it’s been easy to feel isolated from our community. After more than two months of staying at home, we have come to appreciate the everyday interactions we have with friends and co-workers. Although technology has provided us with other ways to engage, it is not a replacement for the conversations we have at restaurants, farmer’s markets, and various social events. They keep us connected and informed about the issues, organizations and people that we care about.

At the CDP, we had to cancel our March Seaside Chat, a quarterly social event held at businesses across the Lower and Outer Cape to keep community members up to date with our work. With the closure of non-essential businesses and the stay at home order in place, many supporters and friends of the CDP wanted to know if we were able to continue operations, how were we responding, and how the CDP was being impacted financially. In an effort to stay connected to the people who make our work possible, we decided to take our Seaside Chats virtual by leveraging video conferencing technology.

Read how the CDP is keeping people connected



Supporter Spotlight

“The CDP is stepping in to help towns and provide them with the expertise they don’t have. As our housing crisis continues to get worse, it is imperative that we break down the barriers between housing, social services and healthcare.”

Howard Burchman

CDP Advisory Council Member

CDP Advisory Board member Howard Burchman is a long-time Provincetown resident and owner of the Tucker Inn. He loves to hike, garden and dote on his dogs. His relaxed demeanor, however, belies the intense dedication to his work, which has since the 1980s, been focused on developing solutions to end homelessness.

After finishing college in the early 1970's, Howard returned to his hometown of New York City and lived aboard a houseboat on the Hudson River. He launched his career as a research analyst for HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) but soon became Director of Program Development for Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, a non-profit that empowers low- to moderate-income residents to take control of their housing and enhance communities by creating strong tenant associations and lasting affordable co-ops.

Read more about why Howard supports the CDP

Other Important News

If you own a business in one of the eight Lower Cape towns (Brewster, Harwich, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, Provincetown), you might qualify for a Micro-enterprise grant or loan up to $10,000. This program will be funded by Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds administered by the Massachusetts Deptartment of Housing and Community Development. This program is pending approval from DHCD. If approved, we would anticipate funding in late July.

Pre-applications will be reviewed on a first come first serve basis. Submit your pre-application today to Jason Bertrand at the CDP via email [email protected] or mail CDP, Attn: Jason Bertrand, 3 Main Street Mercantile, Unit 7, Eastham, MA 02642

Click here to download the pre-application.

Catch up on what the CDP has been up to for this past year. Our 2019 Annual report is available now on our website. Click here to read!

Business & Credit Workshops

The Community Development Partnership is hosting virtual Peer Group Conversations on Re-Opening. The CDP will provide up to date information to help prepare your business for re-opening under the Commonwealth’s four-phase plan. Connect with business owners in your industry, and share tips & tricks for safe operation.

The next two scheduled Peer Groups are:

Click here for more information or to register

I n response to the evolving impacts of the Coronavirus, the CDP has canceled all in-person trainings, workshops, technical assistance sessions, and walk-in appointments until further notice . The status of in-person events may be changed in accordance with guidance from state and local officials.

We remain committed to serving our business clients and our community. Staff is now working remotely and will continue our existing programs and services while also responding to the evolving challenges that this pandemic presents.

If you would like to schedule an appointment, please reach out to Pam Andersen at [email protected] or 508-240-7873 x18.

If you or someone you know is interested in receiving weekly updates from our Business and Credit Program that are targeted to small businesses, please sign up for our Inside Scoop .

Thank you for supporting our efforts to support the Lower Cape community during this crisis.