Revitalize New York!: A Resource for Brooklyn Non-Profits

Challenge

The Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) wanted to develop a website that was an interactive, user-generated database dedicated to promoting cooperation and knowledge-transfer among New York City nonprofits, with a focus on revitalizing commercial corridors—the diverse shopping strips throughout our City’s neighborhoods.

BEDC wanted a website where organizations could come together to share information, exchange ideas, collaborate on projects and ask each other questions to learn from each other and promote the vitality of the retail sector in NYC.

Solution

BEDC needed a community platform that could support reference was well interaction and user generated content.  We installed Drupal 6 and implemented the following features.

• Resource Guide – Members can browse topics to access a “how-to” guide on an array of issues that can be added, modified and updated by other users.
• Vendor Listings – Members share the vendors they use through a searchable, categorized database of vendors and contractors complete with comments and ratings.
• Events Calendar – Members can add upcoming events by borough or the entire city taking place around NYC communities.
• Community Development Blog – Visitors and members can read the blog.  Members can share articles on commercial revitalization issues with each other and the general public.
• Discussion Board – This provides a forum for members to communicate and ask questions on any number of topics.
• Content Notifications – Members can subscribe to receive email notifications when content in a topic of interest is posted to the site.  This feature also helps administrators monitor content that is being posted by members.

About the Organization

Founded in 1979 to stimulate economic growth and neighborhood stability in Kings County, the Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) has evolved into a multi-service, business and community development organization serving over 1000 clients per year. Our expanding and enhanced services are structured to meet the unique challenges facing entrepreneurs in a constantly changing, dynamic urban economic environment. In twenty-four years of service to the business community, BEDC has provided training, technical assistance and counseling to over 20,000 established or potential business owners.

More about BEDC >