Thanks to a team of folks lead by the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce, Susanville is one of a handful of nominees, and the only town in California, to have been named quarter-finalists in ‘America’s Best Communities’ competition that could bring Lassen County recognition and a bundle of money for the town to use for economic revitalization and improvement.
The Lassen County applicant team, led by the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce, is celebrating their first round of success in the America’s Best Communities Competition, a $10 million initiative to stimulate economic revitalization in small communities and towns.
The ABC Prize competition is all about encouraging collaboration and cooperation among individuals and organizations that share the same goal: to increase economic development and create positive change within their communities.
The contest required that a non-profit organization take the lead in submitting the competition entry. The Lassen County team is comprised of community leaders and civic minded individuals who worked together compiling information and preparing the application for the first phase of the competition.
125 entries from throughout the United States were received in the first round – Frontier Communications, DISH Network, CoBank and the Weather Channel, the competition sponsors, announced the Lassen County Team was one of 50 communities selected to advance into the quarterfinals of the competition and the only quarterfinalist from California.
The Chamber will receive $50,000, on behalf of the team, to develop a comprehensive strategy to accelerate the revitalization of their community’s economy and improve the quality of the life. The team now has six months to complete their revitalization plan for a chance to win up to an additional $3 million to bring our revitalization ideas to life.
In addition, the Lassen County team has been partnered with a major corporation, GoPro, which will provide guidance and support throughout the next phase of the competition. GoPro will serve as a strategic mentor, while also contributing $15,000 of the $50,000 in prize money they will be receiving as a quarterfinalist.
An additional requirement of the award is to receive $15,000 from their community to support the revitalization plan. For more information about the contest log on to www.americasbestcommunities.com.
