The manual is prepared to assist citizens, community activists, neighborhood groups, students, planners, government officials, and any person interested in grassroots organizing and planning neighborhood improvements by maximizing human resources through the concept of self-help. It offer two elements that are interrelated:"Grassroots Organizing," and "Simple Approaches to Neighborhood Improvements.Regardless of what stage of development neighborhood organizations are, this manual provides a wealth of information, ideas, and suggestions on organizing for success.Once residential organization is functional, it time to get busy making improvements. The manual is a general guide for total neighborhood improvement programs. You may want to use the simple approaches and suggestions in the manual, or you may want to change them to fit your need. You may also have a specific issued you need to address, but you can still use these steps and techniques to find workable solutions. Elton Gatewood holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration, and has over 40 years of experience in state and municipal government administration. He specializes in Urban Planning, Community Development, Program and Organization Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, Economic Development, Capacity Building, and Civic Engagement and Public Participation.He has also worked as a Consultant and Urban Strategist with cities, national and international organizations and governments to assit them in developing programs and innovative approaches in participatory democracy and governance.Dr. Gatewood is an adjunct professor and lecturer at various colleges and universities in the Pacific Northwest, and has spoken and presented at workshops, conferences, and seminars nationally and internationally on a variety of issues, processes, and subjects relating to democarcy, governance, citizen involvement, capacity building, and community mobilization.
