Elkhart County CVB: Cultivating Community Vibrancy Through Stewardship

Social Impact Framework: Destination Stewardship

What was the issue you were trying to address?

We identified a need for a more vibrant, engaging, and authentic community atmosphere to support sustainable tourism and economic vitality. Feedback from stakeholders showed that fostering quality of place could not only improve life for residents but also enhance our destination’s appeal to visitors.

We wanted to align tourism development with broader community stewardship goals by addressing beautification, pride of place, and creating a shared community vision. 

What were the stated objectives of this initiative?

Through the Vibrant Communities Initiative, our objectives were to:

1. Engage residents, leaders, and partners in co-creating a shared vision for Elkhart County’s future
2. Develop actionable plans to enhance beautification and quality of place
3. Strengthen community pride and engagement
4. Connect tourism efforts with resident well-being and long-term destination stewardship 

What were the specific metrics you used to measure the success of your efforts?

We measured the success of the Vibrant Communities Initiative by tracking:

• Community participation in public workshops and engagement sessions
• The number of beautification projects completed
• Qualitative feedback from residents and stakeholders
• Visibility and momentum generated for quality-of-place improvements
• Integration of community-identified priorities into tourism planning

What were the specific outcomes and results of your efforts?

Through the Vibrant Communities initiative, we have launched numerous beautification projects, strengthened community pride, and built new partnerships across Elkhart County. Residents have shared that they feel a stronger sense of ownership and involvement in shaping our community’s future.

We’ve also fostered cross-sector collaboration between tourism, local government, and civic organizations, creating a sustainable framework for ongoing community stewardship. 

What other information would you like to share, including any best practices or key lessons learned?

One of the most important lessons we’ve learned is the power of listening and co-creation. By centering community voices, we ensured that our initiatives were grounded in authentic needs and aspirations.

Building trust and fostering inclusive participation were critical to the program’s impact. We’ve seen that stewardship works best when everyone has a seat at the table.