Downtown Santa Cruz Strategic Plan
2020 - 2022
Initiated by the Downtown Boulder Partnership
Role: Chip– Chief Executive Officer
In 2020, the Downtown Boulder Foundation (DBF) launched the Community Advisory Board (CAB) as a formal initiative to broaden community engagement and ensure that downtown Boulder’s future is shaped by a more inclusive and representative set of voices.
The CAB was created to provide an expanded community perspective to the Downtown Boulder Foundation and its partner organizations. Its founding mission was to strengthen equity, access, and community participation in downtown programming and decision-making processes — especially for groups traditionally underrepresented in conversations about public life and placemaking.
Key features of the board’s early structure and purpose included:
• Inclusive Representation: The inaugural cohort was selected with the explicit goal of reflecting Boulder’s diverse resident experiences and backgrounds, working with outside equity consultants to ensure broad representation.
• Community-Centered Advisory Role: CAB members provided feedback on downtown events, programs, organizational culture, and strategic priorities — offering recommendations designed to boost community engagement and address institutional inequities.
• Partnership and Support: The board worked in close collaboration with Downtown Boulder staff and leadership, including facilitated sessions and regular meetings focused on dialogue, feedback, and co-creation of recommendations.
• JEDI Framework: Over time, the CAB’s work evolved toward a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) lens, helping anchor conversations about how downtown programming, communications, and planning could better reflect and serve the whole community. Later cohorts continued building on this foundation, advancing concrete recommendations to guide downtown’s strategic planning and organizational priorities.
Overall, the Community Advisory Board established in 2020 marked a significant step in Downtown Boulder’s efforts to deepen civic engagement, expand representation, and integrate community-driven perspectives into the heart of downtown Boulder’s evolution.