About Us

The East Isthmus Neighborhoods Planning Council (EINPC) is a grassroots coalition of diverse neighborhood and business associations located within Madison?s East Isthmus.

The East Isthmus area is a community of approximately 35,000 residents and businesses. This area is demographically diverse, active socially and politically, and an exciting place to live and work.

The EINPC is Madison's third planning council, recognized by a Common Council resolution in February of 2000. It is an independent non-profit organization funded by the City of Madison, United Way, Madison Community Foundation, the Quixote Foundation, individual donors and local businesses.

The EINPC is governed by representatives of its member neighborhood and business associations and residents at-large, who work to create a vehicle for greater citizen participation and involvement in the decisions and issues that affect the quality of life in the East Isthmus neighborhoods.

Mission

The mission of the East Isthmus Neighborhoods Planning Council is to improve East Isthmus neighborhoods by providing resources to member associations, organizing grassroots participation, and building consensus.

This is accomplished by:

• Using the consensus model to allow for an open democratic process where neighborhood residents can express their views and ideas;


• Increasing and strengthening citizen participation on issues affecting the member organizations through community organizing and advocacy;


• Building a greater sense of community awareness within the East Isthmus by linking organizations and neighborhood associations together, and


• Working in coalition to support each member neighborhood association as needed in areas including, but not limited to, the enhancement of community awareness, stimulation and development of community services and programs, and increasing resident knowledge about land use, development, traffic, zoning, and urban planning issues.

Geographic Boundaries

Blair Street from lake Monona to East Washington Avenue, to North Webster, to North Hamilton, to North Butler Street, to Lake Mendota on the West; Parkside Drive on the east; the Lake Mendota shoreline to Sherman Avenue from Yahara River/Tenney Locks to Fordem Avenue, Fordem Avenue from North Sherman to Chicago and Northwestern railroad, Chicago and Northwestern railroad from Fordem Avenue to Commercial Avenue and Commercial Avenue to Packers Avenue till it intersects with Aberg Avenue; running Southeast from the corner of Aberg Avenue and McCormick Avenue to Anderson Street going east on Anderson Street to North Stoughton Road and North Stoughton Road south to East Washington Avenue on the north; South Stoughton Road where it intersects with Cottage Grove Road going north till it intersects the SOO Line Railroad just north of Hwy 30 then northeast on SOO Line tracks to Sycamore Avenue then west on Sycamore Avenue to the Southerly extension of Parkside Drive, north on Parkside Drive to East Washington Avenue and then southwest on East Washington Avenue to North Stoughton Road on the south.

Current and Ongoing Activities

• Neighborhood Organizing and East Isthmus Capacity-Building: The EINPC provides technical and moral support to neighborhood leaders to help them form and strengthen East Isthmus neighborhood organizations. The EINPC administers a mini-grant program offering financial and in-kind support to neighborhood organizations for training, transportation, mailing, child care during meetings, and similar needs. The EINPC also provides free workshops focusing on specific skills important for neighborhood organizations, such as consensus decision-making, running effective meetings, and fundraising. For additional training, the EINPC has developed, in partnership with other planning councils and Community Exchange volunteers, the Grassroots Leadership College in which neighborhood leaders have the opportunity to expand their skill sets more broadly.


• Citizen Forums: The EINPC brings together residents, neighborhood leaders, government officials, City staff, private developers, community service providers, and business people to discuss the issues of concern to them in their lives on the East Isthmus.


• Email discussion list: This list provides an ongoing forum for digitally-connected residents to communicate views and ideas on projects and issues within the East Isthmus. In addition, notices of events and actions are posted here. Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/einpc to see the archive or subscribe to the list.


• Assessment and Visioning: The EINPC continues to work to understand the assets, needs, and hopes of the East Isthmus neighborhoods and to establish the organization?s priorities to make these visions a reality.