Contact: Tiffany Lemieux-McKissic
Manager, Membership & Communications
Telephone: (517) 485-3588 x1941
Email: tiffany@cedam.info

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2011 

CEDAM Announces TV Show Theme Song Contest

Lansing, MI – The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) is pleased to announce a contest for a theme song. The song is for their monthly television show, The Bright Side, highlighting inspiring, interesting stories from across Michigan. The program features everything from a youth theater group in Detroit to a drop-in art center for the homeless in Grand Rapids and a dog sled race in Calumet.

The contest begins October 4, 2011 and is open to all musicians in any genre of music. The top three entries will be selected by committee after December 31, 2011, and the winner will be decided by a vote through social media. The winner will receive, in addition to having their song featured in each episode of the show, studio time in a Lansing recording studio and/or a music video produced by CEDAM.

“The Bright Side puts the focus on all of the great stuff happening in Michigan and tells the stories that don’t get enough attention in the traditional media,” says emmy-winning PBS television producer Cato Weatherspoon. “This show is interesting, timely, well produced and very important for Michigan.”

The show is made possible by a grant from the Lansing Office of Community Media. The Bright Side currently airs online at brightsidetv.com, on channel 12 Lansing CityTV and is expected to launch on Comcast Cable channel 16 soon. To find out more, enter the contest, become a sponsor or watch episodes, please visit brightsidetv.com.  Michigan TV stations interested in airing The Bright Side should contact Tiffany at CEDAM (517-485-3588). CEDAM releases a new 30 minute episode each month.

Theme Song Contest Specifics:

-Format: .mp3 or .wav
-Song length: 2:00 minute minimum – 3:30 minute maximum
-Genre of music:  Any

The strongest entries will stylistically fit the animated introduction and suit the positive tone of the show overall. Contestants can have lyrics in their song, but must also submit an instrumental version of the song. Entries should be submitted to courant@cedam.info and will be accepted until 5 pm EST, December 31, 2011.  

The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM), a nonprofit organization, represents hundreds of organizations and individuals committed to rebuilding our neighborhoods and revitalizing communities throughout Michigan.  CEDAM is a membership association of primarily nonprofit community development corporations (CDCs), community action agencies, and other nonprofits that provide affordable and supportive housing to our most vulnerable citizens, encourage downtown and commercial corridor revitalization, provide workforce and entrepreneurship training, and help families develop and maintain assets. For more information about CEDAM, please visit www.cedam.info.

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NACEDA’s Managing Neighborhood Change Initiative is now accepting submissions for the fourth and final Collaborative Competition: Ensuring Equitable Neighborhood Revitalization. The goal of this competition is to ensure equity through preserving affordability, preventing displacement, and building tenant resources.

To enter the competition, submit one of your organization’s projects that meets the goal of the competition, is at least in the demonstration stage, and shows some level of success. See a more detailed description of the rules or submit an entry (you will be prompted to register to submit an entry).

The deadline for this last part of the competition is April 9, 2010. The winning entry will receive $500.

• NACEDA Managing Neighborhood Change Collaborative Competition: “Building Markets” Award (due Sunday, Feb. 28)
• CEDAM Innovator of the Year Award (due Friday, March 12)
• NLIHC State and Local Organizing Award (due Friday, March 12)

NACEDA Managing Neighborhood Change Collaborative Competition: “Building Markets” Award

Everyone is invited to submit a strategy or project that their CDC or organization uses to strengthen neighborhood housing markets. Examples of what this might include are marketing, neighborhood stability, and neighborhood quality of life initiatives. The deadline for entries is February 28. The winner of the competition will be announced the same day and receive a $250 honorarium.

See competition rules or submit an entry (you will be prompted to register first).

CEDAM Innovator of the Year Award

This award is presented to a CEDAM member organization that has engaged in creative new programming, has been involved in an exciting new development, or has generally proven to be a leader in advancing new policies, strategies, or best practices in community economic development. Please send nominations (including a few sentences on why this organization deserves this award) to tiffany@cedam.info by March 12, 2010. You may nominate your own organization.

This year’s winner will receive a 3-5 minute video mission statement (produced by CEDAM staff) and 5 free tickets to attend CEDAM’s Annual Membership Celebration,where the award will be presented. The past winner in 2008 was NCCS Center for Nonprofit Housing in Newaygo.

NLIHC State and Local Organizing Award

National Low Income Housing Coalition is soliciting nominations for this award, which will be presented at NLIHC’s Annual Housing Policy Conference this April. Eligible organizations are those that were NLIHC members during the 2009 calendar year. Organizations may self-nominate.

The award will be given for a 2009 outstanding achievement in organizing activity at the state or local level. Such activity could include, but is not limited to: a significant legislative victory at the state or local level, significant progress on a state or local legislative campaign, or significant progress in building a resident-driven organization.

The deadline for nominations is 5 pm ET on Friday, March 12. The honoree will be notified before NLIHC’s annual conference, scheduled for April 11-14. Two representatives of the honored organization will receive free conference registration as well as complimentary hotel accommodations and transportation to Washington to accept the award.

To nominate an organization, send an email to outreach@nlihc.org with the subject Organizing Award. The body of the email should contain the following information:

• Name of and contact information for nominated organization
• Name of and contact information for nominating person/organization (if different)
• Description of the organization’s achievement in the area of state and local organizing in 2009, and how that achievement assists in the furthering of NLIHC’s mission (1,000 word maximum)
• If appropriate, supporting materials, such as press clips or campaign materials, that describe the activity or its impact (optional; should be attached to the email in the form of a .pdf)

The submitted essay or a version of it may be circulated to NLIHC conference attendees and members and/or posted on NLIHC’s website.

Questions? Need to verify if the organization you’d like to nominate is a member? Contact Kim Schaffer, Director of Outreach and Communications, at outreach@nlihc.org