| Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, will receive a Historically Black Colleges and Universities grant of $550,000 to expand its revitalization activities in the North Nashville community. In collaboration with its partners, Meharry Medical College and Tennessee State University, Fisk will use the grant funds to renovate two historical homes; provide operating support for the community development initiatives of the North Nashville Community Development Corporation (CDC); build the capacity of the North Nashville Small Business Development Center; and support the marketing and promotion of historic Jefferson Street, the commercial corridor connecting the three universities. Through its grant activities, the consortium aims to achieve the goals identified in the CDC Master Plan: increase and improve the housing stock; establish North Nashville as a unique destination to attract businesses and residents; increase business investment; and increase connections between North Nashville's existing street pattern and greater Nashville. Specific activities will include establishment of a redevelopment district, sponsorship of community meetings to discuss and prioritize improvements to the road network, the hiring of a full-time counselor for the Small Business Development Center and the implementation of new programs, and the engagement of Fisk social science students in the development of a community plan for the Jefferson St. corridor.
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