Pride in Place: Building Stronger Neighborhoods, Together

Purpose

Pride in Place recognizes businesses, nonprofits, churches, and organizations that take pride in their property and actively support their neighborhood. It’s about more than appearances. It’s about building a culture of care, presence, and connection that strengthens Hamilton block by block.

Core Principles

  • Beyond the Mission – Recognition highlights efforts that stretch beyond an organization’s daily operations or primary mission.

    • Example: A church may already feed the homeless as part of its ministry, but if it also hosts a neighborhood cleanup or adopts a park, that’s Pride in Place recognition.

    • Example: A bank may provide loans as its core business, but if it offers staff volunteer days for community projects, that’s Pride in Place recognition.

  • Inclusive Participation – All organizations, no matter their size or resources, can participate meaningfully.

  • Community Impact – Recognition is based on positive neighborhood outcomes, not popularity or financial size.

  • Sustainability – Recognition is renewable, ensuring the program grows dynamically and avoids lifetime or automatic status.

What It Means to Be a Partner

As a Pride in Place Partner, your organization commits to:

  • Keeping your property clean, safe, and welcoming

  • Participating in or supporting neighborhood cleanups, events, or projects

  • Encouraging staff, members, or volunteers to contribute through service days or volunteer time

  • Partnering with or hosting neighborhood events that bring people together

  • Helping highlight and celebrate the good happening locally

  • Fostering a welcoming environment for all while upholding professionalism and respect

  • Demonstrating actions that go beyond your everyday work or core mission to strengthen the neighborhood

  • Being in good standing in the community and reflecting positively on your neighborhood

Contributing in Your Own Way

Every business, nonprofit, church, or organization has different resources, staff capacity, and ways of engaging with the community. Pride in Place is designed to encourage creative contributions that make sense for you.

  • This is not a competition about who does the most.

  • It is an opportunity to create something special together by encouraging each partner to take pride in their property, connect with their neighbors, and do at least one new thing to make Hamilton stronger.

  • When every partner contributes even a single action,  whether big or small, the combined impact across our city is powerful.

We encourage you to think outside the box and consider how your organization can bring its own unique strengths to your neighborhood.

Recognition Framework

To keep recognition meaningful and sustainable, Pride in Place follows a structured rhythm:

  • Quarterly Spotlights – 3 partners recognized each quarter:

    • One business

    • One nonprofit or church

    • One rising partner (new or smaller organization making an impact)

  • Monthly Social Media Features – 1 partner highlighted each month, focusing on actions above their core mission.

  • Annual Pride in Place Awards – Presented at the Hamilton Neighborhood Summit, with potential categories including:

    • Outstanding Business Partner

    • Outstanding Nonprofit/Church Partner

    • Rising Partner Award

    • Above and Beyond Award

Window Clings for Partners

Pride in Place window clings are a visible sign of active partnership. They are not given automatically to every organization that expresses interest.

  • A window cling is awarded only after an organization has been approved as a Pride in Place Partner and has demonstrated actions that align with the program commitments.

  • Clings are dated by year (for example, “2025 Pride in Place Partner”) to show current participation.

  • Partners must maintain involvement and alignment with Pride in Place values to receive their updated cling each cycle.

  • This ensures the cling remains a symbol of earned recognition, not just enrollment.

Nomination & Selection

  • Nominations may come from residents, staff, other partners, or self-submissions.

  • Selection is based on actions that demonstrate community impact and “beyond the mission” contributions.

  • Partners are recognized on an annual renewal cycle to ensure the program stays dynamic.

  • Pride in Place Nomination Form

Accountability

Pride in Place recognition reflects alignment with 17STRONG’s mission of safe, clean, engaged neighborhoods.

  • Recognition is based on current involvement, not lifetime status.

  • If a partner’s actions no longer align with 17STRONG values, recognition may be respectfully concluded so the program remains true to its purpose.

Supporting 17STRONG Financially

At this time, organizations that wish to provide financial support for Pride in Place or other 17STRONG initiatives may do so through Friends of 17STRONG, a fund at the Hamilton Community Foundation. This ensures charitable funds are managed transparently and provides a trusted channel for those who wish to give.