Not to brag – but c21 is an expert on Community Improvement Districts (CIDs).

You may be thinking, what the heck is a CID? You’re not alone. Many people don’t know what community improvement districts are or have yet to realize the tremendous impact they have on metro Atlanta. If you’ve spotted beautifully landscaped highway medians, new intersection improvements or scenic bridges and trails, it’s likely the work of a local CID.

Created through specific legislation in Georgia more than 30 years ago, CIDs were designed to create sustainable urban environments that promote updated infrastructure, efficiency in transportation, beautification, safety and walkability. CID members are commercial, non-residential property owners, typically local businesses or corporations located within a well-defined district. Members pay an additional tax that is set by the CID’s board, which contributes to projects like the construction of roundabouts, highway clean up and the development of greenspace – just to name a few! Essentially, CIDs bridge the gap between public and private development and are key drivers of economic growth in the state.

So, where does c21 fit into the community improvement picture?

c21 represents seven metro Atlanta CIDs, from Buckhead and Cumberland (the first CID in the state!) to Gwinnett Place and more. All in all, c21 covers about 20 percent of the metro area. Working with CIDs provides the c21 team with the opportunity to make a positive impact on the greater Atlanta area, all while achieving the strategic goals of each unique district. With over a decade of CID experience, c21 has quickly become the go-to marketing and public relations firm for CIDs.

There isn’t a “typical” work day with a CID – which is what we love about them. Here’s some of the many services we provide for our CID clients:

Rebranding:
The c21 team worked diligently to rebrand Greater Conley CID to Metro South CID and Stone Mountain CID to Tucker Summit CID. These rebranding efforts transformed the CIDs into better reflections of the communities that they serve. We could go on for days about our rebranding projects – but we’ll save that for a future blog.

Email Marketing:
Many of our CID clients send out monthly or quarterly newsletters, board meeting reminders and event invites, all designed, coded and distributed by c21. In the past year, c21 has sent close to 100 campaigns on behalf of our CID clients, which reach thousands of recipients and consistently achieve click through and open rates well above industry averages.

Website Design and Updates:
c21 often leads all digital services for our CID clients. Dedicated c21ers regularly update websites to reflect project updates or include press coverage we’ve secured, and on some occasions our team redesigns the entire website, like in the cases of Buckhead CID and Gwinnett Place CID.

Event Planning and Management: 
While the tasks we can complete from the comfort of the c21 office are crucial to the success of our CIDs, we aren’t afraid to get our hands dirty either! c21’s event marketing and management services provide a proactive approach that allows our clients to see real results in real time. Whether it is event planning and execution or on-site support, c21 has helped CID events like Tucker Summit’s Member Mixer or Cumberland’s Bob Callan Trail ribbon cutting go above and beyond the traditional event experience.

Economic Impact:
c21 has supported CIDs in attracting new development – ultimately impacting the area’s economy. In fact, one of our recent successes was Gwinnett Place CID’s Vision 2020 campaign, which helped support the district’s long-term strategic plan to solidify Gwinnett Place’s position as the economic and employment hub of Gwinnett County. This effort reached more than 70 developers in metro Atlanta and created buzz around the area’s incentives and opportunities.

Collateral:
Outside of the digital realm, c21 assists CIDs with marketing communication, including creating infographics on economic impact or maps that outline each district’s federal and state opportunity zones or tax allocation districts. Take a look at the incentives map created for Gwinnett Place CID, featured below! Materials like these help current or potential property owners take advantage of the redevelopment opportunities in their district.

Thanks to the c21 team, our CIDs lead the way in media relations and digital marketing, achieving 111 million media impressions and 11,000 site visits in the first half of 2019. Our CIDs have also taken social media by storm, with each c21-managed CID ranked in the top 10 metro Atlanta CIDs with the most social media followers.

c21 is proud to be part of the Atlanta community improvement fabric.

Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and let us know how your local CID has changed your community!