Newark Collaboration Group Papers

Collection

Identifier: MG Nwk NCG-(Fileroom)

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection includes minutes, meeting agendas, correspondence, memorandum, reports, budgets, printed material, clippings, photographs, etc. related to the work of the Newark Collaboration Group.

Box 1: includes a "Funders Report" with highlights of activities and results, an overview of participation and leadership, and other material related to the Executive Committee (1986); a folder of correspondence, primarily to Gregory King and Alex Plinio, from various groups and constituents interested in Newark's progress such as the Ad Hoc Committee on University Heights (1985-1987); a folder of correspondence and minutes related to the Programs and Service Committee, which concerned itself with job placement and housing issues (1985-1986); material regarding the Rolex Award for Enterprise, won by Gregory King, including King's completed application form (1987); issues of two NCG newsletters, a mailing list, an annual report, and NCG Christmas cards (1985-1988); and publicity photographs of Gregory King and others

Box 2: contains material related to the Strategic Planning Committee including "rapporteur" reports of public forums held in the West, East, North and Central Wards (1986); schedules; reports and minutes from sub-committees and task forces; and correspondence, including letters from Sharpe James

Box 3: contains notes, memos, reports, minutes, correspondence, etc. related to the Strategic Development Planning Committee, and its task forces: Economic Development, Education and Culture, and Neighborhood Development (1985-1986)

Box 4: consists of copies and drafts of a report prepared by the NCG Strategic Planning Committee: "City Life; 29 Strategic Initiatives" (1986), which contains a profile of Newark, and offers plans for economic vitality, community life, and individual opportunity

Boxes 5 and 6: contain material on a public relations effort to improve Newark 's image, with an RFP for a survey "to establish baseline data regarding the current image of Newark" (1986). The bulk of the material in Box 5 relates to the public relations firm, Keyes Martin of Springfield, NJ, and consists of status reports, invoices, and "A Communication Plan to Develop and Identity and Positive Image for the City of Newark." Box 6 consists largely of studies by Decision Research, Inc. of Montclair, NJ, including "Newark: An Attitudinal Study", and related correspondence.

Box 7: consists of Executive Committee minutes (1984-1987) with supporting documents, including summaries of missions, budgets, activities, leaders, etc.; and material regarding working groups including: Programs and Services; Job Development, Training and Placement; Housing; Business Incubators; and Technical Assistance

Box 8: contains material on the Newark Education Council (NEC), which was a project of the NCG, including "A Report on the Work of the Process Design Committee of the Newark Education Council"; an RFP for a management study of the Newark Schools; budgets, steering committee minutes, and community outreach minutes of the NEC; clippings, printed material, etc. (1988)

Box 9: contains a folder titled "The Book of Precedents," which includes a report by the Process Design Committee outlining the rationale for a collaborative effort and recommendations for "the structuring, staffing and financing of a long term collaborative planning effort" (1984); committee minutes, a certificate of incorporation, and by-laws (1984-1985). Also in Box 9 are a folder of plenary meeting minutes with budget materials (1987-1992); a "Guide to Initiative Start-Up" (1987); a case study of NCG by Gregory King (1984-1986); minutes of the Executive Committee (1988); a file with an update of the Springfield Avenue Neighborhood Corridor urban design plan; a file of material related to the Service Task Force; memorandum, etc. Misc. fliers (added separately, 2021); various minutes and financial statements (1991-1992, added separately 2021)

Dates

1984 - 1992

Creator

Newark Collaboration Group (Organization)

Conditions Governing Use

Photocopying of materials is limited and no materials may be photocopied without permission from library staff. Researchers wishing to publish, reproduce, or reprint materials from this collection must obtain permission.

Biographical / Historical

The Prudential Insurance Company's decision in 1984 to maintain its headquarters in Newark, rather than leaving the struggling city, was the impetus for the founding of the Newark Collaboration Group (NCG). Prudential appointed Alex J. Plinio, its vice-president of Public Affairs, to assess the community's commitment to effecting constructive change. In the course of a few months Plinio interviewed 50 Newark civic leaders, and convened and chaired the NCG's first meeting. More than 40 local educators, ministers, politicians, community organizers, and business leaders attended the first meeting in 1984; by 1986 the NCG had over 250 members. From that initial meeting a 19 member Executive Committee was formed to lead the NCG. The organization concentrated on facilitating and coordinating various initiatives, especially in affordable housing and job creation, rather than duplicate the efforts of others. The NCG organized task forces and public meetings to determine a "vision" for Newark, and to create action plans. Due in part to the public/private partnership that NCG developed, millions of dollars in grants were raised for housing, education, and the arts in Newark during the 1980s.

Alex J. Plinio served as chairman of NCG from 1984-1986. Plinio was succeeded by Saul K. Fenster, President of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, who had initially chaired the NCG's Programs and Services Committee. Gregory King served as the Managing Director of the group.

By 1991 the city of Newark had been named an "All American City" by the National Civic League, and was cited as "Most Livable City" by the U.S. Congress of Mayors.