F.O.C.U.S. Greater Syracuse
F.O.C.U.S. ("Forging Our Community’s United Strength") Greater Syracuse is a citizen driven organization that taps citizen creativity to impact change in Central New York.

It was created to enable our citizens and organizations to work together and have a voice in making our community a better place to live, a place where businesses, culture, and opportunity can flourish in a sustainable, livable, healthy community.

F.O.C.U.S. seeks to work in partnership with other efforts and organizations.
F.O.C.U.S. is a convener, communicator, catalyst, clearinghouse, champion, and celebrator..

Who does F.O.C.U.S. Serve?
F.O.C.U.S. is an all-inclusive organization – everyone is welcome to participate. People from everywhere – from the heart of the city to deep within the suburbs and farmlands – are among the diverse volunteers who participate in advancing the 87 F.O.C.U.S. goals. These goals were generated from hundreds of vision sessions where thousands of people shared their dreams and vision for our community’s future. F.O.C.U.S. serves the best interest of the citizens, government, businesses, educational institutions, culture and the arts, non-profit organizations, and just about everyone. F.O.C.U.S. volunteers are the recipients of the Rhea Eckel Clark Citizenship Award from Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board and the J.C. Penney Golden Rule Award.

F.O.C.U.S. Projects

CIVIL DISCOURSE: The increasingly uncivil behavior in public arenas can no longer be tolerated in our community. Uncivil behavior can be witnessed at sports events where parents get into arguments about their child's team, public forums, school board meetings, and almost anywhere there isi a meeting open to the public. This behavior threatens civil society. To deal with this issue, F.O.C.U.S. is currently convening a group of experts from Syracuse University, government agencies, and the civilian population to explore the roots of the problem and develop tools and processes for successful meetings. In the very near future, F.O.C.U.S. and partners will hold a community-wide meeting to luanch "CNY is a Civil Society."

WALK, BIKE, HIKE, WHEEL CNY: A group of citizens, community leaders, organizational and local government representatives convened in January 2010 as a result of a shared interest in maintaining a healthy lifestyle while making Central New York a place where human modes of travel are safe, accessible, easy and inviting. The group has charged themselves to create a clear, unified citizen's plan for action in collaboration with local governments and citizens. Short and long-term goals include: locating existing maps and plans, identifying human and financial resources, the validation and promotion of the significant personal, community, environmental and economic benefit of trails; creating a website devoted to walking routes, trails and safe biking and wheelchair access; education regarding the rules of safety, and a plan for connecting a network of routes for walking, biking, hiking and wheeling throughout Central New York.

MODERNIZING GOVERNMENTS: Working to keep our government ready to meet today’s needs in community and economic development is a F.O.C.U.S. goal and regionalism is one way to accomplish that goal. In 1999-2000, F.O.C.U.S. convened town, village, city and county elected officials and key administrators to explore possible issues on which they could work together. F.O.C.U.S. organized five "government modernization forums" at which common constituent concerns were identified.

CULTURAL DISTRICT DOWNTOWN: F.O.C.U.S. has been the catalyst in the formation and implementation of a plan to designate downtown Syracuse as a Cultural District. The designation of downtown as a "Cultural District" will improve the look of downtown, attract people and other businesses, and promote our city as a healthy viable place to work, live, and play.

Initiatives:
WAY-FINDING SIGNS: F.O.C.U.S. and the city of Syracuse are developing plans for way-finding signs directing visitors and residents to community attractions in the Cultural District downtown.

WATERWAYS: F.O.C.U.S. continues to support Onondaga County, New York State DEC, Honeywell and others to educate citizens about the clean up of Onondaga Lake. F.O.C.U.S. intends to update the 2004 Citizens Strategic Plan on Water and Waterways. F.O.C.U.S. is highlighting the vast expanse of CNY waterways as a vital regional asset for citizens, visitors, and economic development, supporting restoration of Onondaga Lake, Onondaga Creek, and development of the Erie Canal Heritage Corridor.

"ACTIVE AGING – AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITIES": F.O.C.U.S. is partnering with Syracuse University College for Human Development and Health Professions, Maxwell School, New York State Office for the Aging, and national organizations to prepare the nation’s communities for the economic and social impact when Baby Boomers retire. Plans are underway to hold a national interdisciplinary economic summit in Syracuse to provide communities with tools to retain and attract aging Boomers as significant, productive citizens and taxpayers.