Upcoming Workshop
Heart & Soul Downtown Workshop – Carrollton, November 6, 2025
This six-hour workshop targets municipal officials that are interested in downtown revitalization. Workshop participants are provided opportunities to view actual plans and projects with officials from the host city discussing their downtown and neighborhood strategies, their success stories, and their lessons learned. The workshop includes formal presentations and tours of downtown areas. The class utilizes city officials and downtown practitioners that have first-hand experience with downtown development. Additionally, information regarding available resources that are available to provide technical assistance and downtown incentives are provided.
About the Workshop
The Heart & Soul Downtown Workshop is designed for city officials and downtown professionals who want practical insight into downtown revitalization. Each six-hour workshop features:
- Presentations and discussions led by local leaders with first-hand experience
- Opportunities to see actual projects and plans in action
- Guided tours of the host community’s downtown
- Lessons learned, success stories, and strategies you can take back home
Workshops typically accommodate 40–45 city officials. Participants include mayors, council members, city managers, downtown managers, and key city staff.
The Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute recognizes the workshop as a training event. Municipal elected officials and city managers/administrators who complete the program earn six hours of training credit.
Where We’ve Been
Heart & Soul Downtown Workshops (2017 – Present)
The Downtown Workshop format began in 2017, replacing the former mobile bus tour to allow more participation and deeper engagement in each community.
Host Cities:
- 2017 – Madison and Augusta
- 2018 – Dublin and Newnan
- 2019 – Monroe
- 2023 – Bainbridge
- 2024 – Suwanee
Heart & Soul Mobile Workshop (2014 – 2016)
In 2014, GCF repurposed the Heart & Soul Bus Tour into a mobile workshop training program. Participants spent two days visiting three cities, gaining first-hand insight into successful downtown strategies.
Cities visited:
- 2014 – Moultrie, Thomasville, Valdosta
- 2015 – Dahlonega, Rome, Woodstock
- 2016 – Duluth, Gainesville, Greenville, SC
Workshops included a resource team of statewide partners (Georgia Downtown Association, Georgia DCA, UGA, Georgia Power, Georgia Trust, Southface) who shared programs and services while traveling with participants.
Heart & Soul of Georgia Bus Tour (2001 – 2013)
For 13 years, GCF hosted the Heart & Soul of Georgia Bus Tour, taking 35–50 participants annually on a 3–4 day tour of downtown revitalization projects across the state.
- Participants included developers, philanthropists, state agency representatives, media, and GCF Board members.
- Each host city had the opportunity to showcase projects such as commercial and mixed-use buildings, city halls, cultural facilities, parks, and streetscapes.
- From 2001–2013, the tour made 139 visits to 104 cities.
