Future OneNKY Center; expected completion: Summer 2025

What is the driving force behind the message inherent in OneNKY?

OneNKY’s meaning is simple: to celebrate the strengths and unique qualities of our region, our population center, while elevating a sense of community pride. In so doing, we enhance our level of togetherness and sense of belonging in a way that uplifts all individuals and enhances the reputation and attractiveness of the entire area.

What is the goal?

To foster a growing, serving community. Community is simply a coming together of people to advocate for and promote living, working, and enjoying our OneNKY region. We hope the theme encourages the people of our population to believe in the power of ONE. The various initiatives listed provide opportunities for all the population to participate more in their community, to help with projects that foster advancement, progress, quality of life.

How will the message be shared?

Initially, billboards and ads will introduce the subject and raise awareness. The billboards will appear throughout the OneNKY community.

Who is funding/supporting this endeavor?

The funding comes from passionate and committed community members interested in fostering a broader sense of ownership; a place about which all are proud, building engagement, and enhancing the overall quality of life. The OneNKY campaign is spearheaded by Northern Kentucky’s OneNKY Alliance.

How will building a close working community impact the people of Northern Kentucky?

Where residents share strong bonds and actively support one another, people grow, neighborhoods are safe, it is quite literally a gestalt of people coming together to be more than the sum of their numbers. Leaders emerge. Activities get more support and are more successful. The result is enhanced social capital, a sense of bondedness, and the ability to cause change at all levels for the good of the whole.

In recent years, OneNKY committed community leaders have:

  • Established OneNKY Frankfort at 418 Capital Avenue – a 6-minute walk to the Capitol – as a gathering center for those advocating for our region.
  • Facilitated the development of the OneNKY Center in partnership with the Catalytic Fund, a major office building under construction in Covington. It will become the home of our non-profit “growth” organizations, including the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, BE NKY economic development organization, meetNKY tourism and convention services, the Horizon Community Public Charitable Funds, the Catalytic Development Funding Corporation, OneNKY Alliance, Thomas More University, and The NKY Bar Association. The Covington Life Sciences Labs will occupy an entire floor of the facility offering entrepreneurial services for early-stage research. This co-location enables enhanced collaboration and is a perfect model of what OneNKY means and what kind of positive outcomes will happen with greater unity.
  • Incubated and launched EducateNKY, which focuses on improved student outcomes within our educational systems. The goal of EducateNKY is to ensure the delivery of high quality education for all students of Northern Kentucky.
  • Addressed the health-related needs of the OneNKY region with an eye to become the healthiest community in which to live and work. The Breathe Easy Coalition supported policy for a smoke-free NKY and is working on infrastructure projects that will improve the overall quality of life.
  • Formed the Horizon Community Funds of NKY and secured its charter as a public charity similar to the Greater Cincinnati, Lexington, and Louisville Foundations. The Horizon Community Funds of NKY is an organization that allows the people of NKY to donate to help their neighbors. The goal is for Northern Kentucky to become known as “the giving community” because of the way we come together to do more for those who need our help.

What can be done to raise awareness about the various activities and opportunities within our community?

We encourage everyone in Northern Kentucky to champion the benefits of the area and utilize their existing networks to help raise the profile of our community. By sharing and participating in the movement, highlighting the range of offerings in the area, and being supportive, everyone can discover new ways to engage and contribute to this, our OneNKY community.

Take the OneNKY Challenge!

The OneNKY community is on an upward trajectory and there is a true opportunity to create strong systemic excellence as we consider our future.

What commitment will YOU make to Change it Up in OneNKY?

Here are a few ways YOU can help create systemic excellence:

Indicate your interest to through a note to Info@OneNKYAlliance.com

UNITY

  • Join a board or run for election to move key organizations and our community forward.
  • Become a OneNKY Ambassador for regional events including River Roots in October 2025. We need people who can communicate the attributes of our OneNKY community as volunteers at various events.
  • Help with the annual OneNKY Summit that calls for business and community input on a variety of initiatives. Table captains, scribes and ambassador roles are available for participation.
  • Support LinkNKY – incubated and launched by the OneNKY Alliance has a variety of opportunities related to Business Development, Marketing, Fundraising and Content.

HEALTH

  • Become a Breathe Easy ambassador! Residents who are serious about health can make a tremendous impact by supporting a smoke-free community through petition and business support, outreach to elected officials and community members.
  • Volunteer with the OneNKY Connector Trail project that will create 30+ miles of walking and biking paths across 3 counties and 7 cities. As the Trail becomes a reality there are opportunities to assist with upkeep and general communication about the Trail availability and its attributes.

EDUCATION

Engage

Volunteer

Support

  • Donate funds and/or supplies directly to schools in need. You can give directly to Crayons to Computers, which serves all River City school districts in NKY.
  • Sponsor events throughout the school year through a school’s Family Resource or Youth Services Center. Email to get connected to a school near you.

Lead

  • Join a Family Resource or Youth Services Center Advisory Committee. Email to get connected to a school near you.
  • Attend or join a School Based Decision Making Council (SBDM). Email to learn more about SBDMs.
  • Run for your local Board of Education. Email to learn more about the process of running for your local school board.

The team at EducateNKY stands ready to help you find the perfect fit for getting involved in our schools. Feel free to call or email at any time.

There is synergy that comes from connecting people through communication, shared values, and collaboration. When individuals come together, their collective voice is amplified and has a greater resonance. OneNKY and its champions can help catalyze exciting opportunities.

We, as the OneNKY community, want our voices to be heard by our capital city (Frankfort), the Governor, our neighbors in adjacent states, and beyond. One day we will be easily recognized not just as a place on the map, but a special place to live, work, and grow up because of our unity of purpose and resolve, our quality of life found in unified expression…our culture.