PHOTO VIA WINTER PARK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FACEBOOK
The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce (Website) has announced that its long-standing Winter Park Improvement Foundation, which runs Leadership Winter Park, will transition into a new organization called the Winter Park Ideas Foundation, which will focus on strengthening community connection. I spoke with Addison Cursey, the Chief Marketing Officer for the Chamber, about the motivations behind the shift.
“The Foundation’s shift is a culmination of multiple years of strategic work by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and the Winter Park Improvement Foundation board of directors. The rebrand to the Winter Park Ideas Foundation allows for the expansion of the foundation’s mission and scope of impact, while continuing to support existing initiatives.
As part of the transition, the foundation will also launch the Winter Park Ideas Festival (Website) in 2027, an annual event bringing together speakers and leaders to address issues like social isolation and the decline of civic engagement.
“The key initiative, the Winter Park Ideas Festival, will equip leaders from across the nation that build platforms of belonging in their lane of expertise, whether that be art, food, music, education, architecture, wellness, sports or cultural experiences, and return to their communities with capital, connections and inspiration to bring them to life.”
Chamber leadership says the change reflects growing concern about loneliness and weakening community ties nationwide. They believe Winter Park, with its strong cultural institutions and history of public involvement, is well placed to take on these challenges. The new foundation will support programs and partnerships intended to foster belonging and encourage residents to engage with one another and with broader ideas shaping communities today.
