BATTLE CREEK (WKZO) -- The goal is to make Battle Creek the nation's first "Beacon Community."  The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation and United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region are collaborating for a 1.4-million dollar grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Officials say they intend to create a national model that unites individuals and organizations in applying the Harwood Institute's practices in addressing community challenges.  Those efforts will focus on three primary areas.

First, they want to create what they call a "ritical mass of Public Innovators and Boundary Spanning Organizations" to drive change in the community.  They further want to build community relations to sustain changes that can be made.  The effort also seeks to make what they call "tangible progress" a community issue.

The goal is a better quality of life for all.