Blogs

Building Entrepreneurial Communities
thriving downtown buildings
Bring life to empty downtown buildings
I’ve noticed that many of our rural Illinois communities have a vacant or derelict building in the heart of their downtown or on main street. While...
Spending locally first ensures roads are safe for travel in winter.
What does it take to keep our roads clear . . . and how do we pay for it?
In Illinois, we’re familiar with the phrase “A winter weather advisory is in effect for your region.” Snow has blanketed the state from north to...
Remote work offers potential benefits for Illinois’ rural communities
Many rural areas in the U.S. Midwest have been experiencing net population losses for years, raising concerns about the survival of these communities...
Opportunity Zones projects in Canton and Havana, Illinois
The Opportunity Zones incentive is a new community investment tool...
hands writing on paper at table
USDA Rural Economic Development Innovation (REDI) Initiative garnered big results in Fulton County and beyond
Many voices, one vision The...
winter effects on power grid reduced with power grid meter
Perfect storm crashes Texas power grid; Can it happen here?
The massive mid-February 2021 winter storm brought dangerous cold, snow and ice to a large portion of the country. The effects were felt from...
coal plant located in Fulton County, Illinois
Central Illinois communities convening on coal plant transition planning
In the fall of 2019, the communities of Canton and Havana were hit with the shocking news that Vistra Corp. planned closing the local coal-fired...
Small boat on stormy lake
Same storm, different boat
In an ...
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Campus Engagement Projects
Greater Peoria Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) collaborated with the Greater Peoria Economic Development...
drawing of lots of types of transporation and city skyline
Moving Toward Transportation Equity: A Case Study
Transportation moves us. Jobs, school, health clinics, grocery stores, recreational facilities, and more would be impossible to get to without...
downtown Morton IL
Housing Strategies for Economic Development in Central Illinois
Morton Economic Development Council and Chamber of Commerce...
Building an Equitable and Just Green Infrastructure Strategy in the North Central Region
Aging water infrastructure, extreme weather, and pressure from residents for green space and community resilience are bringing about changes to the...
Streator Incubator Feasibility Study
Streator is a forward thinking city. During the spring of 2019 the city contracted with ...
University of Illinois College of Medicine - Peoria Partnership
Our partnerships with U of I College of Medicine - Peoria are cross-disciplinary and mutually beneficial. Even though we are both...
Extension Staff Involved in Filling the Grocery Gap in Peoria
When two more grocery stores closed in 2018 in Southside and East Bluff Peoria neighborhoods, University of Illinois Extension staff joined the team...
Market Analysis Project Assists Delavan with Big Ideas to Improve their Small Town
There are tremendous opportunities in small town’s historic downtowns. This past fall University of Illinois Extension partnered with a Bradley...
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