You probably don't think Illinois has much to offer in the natural resource department. We don't have soaring mountains or endless oceans, but Illinois's natural resources probably impact your life more than you think. I am not going to argue with you about whether or not our sliver of Lake...

Startling facts show that many local businesses and livelihoods will not recover from a catastrophe. It's not because they don't want to, it's because the task is huge. Planning to survive and being prepared go a long way towards improving the odds of re-opening and money flowing. Along with a...

This summer, communities in Illinois with coal plants or mines will have a unique opportunity to imagine a future with alternative energy – to reimagine their communities after coal mining. The conference, Climate Economy in Southern Illinois...

Assessing Downtown Canton report represents a collaborative effort between Illinois Main Street, Canton Main Street, Uni­versity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and University of...

By Susan Odum, Extension Educator, Community Development and Planning In an October 2018 Report, the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) outlined the complex issues surrounding taxation of remote sales, including Supreme Court rulings that set precedent on remote sales tax policy for...

By: Delayne Weston In small towns and rural counties, with part time staff and limited resources, it can be tough to coordinate community and economic development initiatives. Mercer County, Illinois, was no exception. Communities across the county were pursuing goals and projects independently and...

"My dream is to compete in the Olympics!" Tiffany Macke, Community and Economic Development Educator for University of Illinois Extension, led her Collaborative Leadership class through the 100 Dreams Inventory. This exercise, from her iDREAM Project, helps students use dreaming and goal-...

Throughout the Midwest, there are examples of thriving central business districts. University of Illinois Extension in partnership with the University of Illinois Department of Urban and Regional Planning conducted a literature review to identify common strategies and attributes of successful...

By: Delayne Weston Are you curious about using social media to grow your business? According to sproutsocial, a social media software business, people are "57% more likely to buy from a brand they follow" on social media...

I have been working with communities and creative entrepreneurs across Illinois since 2010 to assist them in developing creative-based economies. During that time, economic impact data for the creative sector has been difficult to find for both urban and rural communities. Especially in Illinois,...

"Create a culture of entrepreneurship – an ecosystem in which startup and job growth can thrive. America is loaded with talent. It has always been our greatest strength. And that talent is spread across the county – in rural areas as well as urban." Macke (2018) Everyone has read about...