Community Planning Blogs

Want to know a secret? Your local, independent grocer loves you. Truly. They love your hometown, your traditions, your Friday-night ballgames, and the neighbors they’ve served for years. Despite what some may assume, their love for the community is much greater than their love for profit. Because...

In the realm of community development, discussions about creating leadership opportunities in rural American communities abound. Some advocate for structured programs, while others emphasize organic, community-driven approaches. However, one critical aspect often overlooked by community organizers...

For young adults or their parents, small towns may not seem like the most exciting places to live compared to the big city. However, they offer unique opportunities if you know where to look!It's common to hear adults in small towns talk about the lack of electricians or contractors and the long...

Some people like lists; I am one of those types of people. I have daily, weekly, and monthly lists. I have lists for home, for work, for my children, and for our farm. I like to write my list(s) in the morning so I can focus on what needs to be done and create a plan to do it efficiently. I use...

Morton Economic Development Council and Morton Chamber of Commerce identified “the advancement of its economic development efforts” and the “creation of a livable community for all” as key priorities, and subsequently...

Streator is a forward thinking city. Successful incubation programs operate like the businesses they help launch, whether they’re located in rural areas or more urban areas. When budgets are tight, best practice programs identify efficiencies to conserve scarce resources. But they also develop new...

Working and living in small towns makes business closures personal for community leaders. Whether the reason is owner retirement, changing trends or international competition, closures stick with us. Communities suffer each loss in tax revenue, jobs, leadership and morale. To address the voids,...