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Placemaking: Building community around the places we share

April 21, 2026

What makes a town feel like home? One key indicator of a strong, resilient community is placemaking. The Project for Public Spaces defines placemaking as “the collaborative process by which we can shape our public realm in order to maximize shared...

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Community Leadership for Rural Illinois

November 3, 2025

Building Entrepreneurial Communities

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...

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Boost your brand: Marketing for small-business owners

September 3, 2025

Building Entrepreneurial Communities

Running a small business is no easy feat. With a never-ending to-do list, promotional planning often takes a backseat. Unfortunately, this lack of planning can lead to ineffective advertising, leaving business owners frustrated and tempted to cut their advertising budget. Sound familiar?Features...

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Bring life to empty downtown buildings

July 27, 2022

Building Entrepreneurial Communities

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 the missed opportunities of a property sitting vacant seem basic, the concept is complicated. Intent, code, statute, and insurance classification may...

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Remote work offers potential benefits for Illinois’ rural communities

July 4, 2021

Many rural areas in the U.S. Midwest have been experiencing net population losses for years, raising concerns about the survival of these communities.1 Fewer people mean not only a reduced workforce and diminished taxpayer base, but also fewer customers for local businesses, lower participation...

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Opportunity Zones projects in Canton and Havana, Illinois

July 1, 2021

The Opportunity Zones incentive is a new community investment tool established by Congress in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to encourage long-term investments in low-income urban and rural communities nationwide....

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USDA Rural Economic Development Innovation (REDI) Initiative garnered big results in Fulton County and beyond

June 11, 2021

Many voices, one vision The USDA Rural Economic Development Innovation (REDI) Initiative planning process started with a two-day countywide community-building event, held...

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coal plant located in Fulton County, Illinois

Central Illinois communities convening on coal plant transition planning

February 17, 2021

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 power plants within three months. Community leaders were left to navigate the detrimental impacts to their tax base and workforce and they turned to each...

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Housing strategies for economic development in Central Illinois

November 7, 2020

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...

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Business reopening tips help customers feel safe

August 26, 2020

You have worked hard to stay in business and prepare to reopen during this pandemic. Now, you are challenged with the fact that many customers are nervous about returning to their favorite restaurants and retail stores. A...

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