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Unlocking Community Potential: The Catalyst Approach for Change
Who do we envision ourselves becoming? The big framing question, “Who do we envision ourselves becoming?” was written in wide black marker on a...
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Rural marketing tip: the name is the claim
Guest post and photo by Debbie Saviano NO GUESSWORK Here! You know exactly what you’re getting! Great burgers and a relaxed boozy...
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Test your business idea with small steps: starting a quilt retreat
Want to host a quilting retreat? Take small steps to get it started. USDA photo by Bob Nichols Uniontown, Washington , (population 300) has...
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Pet friendly business opportunities
Here’s a pet friendly business in Palouse, Washington, with a pet relief station. Photo by Becky McCray. Any business can offer pet...
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Seasonal businesses: post signs year-round
This building looks like it is in good repair, but there’s no way to tell by looking that it’s an active seasonal business. Photo by...
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These small town neighbors bought vacant buildings, brought them up to code. Here’s what happened next
What can small towns do about crumbling buildings in their downtown? They can join together to fix them up and get businesses in them. Our own...
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Beyond the Big Banks: How rural small businesses can Move Their Money locally
The “Move Your Money” campaign wants you to shift your financial resources to local banks and investment opportunities. That...
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2024 Survey of Rural Challenges Is Open!
These 10 questions will provide information to many organizations and people on what is challenging for rural communities. Are you rural? This...
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Improving the rural workforce: small town stories and takeaways
Takeaways for improving rural workforce: Bring together students, employers and multiple levels of education Build and document...
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99% of the best things you can do for your town don’t require anyone’s permission
Building community in your small town sounds like a daunting task. It’s easy to get bogged down, thinking there’s too much to do,...
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The Allure of Authenticity: Rural stories can give your product a leg up
For rural entrepreneurs, authenticity is rooted in their craft, the traditions it stems from, and the genuine narratives behind each product....
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Get started as an outdoor outfitter without breaking the bank
Kids in a canoe photo (CC) by CC Chapman Our latest Survey of Rural Challenges said natural resources are rural communities’ best...
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What’s behind your community’s historic population shift? Census map links
By Paula Jenson I spent some valuable time last month doing a bit of data discovery about rural communities. In my search I explored an...
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Revitalize Your Rural Community: Join Us for an Interactive Workshop at the 2023 IEDC Annual Conference
Deb Brown and I will be speaking at the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Annual Conference in Dallas on September 17, 2023....
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Jackson County and Grayson KY Stories and Volunteers
Guest post by Deb Brown Change can be activated in a society by way of story.” from the book Spirit Run I just returned from...
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Empty Building idea: Make a Zen-like space for your people
Steal this healing and calming idea for your downtown! At the Main Street Now Conference in Boston, I joined a trolley tour of the six...
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How to fill empty buildings: real world examples Deb Brown shared with Gowrie, Iowa
I attended the Chamber Dinner in Gowrie, Iowa and talked about small town ideas they could use. It was my pleasure to spend a couple of days...
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Support small business to pull your community together (video)
A standing-room-only crowd participated with rural speaker Becky McCray sharing ways to tap the popularity of small businesses to Pull Your...
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Eye-popping Main Street employment stat
Main Street districts employ almost as many people as Amazon Westbrook, Maine, is a Main Street America community. Photo by Becky McCray...
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Folklife in the South Conference – The Stories Matter
I attended the Folklife in the South Conference in Lake Guntersville, Alabama in June 2023. It was a gathering of community leaders, folklorists,...
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Global Entrepreneurship Week – Share your story of starting small
This fall, we will be participating in Global Entrepreneurship Week. Here’s your preview of what to expect from Nov 13-19, 2023. ...
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How to start a laundromat in a small town on a budget
Starting a laundromat involves a lot of up front expenses, unless you do it the Idea Friendly Way Wash-o-mat sign from the small town of...
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What small town businesses can do during events to capitalize on the extra people
Everyone’s in town for the big event. Is your business ready for them? Photo by Becky McCray Guest post by Jeremy Zeller Do your...
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Rural and small town ideas from the OU Placemaking Conference IQC 2023
Vanessa Morrison (holding mic) moderates a panel of the ecosystem of communities with (left to right) Mukul Malhorta, Kia Weatherspoon, and...
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Local leaders: Start with intuition about your community then add data
How do decisions about your town’s future get made? Do government officials and volunteer leaders rely on what they already know, or do they...