idea friendly
Aging Out as Volunteers
There are ways for older volunteers to still make a difference, without serving on three-year committees and doing all the work. And they are having fun too! The Old Broads in Long Beach, MS Jenny Proctor shared the Old Broads photo on Facebook. She said, “Good afternoon! Missouri mom, here. This group recently connected me to…
Read MoreCoffee and Calendars
It’s the antidote to “I wish I’d known about that!” Ever find out about an event or project in your town only after it was happening? Ever wish you could have helped with something or offered some insight, if you only knew it was coming? You want to collaborate more with local and regional organizations, but you can’t possibly…
Read MoreBig Ideas for Small Towns in San Juan County
On December 5, 2024, over 120 people gathered in San Juan County, Utah, for the third annual Business Basecamp Conference & Expo — dedicated to energizing rural economic development through practical tools, bold ideas, and meaningful connection. Thanks to a grant from Economic Development Corporation of Utah, the San Juan County Economic Development folks had…
Read MoreBeer, coffee, cheese and a place to sit
At the Rural Retreat in Great Falls, Montana, our Idea Friendly 23-minute movie was shown to a group of people at a local spot, the Commons on Central – just like we do at a watch party! The Commons on Central is a Shared Space There are four businesses at the Commons on Central: a…
Read MoreIdea Friendly Solutions to the old way of thinking
Idea Friendly Solutions to the old way of thinking You’ve been answering the Survey of Rural Challenges for ten years now. One of the common themes is the persistence of old way thinking. In rural communities, old-way thinkers are often the folks who say things like: Let’s not change anything; we like it this way. …
Read MoreLet go of the old way
Are you still trying to connect with people the old way? On LinkedIn an economic developer posted this: Local government has spent years bending over backward to get more public engagement. We’ve expanded meetings, flooded social media with updates, hosted town halls, and created endless platforms for feedback. And yet, after all of that effort,…
Read More2024 – an absolute whirlwind of adventures, ideas, and community building goodness
Phew! What a year it’s been. From small towns to big ideas, 2024 has shown me once again that the heart of community development lies in the passion and creativity of people like you. Chatsworth, Georgia: Where Empty Buildings Come to Life We kicked off the year in Chatsworth, Georgia, where the Chamber of Commerce…
Read MoreWhat do flowers have to do with community?
Chris Brogan has picked up his camera again. He takes photos on his daily walk and shares them on YouTube. Here’s a bit of advice about how he finds the motivation to keep on going. I was watching a video about how some people lose motivation to go out and shoot photos, and that their…
Read MoreStart your own beautification project
I’ll be traveling to a small county in Nevada to help with a beautification project. So will Becky later on – it’s an Intensive, Idea Friendly Package. Back in my chamber days, this kind of thing would scare the bejesus out of me. It would involve endless meetings with boring, important-feeling people. No talking to the…
Read MoreBikes on Bell
The owners of Bell Street Tattoo in Shawnee, OK, had this idea for an event – Bikes on Bell. They wanted to close the street in front of their shop downtown and invite bikers and anyone else to come and meet each other, eat from the food trucks, listen to live music, and have some…
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