Our Young People are Leaving

In an email, the writer asked: Why are young people leaving their small towns?  What can rural communities do, or are doing, to compete?  Why are young people leaving?  Here’s just a few things people told us in The Survey of Rural Challenges about why youth are leaving:  This town experiences many of the same…

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Nonprofit events don’t have to be boring

I’ve been to many small town events and cringe when someone at a booth or table hands me a piece of literature about their non-profit. It doesn’t work to engage me. I probably won’t read it. They’ve given me no real reason to. It will end up in the trash. Some folks throw them on…

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The Idea Friendly Method works

I read an article today about a small town in Montana putting a mural on the side of an empty building. I commented that it was a great idea and I was happy to see it. Tori Wyman responded with: We clung to your advice from the Idea Friendly Method! The Idea Friendly Method works,…

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Notes from Placemaking Conference for Small and Rural Communities

Pascagoula mural

I attended Placemaking in Small and Rural Communities online conference hosted by USDA and the University of Kentucky. It was all day, and I was able to attend most of the sessions. Enjoy this article that shares the tidbits I gathered. Why attend something like this? I work in rural communities and placemaking is vital…

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The STP – holding up the world

Judy Larson is from Lemmon, South Dakota. She shared this story about the STP. I spend a lot of time with community development folks. The grumble factor often comes around to STP—Same Ten People—meaning these folks feel like they and 9 other people are Atlas, holding up the world. Or at least holding their community…

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Small town ideas for 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 there. This article talks about small town ideas for the community and by the community. Got empty buildings? Every small town has empty buildings and empty lots. Gowrie…

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Seeds can be a big deal to a hungry community

In Erie City, Kansas, population 1,100, the public library director, Julie Kent, shared their seed sharing program that went from just a few tomato plants and the shuttered library building, to a community-wide home gardening movement.  The librarians gave 35 families bags of seeds, starter onions, potatoes, and tomato plants, along with planting instructions and…

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Looking for the easy way?

Aren’t we all looking for the easy way to get things done? One of the great things about the Idea Friendly Method is it is the Easy Way!  The old way of doing things, the piles of paperwork, the endless committee meetings, the heavy decisions that need to be made – is no longer the…

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Let go of control the Idea Friendly Way

I get it. Everything is coming at you at once. Trying to prioritize becomes an exercise in futility. You’ve lost your grip on being in control. Stop. Breathe. Realize that you don’t have to be in charge. In fact, being in charge and in control is a demon of the past, part of the old…

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Small steps for downtown placemaking

My friend has written a grant for funding to re-do the bump outs in our downtown as part of a placemaking project.  There will be trees to help cool down the area. They hope to have bicycle racks specially designed as art. Then another friend told me about a small town in Missouri that painted…

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