Caitlyn Horose

Many rural counties are experiencing “brain gains” as newcomers age 30-49 move in. This migration is keeping small towns alive and contributing to a new narrative about rural places.

Good design impacts tourism, jobs, property values and quality of life. What can we do to bring good design to small towns and rural communities? Here are a few inspiring examples.

Now more than ever, creative professionals are turning their attention to community development. While this trend toward good design is exciting, it’s harder to find in rural community development. Here are a few ideas from the forefront of rural design.

Here are four strategies from cities and towns committed to inclusivity—offering opportunities for people from all backgrounds to participate fully in building and improving their community.

On May 8, Ben Muldrow of Arnett Muldrow & Associates will join CommunityMatters® and the Citizen’s Institute on Rural Design™ for an hour-long webinar on community branding. Ben will share his experience in working with small towns and rural places to create a strong brand that supports community and economic development outcomes.

Community leadership is about the dynamic relationship between people when they work together to achieve a common objective. What better way to grow leaders than to start with ourselves? Here are seven books, articles and guides on community leadership to add to your reading list.

Emerging trends in philanthropy are turning antiquated perceptions of rural right side up, demonstrating that small places are worth investing in and that, yes, there is funding for rural America.

Brendan Crain of Project for Public Spaces joined CommunityMatters and the Citizens' Institute on Rural Design for our December conference call, A Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper Approach to Community Action. Fundamentally, “Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper” (LQC) is about taking an experimental path to low-cost, high-impact results.

Projects that have the greatest impact are those that reflect your town’s vision and values. That’s easy to say, but it takes work to understand what your community cares most about.