Small Towns BIG IDEAS

Small Towns

BIG IDEAS

Case Studies in Small Town

Community Economic Development

Case Studies in Small Town

Community Economic Development

UNC School of Government with the

N.C. RuralDevelopment

Economic Development

Center, Inc.

UNC School of Government ? N.C. Rural Economic

Center

Small Towns

BIG IDEAS

Case Studies in Small Town

Community Economic Development

By Will Lambe, Associate Director

Community & Economic Development Program

School of Government, University of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill

December 2008

UNC School of Government ? N.C. Rural Economic Development Center

Dear Friends,

The N.C. Rural Economic Development Center is pleased to release Small Towns, Big Ideas: Case

Studies in Small Town Community Economic Development, the result of a collaboration between the

center and the School of Government of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is the latest

product of the center¡¯s Small Towns Initiative.

The center launched the initiative in late 2005 to help hard-pressed small towns create new economic

opportunities. It grew out of the recognition that North Carolina¡¯s smallest places serve a major role in

the economic, social and cultural well being of the state as a whole, yet many are struggling to cope

with job losses, population decline, high poverty, empty buildings and crumbling infrastructure. This

is especially true in rural communities. Future prosperity will require strategies that build on the assets,

needs and desires of each community. The Small Towns Initiative seeks to set the stage for revitalization and growth by:

 Leading in the development of local, state and national policies that support small town

economic development.

 Partnering with others to improve the delivery of services and resources to North Carolina¡¯s

small towns.

 Creating a sound base of research and information on issues and trends affecting small towns.

 Offering leadership training to local government of?cials and other community leaders.

 Investing in small towns through the Building Reuse and Restoration Grants Program and the

Small Towns Economic Prosperity Demonstration Program.

 Developing other ?nancial resources for long-term, strategic investment in rural small towns.

As part of this effort, the center commissioned the School of Government to develop intensive case

studies documenting innovative practices in small town development. Small Towns, Big Ideas shares

these case studies with you. It will take you from Brevard, N.C., where retirees are lending their

executive experience to help local businesses, to Chillicothe, Mo., which successfully fought to keep a

major employer and created more jobs as a result. From Pelican Rapids, Minn., you¡¯ll learn how a

town can thrive on the entrepreneurship of recent immigrants. You¡¯ll see how Hollandale, Miss.,

countered its isolation by creating a rural transportation network and how Reynolds, Ind., turned a

potential problem (the waste of 150,000 hogs) into a strategy to become the country¡¯s ?rst energyindependent community. Scattered throughout these 45 examples are strategies for ensuring broad

community participation in planning, alternative approaches for ?nancing projects and lessons from

the obstacles encountered along the way.

I think you will ?nd the stories illuminating and inspiring. I hope that they will provide useful examples

for other small towns and stimulate ideas for new policies and practices.

Billy Ray Hall

President

N.C. Rural Economic Development Center

For additional copies of this publication,

please contact:

Of?ce of Communications

N.C. Rural Economic Development Center

4021 Carya Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610

Telephone: 919-250-4314

Fax: 919-250-4325

E-mail: info@

This publication is also available electronically

at:

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