USDA Rural Development
About these workshops:
Smart growth strategies can help small towns build durable local economies, reduce public costs, and preserve the features that make them unique. And reinvesting in existing places can actually be even more impactful in smaller communities than in big cities. Small communities have fewer financial resources to work with, so even modest efforts to reduce costs—or generate more revenue—by growing in different ways can make a big difference.
Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI)
Under this program, we are partnering with six rural communities to support their specific economic, fiscal, and/or housing needs to help them prosper. In each community, we will deliver technical assistance that helps these communities understand and embrace 21st century demographic, fiscal, and economic changes that puts communities like theirs in a fierce competition to create a sense of place. These communities will receive a workshop that will help them:
- Understand the economic and fiscal impacts of development decisions (Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health)
- Leverage broadband Internet access to create downtown revitalization (Cool & Connected), or
- Plan for housing that allows local workers to live in the community they work in, regardless of income (Workforce Housing).
Below are the workshop tools and the six communities we are partnering with. Learn more about this program by reading our kickoff blog post.
The program will wrap up with an in-person meeting in Washington, DC including two representatives from each community.
Atmore, Alabama
Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health | February 19-20, 2019
- Next Steps Memo & Hotspot Analysis results
- Blog post: An Alabama city grapples with its development decisions
Erwin, Tennessee
Workforce Housing | May 29-30, 2019
Natchez, Mississippi
Cool & Connected | April 24-25, 2019
- Next Steps Memo & Hotspot Analysis results
- Blog post: A Mississippi community plugs into internet to power up downtown
Ruston, Louisiana
Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health | September 17-18, 2019
- Next Steps Memo & Hotspot Analysis results
- Blog post: We have a wonderful downtown but it’s still underutilized
Tucker County, West Virginia
Cool & Connected | June 11-12, 2019
- Next Steps Memo
- Blog post: Expanded highways may be less useful at improving lives than fast and affordable internet
Fort Scott, Kansas
Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health | February 25-26, 2020
Wilton, Maine
Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health | Workshop Cancelled
Previous work: Smart Growth Strategies for Strong Rural Communities
In 2016, Smart Growth America partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development (USDA RD) program to deliver strategies and programs that assist rural communities implement smart growth approaches. The workshops provided community leaders with information and data on the economic and fiscal health impacts of development patterns. The communities selected by USDA RD received the workshops and analyses at no cost to the recipient.
Under this program, we also created three free toolkits specifically for rural communities, available for download:
- Community Facilities Location Policy Toolkit
- Fiscal Impact Analysis Policies in Rural Communities Toolkit
- Providing Well-Placed Affordable Housing in Rural Communities Toolkit
Learn more about our work with the communities below:
Alton, Missouri
July 13-14, 2016
- Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health Workshop – Next Steps Memo
- Case Study
- Blog post: Putting smart growth to work on Main Street
Bamberg, South Carolina
November 14-15, 2016
Bottineau, North Dakota
November 1-2, 2016
Brookings, South Dakota
July 27-28, 2016
- Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health Workshop – Next Steps Memo & Fiscal Impact Analysis Results
- Blog post: Putting smart growth to work on Main Street
Pagosa Springs, Colorado*
May 24-25, 2017
- Fiscal Impact Analysis (USDA funded) presented as part of EPA Building Blocks program
Pittsburg, Kansas*
October 11-12, 2016
- Fiscal Impact Analysis Results
- Case Study
- Blog post: This Kansas town is mining its past for a prosperous future
Quitman, Mississippi*
December 13-14, 2016
- Fiscal Impact Analysis Results
- Case Study
- Blog post: Working with Quitman, MS to analyze their strategies for long-term growth
Rifle, Colorado
July 5-6, 2016
- Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health Workshop – Next Steps Memo / Fiscal Impact Analysis Results
- Case Study
- Blog post: Putting smart growth to work on Main Street
St. James Parish, Louisiana
February 1-2, 2017
Williamsburg, Massachusetts
November 29-30, 2016
*These communities also received a workshop from Smart Growth America funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities under their Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program.
(Photo credit: Jasperdo via Flickr)