THE RURBAN FRINGE

New Report Tackles Smart Growth in Rural Communities

While rural landscapes across the country vary widely, many rural communities face the dilemma of how to support growth while maintaining their rural identity.  A new report, Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities, commissioned by the International City/County Management Association under an agreement with the US Environmental Protection Agency, seeks to answer those [...]

Multiculturalism Grants & Contributions Program

On June 27, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) launched Inter-Action, Canada’s new Multiculturalism Grants and Contributions Program.  This program supports the Canadian Multiculturalism Act by assisting the socio-economic integration of individuals and communities by building a socially cohesive society.
There are two Inter-Action funding streams:  Projects and Events.
For more information, application guidelines and general application forms, visit [...]

The Art of Community Building

Community building is part art, part science.  Just getting out there and spreading the word is not enough, community organizers and facilitators also need to understand the nuances of working with people from a variety of backgrounds as well as apply the principles of good, old-fashioned relationship-building.
Command and control is dead. 
To fully engage people to work for the [...]

How Community Groups Destroy Themselves

Managing volunteer groups is tough … it’s tough recruiting people, connecting people, and keeping people on track when different agendas come to the fore (as they always will).  But do community groups drive away their best members?  The Citizen’s Handbook, a publication by Vancouver Citizens Committee, outlines what causes grassroots rot …
Too little fun.
People who [...]

Going Hyper … Local, That Is

That’s “hyper” as in “linked” and “local” as in “location” … in short, it’s information created by and for local communities.
I’m currently involved in a neat online rural community platform project.  A what, you ask?!  Yeah, it’s a mouthful, isn’t it?  An online site.  For rural communities.  Based on Web 2.0 concepts of connectivity and [...]

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