Rural Communities from ‘Good to Great’

03 May Rural Communities from ‘Good to Great’

Do rural Iowa communities have what it takes to go from ‘Good to Great?’

Right now is an exciting time to be an Iowan living in rural Iowa and advocating for revitalization and investment in our small town communities.  The amount of momentum and support that we’re seeing, hearing and feeling is enough to make anyone get excited about what’s next.  In Iowa, we KNOW how to get things done. But it takes each of us, with a positive attitude, embracing teamwork and innovative thinking to motivate our communities to embrace change and lay out a plan and vision for the future.

Our Iowa Governor, Kim Reynolds, is a HUGE advocate of our rural Iowa communities and has made incredible investments in our state to make this happen.  Examples include the Empower Rural Iowa Initiative, broadband/fiber internet connectivity initiative, Iowa’s Healthiest State Initiative, Future Ready Iowa initiatives, Iowa Rural Development Council and more. Additional organizations such as Renew Rural Iowa, Travel Iowa, and numerous local and regional economic development organizations are also contributing to this success.

I had a chance to see many of these advancements first hand this week in conferences, workshops, tours and speakers. All of which keep showing me that our state is on the right path. First, I attended the Future Ready Iowa Summit in Des Moines, then the Roger Brooks Destination Development Summit put on by the Western Iowa Tourism Region in Carroll. Next up were tours of Templeton Rye, Puck Enterprises, Manning Hausbarn Heritage Park, Main Street Manning and BrickHaus Brews in Manning. Then I wrapped up the week with two days of economic development sessions in Carroll for Leadership Iowa.

Our fearless state civic leaders and advocates such as Debi Durham, Jeff Weld, Sandy Ehrig, Bill Menner, and many, many more are inspiring private and public leaders in all industries and are dedicated to the future of Iowa. Not to mention, the incredible business and community leaders in our communities who are making investments in workforce, infrastructure and technology so that businesses and Iowa are the best in their field.

So…how do we do it? How can rural communities be prepared for what’s to come? Sandy Ehrig with Iowa Farm Bureau’s Renew Rural Iowa program shared the following:

1. 1. Evidence of community pride. (clean communities, branded signage, festivals)
   2. Investment in the future. (take care of your infrastructure)
   3. Participatory decision making. (that includes diverse perspectives from all ages, races and income levels)
   4. Creatively develop new economic development opportunities. (think outside the box, but make sure to align with the unique selling proposition that sets apart your community)
   5. Support local businesses. (buy local whenever possible)
   6. Deliberate leadership transitions. (prepare for and plan strategic transitions among non-profit and service organizations as well as recruit for elected positions)
   7. Strong support for education. (invest in schools financially and connect education with the workforce to prepare youth for a variety of career paths)
   8. Strong presence of traditional institutions. (churches, service organizations, food pantries)
   9. Seek outside expertise. (willing to know when it’s best to consult outside experts and pay for their services.)
   10. Attitude, passion and positive energy are everything. (It takes a relentless champion to lead these transformative efforts, but also bring along those people who may not think the same way.)

I have no doubt in my mind that rural Iowa is going to turn a corner very soon (some are already experiencing it).  But is your community ready and prepared? I sure as heck hope so!!  It starts with one person, with the right attitude and drive, that can transform the future and tell a new story of growth and perseverance! Here’s to the future of rural Iowa!