This document discusses HomeTown Competitiveness (HTC), a strategic partnership framework for rural community and economic development. HTC focuses on critical issues like generational wealth transfer, youth out-migration, loss of farms/businesses, and declining leadership. It helps communities "spiral up" through philanthropy, increasing youth engagement and entrepreneurship, and building social and financial capital. A case study shows how HTC helped Valley County, Nebraska gain new businesses and jobs, boost retail sales and income, and reverse a 70-year population decline.

1. Community Matters '10
Kurt Mantonya
Heartland Center for
Leadership Development

2. 2
Strategic Partnership

3. 3
Framework
for Effective
and Sustainable Rural
Community and
Economic
Development

4. HomeTown Competitiveness
Leaders
Charitable
Donors
Entrepreneurs
Young People

5. 5
HomeTown Competitiveness is
Focused on Critical Issues
 Generational Wealth Transfer
 Historical Youth Out-Migration
Trends
 Loss of Farms, Industry and Small
Businesses
 Erosion of Leadership Capacity

6. 6
HTC Helps Communities Spiral Up
• Philanthropy for ongoing funds
for leadership, youth, and
entrepreneurship
• Cultural capital increases with
pride and hope as young people
return
• Youth engagement, leadership and
entrepreneurship development and
capturing wealth transfer creates
new social, cultural and financial
capital.
• Social, political and financial
capital to support HTC and early
assessment
• Cultural capital begins to change
—We can do it!
• Bridging social capital brings
outside expertise together with
internal wisdom
SPIRALINGUP
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Sustainability

7. 7
A National Model
 2004 Innovative Program Award from the
International Community Development Society
 2005 HTC Awarded Entrepreneurship
Development Systems Grant from the W.K.
Kellogg Foundation (one of six selected in US)
 14 HTC Academies completed in 10 states
(1000 participants)
 Adopted as Indiana’s statewide rural
community development strategy

8. 8
HTC Across the Country

9. 9
Putting All the Pieces Together…
Leadership
Entrepreneurship
TransferofWealth
Youth

10. 10
Leadership
Entrepreneurship
Youth
TransferofWealth

11. 11
Entrepreneurship
Expected Outcomes
• Increased entrepreneurial development
• Increased public sector entrepreneurship
• New jobs and wealth being created
• More current businesses retained and growing

12. 12
Leadership
Entrepreneurship
Youth
TransferofWealth

13. 13
Transfer of Wealth
Expected Outcomes
• Community-based endowed assets
• Greater knowledge about charitable giving tools
and resources
• Grants awarded to specific activities that will
improve economic prospects for individuals and/or
technical assistance and business coaching to
entrepreneurs and small businesses
• Grants awarded to specific activities that will
improve the likelihood that young people stay or
return to their hometown

15. 15
Leadership
Entrepreneurship
Youth
TransferofWealth

16. 16
Youth
Expected Outcomes
• Entrepreneurship curriculum and community-
based learning available to more youth
• Stronger school-community partnerships in
place to support shared education and
community economic development goals
• Greater youth involvement in community
service and leadership
• Increased number of young people returning
to their hometown and as newcomers

17. 17
Leadership
Leadership
Entrepreneurship
Youth
TransferofWealth

18. 18
Leadership
Expected Outcomes
• Increased diversity in community leadership
• Enhanced leadership knowledge and skills
• More volunteer engagement in community
projects and activities
• More people willing to run for public office

19. 19
Case Study
Valley County, Nebraska

20. 20
Case Study – Valley County
Valley County Chronology…
• 1999 – No Game Plan or Program
• 2000 – Economic Development Board
- Staffing Proposed
• 2001 – Tax Support Passed
• 2002 – Joined HTC
- Focused Development Goals
- Moved Towards Entrepreneurship
• 2004 – Hired a Business Coach

21. 21
Case Study – Valley County
Bottom Line Results…
• 73 New Businesses
• 10 Expansions, 21 Transitions
• 332 New Full-Time Jobs
• $90 Million New Investment
• Retail Sales Up 20% vs. 18% Statewide
• Per Capita Income Up 22% vs. 9%
• Population Gain 3% (first in 70 years)

22. 22
Q&A
Kurt Mantonya
Heartland Center for Leadership
Development
kmantonya@heartlandcenter.info
(402) 474-7667
www.heartlandcenter.info