For small rural communities, resilience may be a better strategy than growth.

1. 5 Keys to Small Town Success
It’s About Resilience, Not Growth
Small Town Forums
2015

2. Trends
People
moving
from small
towns and
rural areas
to metro
areas

3. Trends
Other issues facing small towns

4. Resiliency
Community resilience is a measure of
the sustained ability of a community to
utilize available resources to respond
to, withstand, and recover from
adverse situations.

5. Resiliency

6. The Keys, Please….

7. Leverage
Ever feel like you are ready to reach
new heights, but you don’t have the
assets you need to get the job done?

8. Leverage
Using leverage to balance assets and
needs
Knowledge
Skills
Volunteers
Grants
Financing

9. Leverage
Methods:
1. Community inventory and
associations
2. Establish networks, linkages &
channels
3. Keep the network activated
4. Bring support together as needed

10. Leverage Example – Potosi, WI
Population - 689

11. Spatial Relationships
Maximizing benefits of spatial relationships
Density, Proximity, Space & Connections

12. Spatial Relationships
Methods:
1. Use your Comprehensive Plan and
Zoning Ordinance to ensure
activated space is tightly clustered.
2. Consider acquiring vacant property.
3. Ensure that the destinations within
your community are connected with
both paths and good roads.

13. Spatial Relationships
Bottom Line:
Increased Interactions =
Opportunities (income, employment, business)
Innovation & Creativity
Public Health
Capacity

14. Spatial Relationships Example –
Mazomanie, WI

15. Spatial Relationships Example –
Mazomanie, WI

16. Collaboration
Regional
Cross-sector
Public-Private
Private-Private

17. Collaboration
Successful Collaboration:
• Shared Perception of Need
• Collaborative Leadership
• Trust
• Mutual Benefit
• Stakeholder Support

18. Collaboration
Obstacles to Collaboration:
• Turf Protection
• Competition for Growth
• Historic Rivalry
• Perceived Loss of Identity, Access,
Reduced Control and Accountability,
Threat to Status Quo

19. Collaboration
Methods:
1. Meet with your regional peers, major
institutions and organizations. If a
business, meet with your competitors.
2. Establish a schedule of regular
meetings and a standing agenda.
3. Seek out common cause, share
information and find reasons to work
together.

20. Collaboration Example – The
Marketplace, Gays Mills

21. Community Health
Physical,
Mental, &
Social
Well-being

22. Community Health
Methods:
1. Ensure access to healthcare & fresh
food
2. Multi-modal linkages to all community
destinations
3. Physical activity infrastructure – parks,
recreation programs, clubs,
employers
4. Make health a shared community
value

23. Community Health Example –
LIFE Foundation, Cross Plains, WI

24. LIFE Foundation – 5 Year Strategic
Objectives
Wellness Centered: Community Wellness
Fitness Center
Trails Prevail: Ice Age Trail, Good
Neighbor Trail, Conservancy Trails
Fitness First: Individual adapted health
through fitness classes
Empower Social Support: Empower Kids,
Adults & Employees; Healthy Lifestyle
Programs / Step Up Walking Club

25. To School & Back: The Walking School
Bus, The Bike Train, Paint the Bike Lane
Rethink Your Drink: A choose water
campaign
Know the Code 5210: Vegetables,
screen time, exercise
Gardens Grow: Gardens – Community,
Home, Preschool, Senior; Farmer’s
Markets, CSAs
LIFE Foundation – 5 Year Strategic
Objectives

26. Support Local
• Local Business
• Local Non-Profits
& Foundations
• Local Initiatives
• Volunteers
• Community
Leaders

27. Support Local
Methods:
1. On-going community awareness
2. Matchmaking programs - volunteers
with community needs, local buyers
with local suppliers, funding needs
with local donors/crowd-funding
3. Stagger/combine local initiatives
4. Appreciate community leaders

28. Support Local Example – Central
Rivers Farmshed, Stevens Point, WI
Central Wisconsin Farm Fresh
Atlas™ showcasing the best in local
farms and food in Central Wisconsin
Salvation Army Hope Center Meals
Each month volunteers source and
donate ingredients and prepare a
meal, ensuring that those in-need have
access to fresh, local foods.
Farmer Tribute Dinner invites producers
to dine on a locally sourced meal in
celebration of the harvest. Community
members attend and sponsor the
farmers meal as a tribute to their hard
work.
Local Food Fair brings together
producers, consumers, local businesses,
and educators to celebrate community
and the food that’s grown within it.

29. Support Local Example – Central
Rivers Farmshed, Stevens Point, WI

30. Conclusion
• Focus on resilience before growth
• Leverage assets and resources
• Pay attention to spatial relationships
• Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate
• Stay healthy – physically, mentally &
socially
• Support local businesses, schools,
initiatives, farmers…….

31. Thank You!
Gary Becker
Vierbicher
gbec@vierbicher.com
Local Government Institute of Wisconsin
Exec_dir@localgovinstitute.org
www.localgovinstitute.org