Vital rural economies take a long-term view
Incentive-based business attraction strategies like the ones employed by the Central Oregon region to attract Facebook data centers are a favorite economic development tool for many communities. Data centers may well be a win for some rural areas, but there are not enough to bring prosperity to all. Plus, incentives don’t always work out. In 2002, Dell opened a much-anticipated call center in Roseburg, drawn by generous incentives. Five years later, the call center abruptly closed its doors, leaving 220 Douglas County residents without jobs.
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Community Vitality is published twice a year (in a printed format and online) for community leaders by The Ford Family Foundation.
Anne Kubisch, President; Nora Vitz Harrison, Editor; Megan Monson, Assistant Editor.
The purposes of this publication are to share information about building communities; to encourage individual development; to increase awareness of resources; and to share success stories. Please help us make this publication a valuable resource by sharing your comments or ideas. The views expressed by the authors in bylined articles are not necessarily the views of the Foundation.
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Vital rural economies take a long-term view
When Facebook announced last year that it was building its third data center in Prineville, adding hundreds of more jobs to the 147 it already created, the region’s vigorous efforts to attract... Read More
WealthWorks: Boosting rural economies
A group promoting a regional approach to boosting rural economies is WealthWorks. Originally formed in Appalachia, it has spread across the country to other rural areas. It aims to advance a region’s... Read More
Start a Cash Mob in your town
One of Paulette C. Roden-Jones’ favorite Cash Mob visits was to the Myrtle Creek Saw Shop. “That mob blew our mobsters minds,” says Roden-Jones. “They had no idea our saw shop carried Carrhart... Read More
The Umpqua Story Project: Many acts of kindness
The Umpqua Story Project was formed in the weeks after the shooting on Oct. 1, 2015, at Umpqua Community College. The creative and experimental project sought ways to provide healing to affected... Read More
Euvalcree: Accent on leadership
Symbols, like photographs, can be worth many words. When the nonprofit group Euvalcree of Ontario, Oregon, adopted a winged beacon as its logo in November 2014, the message was as clear as a speech... Read More
Growth-from-within transformation
What do The LEGO Movie and the Ford Institute’s approach to community building have in common? Lots, according to the Foundation’s first Community Building Approach (CBA) working group. As the 13... Read More
Still in circulation: Libraries adapt
In a corner wing, preschoolers and their parents gather for story time, awash in pirate tales. It’s the same site where, earlier, children with autism or Down syndrome giggled and clapped as they... Read More
Putting a price on libraries
There’s a heavy dependence on local public funding, says a consultant, “and sometimes it’s not transparent to the public how important that funding is.” Read More
Coordination for home visiting
When it comes to strengthening families and improving the health of women and young children, home visiting is a proven strategy. Programs are voluntary and serve families from diverse backgrounds... Read More
Ford Scholar: Justice and opportunity
Leif Coorlim says there are two clear themes in his work as an executive editor at CNN: justice and opportunity. Whether uncovering evidence of human trafficking in the southern United States or... Read More
Theaters: Restoring the past
When the Ross Ragland Theater opened its newly renovated doors in March 1989, it gave the town of Klamath Falls more than a new entertainment venue. The Art Deco theater, built in 1940, quickly... Read More
Grant writing: Getting a fair share for rural
When it comes to securing their share of federal grant dollars, rural communities are lagging far behind their urban counterparts. Consider this: In the most recent federal fiscal year, the federal... Read More
Book review: What leads to success?
Community building is a complex process with a lot of moving parts. It helps to know what has worked. Many people start by doing extensive research into what has worked in similar towns, but doing... Read More
Foundation team grows
Our team is growing. Six new employees have filled newly created positions. Kathleen Flanagan is a program officer for Community Economic Development. Flanagan comes to the Foundation from the... Read More
Select Books
Order One of These Books for Free* »
Community Building: What Makes It Work
This practical guide shows you what really does (and doesn'... Read More
Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative
This research-based report tells the story about the... Read More
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