The purpose of these interactive workshops was to learn about best practices in creating strong, vibrant rural communities; to discuss the opportunities and challenges related to promoting quality growth in Appalachia; and to identify opportunities for local development districts and their partners to link economic development strategies with transportation plans, regional development frameworks, and local initiatives to support long-term community goals.

Links to the agendas and presentations shared at each workshop are provided below. All files are in PDF format.

Southern Appalachia: May 15, Cartersville, Georgia.

Agenda and Presentations:

Workshop Agenda

Prosperous, Healthy, Vibrant Rural Regions and Communities (Kathy Nothstine)

Livable Regions and Communities in Appalachia (Anne Keller)

EPA Programs Supporting Livable and Sustainable Rural Communities (Ed Fendley)

GroWNC (Joe McKinney)

Greater Chattanooga Regional Growth Initiative (Beth Jones)

Livable Centers Initiative (Amy Goodwin)

Five Keys to Revitalizing Your Downtown (Cheryl Morgan)

Leveraging and Integrating Resources in Rome (Ann Arnold)

Central Appalachia: July 12, Kingsport, Tennessee.

Agenda and Presentations:

Workshop Agenda

Prosperous, Healthy, Vibrant Rural Regions and Communities (Kathy Nothstine)

EPA Programs Supporting Livable and Sustainable Rural Communities (Ed Fendley)

GroWNC (Carrie Runser-Turner)

New River Valley Livability Initiative (Kim Thurlow)

Five Keys to Revitalizing Your Downtown (Cheryl Morgan)

Transforming Liabilities into Assets: Clintwood, Virginia (Jim Baldwin)

USDA Rural Development: Working for Rural Communities (Joe Woody)

Central Appalachian Network: Building a Regional Network for Asset-Based Economic Development (Kathlyn Terry)

WNC Forest Products Cooperative Marketing Project (Erica Anderson)

WNC Forestry Success Stories (link to videos on YouTube)

Appalachian Prosperity Project (Skip Skinner and Marcia Quesenberry)

Northern Appalachia: August 16, California, Pennsylvania.

Agenda and Presentations:

Workshop Agenda

Prosperous, Healthy, Vibrant Rural Regions and Communities (Kathy Nothstine)

Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (Lew Vilotti)

River Town Program (Kent Edwards)

Ranson – Recreating a Community – Their Way (Dawn Seeburger)

Five Keys to Revitalizing Your Downtown (Cheryl Morgan)

EPA Programs Supporting Livable and Sustainable Rural Communities (Ed Fendley)

FHWA Grant Programs Supporting Livable Communities (Amy Fox)

USDA Rural Development (Todd Colley)

Social Impacts Of Marcellus Shale Exploration: A Research Summary (Kathy Brasier)

Building Diverse Partnerships to Develop Agricultural Community Assets (Leah Smith)

Trail Town Program (Bill Atkinson)

Reinventing the Wheel: Downtown and Neighborhood Revitalization Partnerships (Mary Lee Stotler)

Links to Additional Resources:

Vibrant Rural Communities: This series of case studies describes how rural regions and small towns across the country are growing local and regional economies and creating stronger communities. These stories illustrate how communities can leverage a wide range of tools and resources to build on their assets, protect their resources, and make strategic investments that offer long-term benefits.

Regional Approaches to Sustainable Development: Linking Economic, Transportation, and Environmental Infrastructure in Rural and Small Metropolitan America (PDF): Regional development organizations working in all types of communities across the country are designing and implementing strategies to create stronger, more dynamic, more resilient regional economies that are based on quality of place.  Featuring case studies from California, Michigan, North Carolina, and Utah, this report highlights the opportunities available to RDOs to undertake sustainable development initiatives using a systems-based approach.

Federal Resources for Sustainable Rural Communities (PDF) (44 pp, 6.4MB, About PDF): 2012. A guide to programs from the Partnership for Sustainable Communities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture that rural communities can use to promote economic competitiveness, protect healthy environments, and enhance quality of life.

Essential Smart Growth Fixes for Rural Planning, Zoning, and Development Codes: 2012. Hard copies available by emailing nscep@bps-lmit.com or calling (800) 490-9198 and requesting EPA 231-K-12-001 . Offers ten essential fixes to help rural communities amend their codes, ordinances, and development requirements to promote more sustainable development.

Supporting Sustainable Rural Communities (PDF) (52 pp, 2.8MB About PDF)
2011. Discusses federal programs that help rural America, presents sample funding and technical assistance opportunities and performance measures rural communities can use, and includes case studies showcasing rural accomplishments.

Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities: 2010. International City/County Management Association and Smart Growth Network. Hard copies available by emailing nscep@bps-lmit.com or calling (800) 490-9198 and requesting EPA 231-K-10-003. Focuses on smart growth strategies that can help guide growth in rural areas while protecting natural and working lands and preserving the rural character of existing communities.

Partnership for Sustainable Communities: In 2009, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined together to help communities nationwide improve access to affordable housing, increase transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment. This website contains tools, resources, case studies, and more.

Links to further resources, news, and announcements related to rural and small town sustainable development initiatives

For more information about this workshop series or for more information about NADO’s work with regions pursuing sustainable development approaches, contact Kathy Nothstine at knothstine@nado.org or 202.624.5256.

Released April 2008, 8 pages

Click here to view GIS Brings Economic Vitality to Appalachian Communities (PDF).

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