CDS UpFront
Compiled by Timothy Collins, Assistant Director, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
Big Rural Brainstorm Focuses on Reviving Kansas Towns
The goal of a recent gathering in Newton, KS, recently was nothing short of this: to revive rural Kansas. And to do it with mostly volunteers.
Foundations, others discuss ideas for increasing philanthropy in rural America
The full conversation of the recent Twitter Chat is archived here.
Sustainable Is Not Enough: A Call for Regenerative Cities
Because so much damage has already been done to the world's ecosystems, and solutions need to be found to reverse it, we need to start thinking of regenerative rather than just sustainable urban development.
Innovative State and City Government Solutions to Watch in 2012
As the nation inches toward economic recovery, it's become increasingly apparent that restoring prosperity is not just a matter of bouncing back and returning to business as usual.
Pay for Success: How a New Kind of Bond Could Save Taxpayer Money and Improve Social Services
Two federal agencies will steer tax money for social programs through a new for-profit investing tool tested in the United Kingdom and Australia, according to "Pay for Success: Investing in What Works," co-authored by the White House and the Nonprofit Finance Fund.
The Economic Value of Opportunity Youth
Many of America's youth are neither enrolled in school nor participating in the labor
market - they are not investing in their human capital or earning income. Their disconnection represents a significant loss of economic opportunity for the nation, according to a report on"opportunity youth."
Thirsty City: Understanding the Water-Energy Nexus
The nexus between the need to increase water resources and decrease energy use are both exacerbated by, and exacerbate, climate change.
"Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing"
A new United Nations report formulates a new blueprint for sustainable development and low-carbon prosperity.
Local Economies for a Global Future
Yes, we need to relocalize-but that doesn't mean we're headed for provincialism. Anticipating our near-heavy, far-light future.
The Worth of the Rural 'Creative Economy'
From the Blues Trail through the Delta to the Walter Anderson Museum on the Gulf Coast, rural Mississippi's economy is buoyed by what we call the "creative economy."
If It Works in Sangudo, AB, CA, Why Not In Your Community?
Sangudo Opportunity Development Co-operative (SODC) is a unique investment co-op working to revitalize the economic viability of the small rural community of Sangudo, Alberta. It is a one-of-a-kind co-op model in Canada, where members stimulate community business growth and sustainability through a collective investment of their capital.
The New Geography of Trade: Globalization's Decline May Stimulate Local Recovery
It is an article of faith that global trade will be an ever-growing presence in the world. Yet this belief rests on shaky foundations.
Getting Workers to Columbus, Nebraska
Columbus, Nebraska, has a problem. The rural town has jobs, but it can't find workers to fill them. Columbus officials have gone on recruiting missions to find new residents, but they've discovered that there are reasons people can't move.
Algae May Be Slime to You, But...
A new futuristic exhibition called HORTUS (Latin for 'garden,' but in this case "Hydro Organisms Responsive to Urban Stimuli) at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London is educating the public with an urban algae farm that relies on humans and technology to help the plants grow.
My Prices Are Not Too High: A Farmer Fires Back
Why are my prices higher than those at the super market? Glad you asked.
Retaining Neighborhood Supermarkets in New York City The New York Healthy Communities Fund is providing $50 million in seed money to increase access to food in underserved communities.
Beyond "Free" or "Fair" Trade: Mexican Farmers Go Local
We usually think of the demand for local, organic foods as coming from the North. But in southern Mexico, the growing localist movement is a strategy for survival
Popuphood: How to Revitalize a Struggling Neighborhood in Six Months
Many cities in America are facing the slow decline of their main streets and shopping areas. But a new program in Oakland, CA, might be the key to reviving vibrant, local commercial centers. All it takes is a little free rent and some entrepreneurial spirit.
Youth-Powered Hopes Drive Howard, SD Ahead
A small town in South Dakota has become a model of community planning, thanks to an inspired high school assignment and continued leadership of local youth.
The Best and Worst Run Cities in America
Many qualities separate the best-run and worst-run cities. But perhaps the most important is access to jobs.
The Evolution of England's First Planned Community
At the turn of the twentieth century, there was an antidote to the moral and physical degradations of the metropolis, a new urban model that would be healthier for body and soul: the Garden City.
Converted Textile Mills Spinning New Community Economic Development
Textile mill buildings that once supported the city of Lawrence, MA, are again the key to its economic future.
The Rural America Contemporary Art Group
Rapid changes in new media have enabled rural artists to not only share their work, but to create networks and movements that transcend the easy boundaries that might define "rural arts and culture."
Kansas City Fed Joins with Partners to Address Workforce Needs
The latest issue of Community Connections tells how the Kansas City Fed is joining with other Reserve Banks to facilitate the development of more workforce training programs.
When a Socialist's Book Swayed the Nation
Michael Harrington wrote The Other America 50 years ago, part of what inspired the War on Poverty.
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