Attract Families and Grow Your Community

Is your community facing a declining population, particularly young families? This section offers practical solutions and inspiring stories to help you attract families and create a vibrant, welcoming environment. Explore successful initiatives like community gardens, family-friendly events, and after-school programs that foster a sense of belonging and connection. Discover how communities have revitalized schools and parks, making them family destinations. Remember, a thriving community caters to all ages, and by focusing on family-friendly initiatives, you can play a crucial role in attracting new residents and ensuring a brighter future for your town.

Dieterich, Illinois: A Small-Town Success Story

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Category: Build Homes, Dieterich, Bring Families

Dieterich, Illinois, faced a challenge familiar to many small towns – in the early '90s, a declining population threatening their school district. But instead of giving up, the community rallied to create a thriving future through the creative use of Tax Increment Financing, or T.I.F. Districts, for residential use.  This...

Great Bend, Kansas: Innovative Approach to Welcome New Residents

Category: Main Street, Great Bend, Build Homes, Bring Families

Great Bend, Kansas, is tackling revitalization with a two-pronged attack, and it's working!  Their innovative programs are breathing new life into their hometown.Program 1: Welcoming Back Hometown TalentThe Come Home Reverse Scholarship program takes a unique approach.  Administered by the Golden Belt Community Foundation, it offers scholarships to attract former...

Mattoon, Illinois: Beyond the Rails - A Town's Remarkable Tourist Transformation

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Category: Attract Tourists, Mattoon, Inspire Future Leaders, Bring Families

Mattoon, Illinois, boasts a story of resilience and reinvention. Founded in 1855 as a bustling rail hub, Mattoon thrived for decades. However, like many Midwestern towns, it faced challenges due to globalization in farming and manufacturing. Undeterred, Mattoon embarked on a journey of transformation. Focused on improving the quality of...

The Pawpaw Festival of Paw Paw, Illinois – A New Tradition with Old Roots

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Category: Paw Paw, Enjoy the Outdoors, Attract Tourists, Bring Families, Placemaking

Paw Paw, a small farming community in northern Illinois with a population of under one thousand, is rich in history and has seen many ups and downs. Founded in the mid- 1800s, it was a booming farming and rail town, but as with many other rural communities, Paw Paw felt...

Woodbine, Iowa: At the Junction of Family and Community Values

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Category: Bring Families, Woodbine

Simply put, life is good in Woodbine!  Just as the Western Skies Scenic Byway and the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway converge in this small, western Iowa town, families are drawn to the merger of a focused community and ample recreation with a first-rate education system and a variety of housing...