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Articles from the Center for Community Vitality's Vital Connections newsletter
Why should visitors love your town? Count the ways
Winter 2011
"What do you do for fun around here?" When visitors come to your town, replies to this question can make or break their impression of your community.
Start seeing visitors
Winter 2011
Think you don't live in a tourist town? Think again. Every town has visitors–people spending holidays with relatives; people who come through town on business; guests at weddings or funerals; relatives coming for a family reunion.
Get the whole town involved with tourism
Winter 2011
When visitors recall a memorable trip or vacation, they talk about three things: What they saw; what they did; and the people they met. But not just the staff at the resort or the canoe-rental place. Community members, too.
Urban vs. rural? More like urban and rural together, study says
Summer 2011
What would happen to the state's economy if rural Minnesota went away? Would the Twin Cities area notice? You bet it would, according to a new paradigm-shifting study that shows just how intertwined the economies of rural and urban Minnesota are.
Five insights on the Internet and rural Minnesota
Summer 2011
Some rural Minnesota businesses have embraced the Internet enthusiastically, while others are waking up to the possibilities. There's more to this, of course, and the Extension Center for Community Vitality has gained some valuable insights through its participation in the Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities (MIRC) initiative.
2010 census release continues — with changes
Winter 2010
The U.S. Census Bureau has begun releasing 2010 census data, and the process will continue through the rest of the year and beyond. During the wait, community decision-makers can get ready by shaping questions and discussions that might be affected by the census, as well as by informing themselves about changes that will affect available data.
Data-informed decision making helps communities thrive
Winter 2010
Census data collected in 2010 have begun to trickle into public decision making. And that's a good thing. Why? Because reliable data, interpreted properly, can help communities thrive.
Newcomers mean brain gain for rural Minnesota
Winter 2010
It's time to bust some myths. Contrary to popular perception, small towns in Minnesota are not losing people of all ages, nor are all small towns dying. In many cases people moving into rural communities offset, or surpass the numbers of those moving away. Ben Winchester, research fellow with the Extension Center for Community Vitality, calls this trend "the brain gain of the newcomers."
Is your community ready for a big idea?
Winter 2010
Why are some communities more able to plan and make changes than others? Why do some get stuck, while others have a "spark" that leads to highly successful initiatives? Extension researchers Scott Chazdon and Stephanie Lott set out to learn what constitutes "community readiness" and why it's so important.
