Ten towns selected as Finalists in Phase 2 of Heart & Soul Community Planning Initiative

The Foundation has selected finalist communities for the second phase of its $10M five-year Heart & Soul Planning initiative to change the way small cities and towns engage their citizens and plan for the future.

Congratulations to the following Finalists!

In the Rocky Mountain West:

• Polson, Montana
  Located at the center of the Flathead Indian Reservation and riding the momentum of a 2010 initiative called Envision Polson!, the City plans to engage the entire communtiy in a planning process, resulting in new codes and infrastructure plans that confront economic challenges.
• North Fork Valley, Colorado
  The small towns of Paonia, Hotchkiss and Crawford collectively want to build a shared vision for their resource-rich valley that will drive effective decision making to work towards a sustainable cultural, economic and agricultural future.
• Cortez, Colorado
  City staff, non-profit leaders and the local school system aim to transform the City’s culture to one of collaboration, discover the heart and soul of Cortez, and engage all residents in a Comprehensive Plan update in keeping with the character of the community.
• Red Lodge, Montana
  This ethnically and culturally diverse town—home to rodeos, art festivals and stunning wilderness areas—seeks to fuse the interests of its businesses, non-profits, citizens and officials to implement ambitious community development projects and keep Red Lodge from becoming Anytown, USA.
• Saratoga, Wyoming
  Known for its rich trout fishery and defined by the river that runs through it, this no-frills town wants to engage its dynamic leaders and tap local wisdom to develop a comprehensive river plan and Master Plan that will mitigate the threat of floods, connect parks, paths, the downtown and its people.

In New England:

• Eastport, Maine
  Located at the easternmost coastal edge of New England on the US/Canada border, this community is at a critical tipping point between continued decline and the opportunities of a budding green energy sector and a growing shipping port—a sign of their determination to remain viable in the 21st century.
• Town of Essex / Village of Essex Junction, Vermont
  The overlapping municipalities of the Town and the Village hope that common values will serve as a driver for coordinated economic and land use planning efforts: balancing development with the preservation of rural spaces in Town, while enhancing walkability and managing infill development in the Village.
• Laconia, New Hampshire
  This historic lakeside community aims to foster public-private partnerships and emerging leaders through an inclusive, values-based visioning process, enhance its streetscape and public spaces, and create three village overlay districts that retain their distinct identities, yet are bound by a sense of shared community.
• North Kingstown, Rhode Island
  The Town aims to reinvent its Comprehensive Plan rewrite process and galvanize its vision through a community charrette encouraging inclusive, open dialogue from all sects of the community to preserve small-town character and a unique sense of place while managing future growth.
• Gardiner, Maine
  This small City, in partnership with their Main Street organization and Board of Trade, will utilize its networks of educators, artists, businesses, public servants and young families to launch a proactive outreach program designed to lay the groundwork for sustainable community economic development resulting in Comprehensive, Downtown and Waterfront Master Plans.

All of our applicants told a story of a place with authenticity, character and spirit. Each understood that many towns in America are losing what makes them unique—those distinctive characteristics that keep them culturally and economically healthy in the long run. Each town is determined to avoid becoming just another Anywhere, USA. We heartily appreciate the interest expressed in this work. It’s hard work, it’s sometimes thankless work, and it’s also among the most important work we can do for our families, our neighborhoods, our local economies, our landscapes and our quality of life for generations to come.

Land use planning in this country has yet to inspire and empower a broad base of citizens to take action and shape the future. Attempts to involve people in community planning often fall short because the process fails to convey how citizens’ day-to-day lives and livelihoods will be affected. The goal of the Foundation’s demonstration projects is to unlock citizens’ potential to meaningfully participate, bridge their differences and affect change. The projects are predicated on building a shared expectation for civic engagement and transparency in local decision-making. Throughout the Heart & Soul process, citizens not only articulate what makes their places special; they also share the responsibility for acting on what they value and stewarding their values-based vision over the long-term. This has been borne out by the Foundation’s experience in the first round of demonstration projects.

Reviewing these compelling applications confirms national and regional trends. New England’s towns are generally facing economic decline, out-dated infrastructure and aging populations. Rocky Mountain cities are confronting significant changes in demographics, pressures from large external forces, and conflicting perceptions about their vast natural resources. Interestingly, the two regions have much in common: they share the challenges of newcomer and old timer divides, seasonal and changing populations, shifting economies, disenfranchised youth and low levels of engagement. The prolonged recession has hit all these communities hard, and, given their locations and size, few governmental and philanthropic resources are available.

These small cities and towns exhibit an acute awareness of their issues and manifest a strong desire to shake up the status quo, reinvent their planning processes and chart a course that will place them on a path to vital economic growth—whether through a downtown or waterfront plan, affordable housing strategy, growth policy or code update. Applicants have begun to map their community networks and volunteers are ready to resolve age-old conflicts, create new opportunities and enhance the place they call home. It’s inspiring.

We’ve got difficult decisions ahead in selecting the winners. Foundation staff will visit each of the Finalist Communities this fall, with our top selections and awards to be announced in early December.

Stay tuned, stay in touch, and continue your great work to be forces of positive change.