In today's contentious and divided political environment, what should colleges and universities do to meet the roles and responsibilities of higher education to foster the campus community we want? This guide presents three options for deliberation about difficult problems regarding free speech and inclusion--for which there are no perfect…

"Small Schools, Education, and the Importance of Community" focuses on three successful approaches for using the school as a catalyst for community development and revitalization, particularly in rural areas. The strategies also work well in suburban and urban areas. The three approaches described include: leadership by K-12 teachers,…

Digital inclusion is the ability of individuals and groups to access and use information and communication technologies. Not all members of a community benefit equally, and some communities have been left out altogether. This paper is a guide for fostering digital inclusion throughout the United States so that everyone can take advantage of…

This guide is based on findings of a year-long study undertaken by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to evaluate Institute-sponsored programs for youth aged 9-19 between 1998 and 2003, and discussion with the IMLS Youth Action Committee and practitioners about the kind of information needed for planning and implementing effective…

Because of the important role played by community learning providers, Premier Ed Stelmach asked Canadian Minister of Advanced Education and Technology to increase support for community education and literacy programs. Community Adult Learning Councils and other community providers of adult literacy and family literacy programming are primarily…

This document presents guidelines for creating a master plan for community parks and recreation programs. The master plan is a written document used by community decision makers to provide a consistent 5 to 10 year parks and recreation plan. Chapters provide information on: (1) definition and general description of master plans; (2) goals and…

This booklet discusses the importance of a community-wide approach to asset building, exploring how individuals, organizations, and communities can collaborate to build developmental assets. Principles to guide community asset-building efforts include: strengths versus risks or deficits, relationships versus programs, engagement with youth versus…

This book focuses on strategies for educating professionals, local officials, activists, and the general public on ways to promote effective sustainability at all levels including local, regional, national, and international. This book highlights common threads, examples of strategies that work, and guidelines for developing projects in…

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has developed its Community 2020 software to make it possible to depict graphically a community's housing resources, demographics, and level of economic development to use in community development activities and other planning processes. The combination of region- wide data and easy-to-use software…

This book is intended as a resource for elected officials, municipal staff, and citizens who would like to apply the concept of sustainable development in their communities through an ecosystems approach to human settlements management. The subcomponents of human community life and its impact on the environment are explored. Included are tested,…

The various aspects of community development are discussed including place, population, socio-cultural organizations, economic structure, and political structure. Ideas for bringing new money into the community are presented. Suggestions for building an economic plan are given along with a success story of one community's efforts. The booklet…

While librarians deliver a vital public service within diverse communities, they are often invisible in the community development process initiated by civic planners, activists, and local government officials. This book challenges librarians everywhere to get involved early and often by demanding a place at the community planning and development…

Provides a catalogue of federal programs and gives the key sources of federal funds for child development, social services, nutrition, education, health, community development, etc. (MP)

This booklet presents ideas based on actions taken by community leaders to recruit new and emerging leaders to join in the improvement of a community. The discussion includes: (1) asking the question "who's not here?" to make sure the community organization is representative; (2) looking for skills, not names to discover leadership…

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) is designed to encourage banks and thrifts to meet the financial credit and service needs of low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, requiring that lenders use their private-sector resources to meet the financing needs of all communities in which lenders conduct business. This brief outlines several types of…