Download the PDF report Executive Summary The Survey of Rural Challenges asks rural people to share their ground-level insight into the challenges they face and the assets they can use. This report analyzes over 2200 responses from communities across the US and Canada from 2015 to 2024. The responses show what’s changing and what isn’t […]
Finding the money to renovate an old building in a small town: grants, loans and other funds
Empty buildings in small towns are often empty for a reason, and that reason is often that they need work before any business could use them. Remodeling costs can be astonishingly expensive, so people often ask where they can find grants, loans or other funds to help them. Here are some of my favorite “usual […]
Expensive code compliance doesn’t have to ruin your small town
Many small towns face an incredibly expensive hurdle to saving and using their downtown buildings: code compliance costs. Most municipalities have adopted one of the standard international building codes. Which are, well, standard. And no matter who does the inspections or enforcement, everyone thinks their compliance person is over-zealous. I can relate. One smart move […]
27 Strategies for Raising Small Business Capital
How many different ways can you think of to raise money for your small town business? Bank loans, of course, but then where? Maury Forman with the Washington State Department of Commerce Office of Economic Development & Competitiveness has put together 27 different strategies for raising capital in an ebook called Startup Widsom. Good news: […]
