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Working together as a region makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately, good sense alone is not likely to make a regional effort work. Read More »

Our final gathering of the Prairie Idea Exchange brought together people from around the region to talk about what kinds of efforts to look beyond their communities are working, what has torpedoed the regional reaches that didn’t work, and how other efforts could build on the characteristics of success. Read More »

We asked mayors from North and South Dakota to answer this question. Want to answer about your community? Go to www.pie4.us. Read More »

A very experienced systems-thinking friend of mine once shared an idea that totally changed my worldview about how things work: “Every system is designed perfectly to create what it creates.” Read More »

When Craig Schroeder returned to his rural Nebraska hometown in the 1980s, the economy was tight. Read More »

Some business people are lucky enough to not only build up a good business, but also good successors in the process—which is good not only for families and businesses, but also for local communities. Read More »

Often, the key to breaking down age-old problems is bringing in fresh ideas. What better place to find new ideas than in the minds of young people? Read More »

Involving youth in community decisions is a matter of investment: A little time and effort spent now will pay off in years to come. Read More »

In the 1960s, the Alabama Black Belt was a place where people struggled against the racial segregation that strained the relationships between blacks and whites. Today, the people of the region have a new mission: bridging the gap between young and old. Read More »

It’s no secret that communities in the Dakotas are struggling to meet workforce demands with a steady export of human capital. But what if communities make a concerted effort to bring kids home before they ever have a chance to leave? Read More »