Defining Community Development

It should go without saying that you’ll clearly define what community development means for your community before embarking on a strategic plan. But you would be surprised at how many communities start down this path without a clear outline in place.

When I worked at the Delta Regional Authority, we were directed by Congress to update the strategic plan for the 252 counties and parishes we served in parts of eight states. It was a broad, ambitious effort.

In order to give ourselves focus, we defined the areas we felt were key to any true strategic plan. Here are a few of them (all are things you should consider in your community):

1. Health Care:

♦ Work with employers, government agencies and additional partners to develop innovative programs designed to reduce the number of people suffering from chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

♦ Have community health events, faith-based programs and other activities designed to educate residents about the importance of workforce health.

♦ Have a clear plan to bring quality physicians to your community.

♦ Work with major regional employers to establish worksite clinics and wellness programs.

2. Information Technology:

♦ Support efforts to provide all hospitals, clinics and other primary-care providers with the best possible broadband Internet access so they can advance the use of telemedicine.

♦ Work to ensure that all residents have access to broadband Internet while also ensuring they have the training and knowledge needed to operate in the Internet environment.

♦ Support the use of distance education capabilities in schools and the training of personnel to manage these operations.

♦ Enhance workforce development by providing more adults with access to computer literacy training.

♦ Work with local governments and nonprofit organizations to develop and maintain websites that provide up-to-date information and services.

3. Workforce Development:

♦ Work with community colleges and public school districts to better align vocational education and professional certification programs with industry cluster development efforts.

♦ Support efforts to link community colleges with regional economic development efforts.

♦ Support employer-based training and education programs that equip people to work in technical and professional occupations.

4. Transportation:

♦ Advance infrastructure efforts that respect local cultural and economic interests while preserving the area’s natural resources.

♦ Support the development of intermodal transportation networks that allow for the movement of goods via containers using water, air and land transportation modes.

5. Leadership training:

♦ Continue training new leaders through an annual leadership program in your community.

♦ Encourage graduates of your leadership program to participate in alumni networks and events.

♦ Support local initiatives launched by leadership program graduates.

Are these among the areas addressed in your strategic plan? If not, do you really believe you have a holistic approach to community development?

— Rex Nelson

The Holistic Approach To Community Development

Your community development efforts in the knowledge-based economy of the new century must focus on more than highways, rail spurs, water lines, sewer systems and the like.

This isn’t your father’s 20th century!

“Health care, education, the arts, recreation and economic opportunity are among the myriad factors that influence a community’s quality of life,” says Robert Pittman, a community development specialist with Janus Economics of Atlanta.

“Community improvement does not happen by accident. It happens when local citizens plan and work together cooperatively and inclusively.

Through research and experience, we are gaining a better understanding of what facilitates community and economic development.

They’re often used but sometimes misunderstood terms.”

Pittman says economic development is commonly regarded as “creating jobs in a community through recruiting firms and the facilitation of business start-ups.

A more holistic definition of economic development would include raising the standard of living and quality of life for all residents through higher-skilled jobs and diversifying the local economy in a sustainable manner.

Community development, on the other hand, is a broader field that encompasses economic development.

The outcomes of community development include:

•  improved infrastructure,

•  better health care,

•  lower crime rates,

•  improved education and other advancements.

“The process of community development occurs when residents address problems by planning and acting in a unified fashion to improve the community,” Pittman says.

“The ability of a community to successfully undertake the process of community development is often called social capacity.

Successful communities constantly work to improve their social capacity — a process often referred to as capacity building.”

If you’re not successful in community development, it will be much more difficult to achieve success in economic development.

Pittman explains:

“Economic development involves carefully planning and executing programs to recruit new firms, working with existing local firms in retention and expansion and facilitating business start-ups.

In addition, community development creates better communities that will attract and grow businesses.

Without a good product to sell, it is hard to be successful in economic development.”

When I worked as one of the two presidential appointees at the Delta Regional Authority, we came up with a comprehensive strategic development plan for the 252 counties and parishes we served in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.

The plan represented a departure from traditional economic development models. We wanted to be creative in our approach to revitalizing the Delta, so we came up with a community development document.

Has your community come up with a vision for the future that will allow its people and businesses to flourish?

Do you have prioritized goals, strategies and actions that will provide focus to your efforts?

If not, you’re falling behind.

— Rex Nelson