National Community Planning Month is a good time to sit back and contemplate the impact that planning can have on your community. As the American Planning Association’s website states:

“Planners work to improve the well-being of all people living in our communities by taking a comprehensive perspective. This approach leads to safer, resilient, more equitable, and more prosperous communities. We celebrate the role that planning plays in creating great communities in October with National Community Planning Month.“

Learn more about National Community Planning Month at www.planning.org/ncpm.

Planning Is About More Than Land Use

What comes to mind when many people hear the word “planning” is zoning, subdivisions, setbacks, and where buildings can be constructed. While those things are important, community planning is much bigger than land use.

Viable planning addresses housing, economic development, downtown revitalization, parks and trails, transportation infrastructure, tourism, historic preservation, community facilities, quality of life, and many other topics. It helps a community understand how all of these issues piece together in the greater mosaic that is a community.

For a small town, consideration of that bigger picture matters. New developments may affect roads or water capacity. A new trail may create opportunities for downtown businesses. A downtown building renovation may become an anchor for tourism. Planning helps communities see these connections before decisions are made. When resources are tight, and the right decisions matter more than ever, having the right insight is crucial.

Read More on Planning this Month

Rural Resurrection will do our part during National Community Planning Month, providing a series of posts specifically dedicated to planning in October. But for those who can’t wait, here are a few from the past to quench your thirst.

Hiring a Planning Consultant

Hiring a planning consultant for your community can be a daunting process. We’ll interview consultants on the right way to hire a consultant.

Effective Strategic Planning

The impact of strategic plans is often limited by poor execution of the planning process. Let’s look at some ways to make that planning process better.

What is a Bypass Impact Study?

There are few critical turning points for communities, highway bypasses are one of them. It’s important to do a bypass impact study for this turning point in a community’s future.

5 Specific Area Plans to Consider

Many states require a comprehensive plan or master plan for communities as a basis for zoning and land use decisions. However, there are a host of other plans a community should consider. Some of these “specific area” plans are often recommended in the community’s comprehensive plan, and your community should look into using them.

Now, after you thank your local planner (preferably with chocolate, coffee, …or a delicious combination of the two), go to that bookcase and dust off your existing community plans. Sit down and actually read them. Don’t just look at the goals or the renderings and reminisce about the dreams that were envisioned during the planning process. Read it thoroughly to know it inside and out. You’ll have a better appreciation for the plan and will be in a better position to help make it a reality.

The post National Community Planning Month 2026 appeared first on Rural Resurrection.

The communities are winners too. Not just the “Overnight Towns” that host the hordes each night. The “Meeting Towns” that host lunchtime gatherings between bikers and their SAG crews win as well. And, once again, I got the opportunity to see a few of the towns in between win as well. The Aventon bike I’ve ridden over the past couple of years has given me the ability to see a few of these “Pass Through Towns” that I’ve missed out on over the years.

Each of the communities along the route put their best foot forward and welcomed riders with open arms. These communities did an amazing job of showing their Iowa hospitality and charm.

No Awards, Just Winners

In the past, I would “award” one “Meeting Town” and one “Overnight Town” that appeared to excel above the rest. However, more and more, my team isn’t wandering into town as much as we did the past few years. So, anointing one town as a winner over another that I didn’t get to experience fully would be unjust. Hence, once again, no awards will be handed out this year from Rural Resurrection.

Yet, I did see quite a few interesting aspects in each community that were worth pointing out. Some were related to how they handled the ride across Iowa. Others had unique aspects about the community itself that I just have to point out.

Honorable Mention – Soldier

Any town that has a kid’s lemonade stand near the entrance starts off well in the eyes of the Buff Riders. We’d rather donate to a kid’s fund than pay some corporation for food and drink (We also happen to carry flasks in our bike bags to help the flavor a little).

Not many Pass Through Towns get mention each year in this review as I’m typically driving the bus. But Soldier gets a mention in this one. It’s mainly because of writer’s privilege though as Soldier was an important community to my father growing up due to its proximity to the burgeoning metropolis that is Moorhead, Iowa. It also helps that I had my own personal cheering section there with two of my sisters, as well as two of my cousins! (I’m still kicking myself for not getting a picture to put in this post!)

Honorable Mention – Marshalltown

At first, I wasn’t even going to include Marshalltown. Our night there was spent under the stars…just a couple blocks away from the rail yard. There was also a very pungent stench in the area we were that we could only potentially tie to the meat packing plant.

However, the setup in downtown Marshalltown was ideal. They had not one, but two stages set up, providing entertainment for the masses. If the band on the main stage didn’t interest you, the secondary stage had something different for your pallet. You could also tell that the town had just upgraded the streetscape in the area.

Honorable Mention – Woodward / Madrid

One more honerable mention needs to go out to two towns that weren’t even on the route. On the third day the RAGBRAI route went from Guthrie Center to Boone. It was a northeasterly route with a relatively stiff wind coming out of the north. The team decided to take a detour and check out the High Trestle Bridge. This famous former railroad bridge sits on the Des Moines River and offers iconic public art improvements to the structure and scenic views. Judging by the traffic we encountered, we weren’t the only ones with the idea to get off the path beaten down by RAGBRAI. Several others were taking this route that day. They too wouldn’t be disappointed with what they saw.

At either end of the bridge are of the communities of Woodward and Madrid. Two communities that have made significant strides to be viable trail towns. Each had a variety of trail-orient amenities and businesses that served those who used the trail.

Manchester

The meeting town of Manchester could’ve been been overlooked as I was driving our bus that day and they set up the SAG drivers in the far southwestern corner of the community. Though it was a wide-open layout with easy access to supplies and gas at a nearby Casey’s, it was far from the action.

But Manchester’s social media campaign was impressive, almost annoying. They posted regularly leading up to the event. It drew me in to see what all the roucus was about. Sneaking Buff Force One into the southern edge of downtown, I parked in the public works lot, hopped on my bike, and went to take a look. What the community has accomplished along the Maquoketa River is stunning for a town of Manchester’s size. They’ve created a water park out of the river that encourages residents and visitors to interact with the river. From spatious rock jettys to sit on, to a series of rapids that draw kayackers, tubers, and other adventure seakers, the riverside is a gem that the community was proud to show off.

I’m pretty sure I’ll have a seperate post on Manchester in the coming months…

Dyersville

As a baseball nut, Dyersville (Facebook Link) was the crown jewel of the ride that I was looking forward to. The home of the Field of Dreams was the last overnight town before event ended in Dubuque the next day. With such an attraction, one could easily just overlook the community. But that would be a horrible oversight. The community had a wide-open square near the North Fork of the Maquoketa River. This provided the best overall concert setup of any of the communities along the route. The community also had a nice mix of older, well-maintained buildings, and newer apartments nearby.

But then there was the Field of Dreams. Though there was no SAG route that allowed drivers to get close, was not to be detered. I rode with my motley crew out to the ballfield and back on my bike through a heavy mist. It was worth it. To walk out apon that field was epic. They had both the larger stadium and the original Field of Dreams open and we crawled all over it. Not only could you take batting practice, but it was thrown by one of the original cast members in the uniform that he wore for the movie. Others that may/may not have been in the movie were also in uniform and posing for pictures.

A Comprehensively Great Effort

All the communities that participated in RAGBRAI 2026 did a great job this year. Whether it was a “Ride Through Town”, a “Meeting Town”, or an “Overnight Town”, they all did a great job. As always, I’m already looking forward to next year!

The post The Winning Towns of RAGBRAI 2026 appeared first on Rural Resurrection.

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Housing is Economic Development

For decades, housing was often viewed as a separate issue from economic development. Communities focused on business recruitment, infrastructure improvements, and downtown revitalization while assuming the housing market would take care of itself if everything else fell into place.

But housing has become intertwined with economic development as communities have realized that new employers cannot expand without workers. The ROAD to Housing Act recognizes this reality by looking for ways to modernize housing programs, reduce barriers, and encourage more housing production across the country, including in rural communities.

More Help for Small Projects

Small towns rarely undertake large federally funded housing projects. This is in part due to the massive demand for housing. But it is also due to the hoops these communities have to jump through with the federal process. Now help is on the way with the ROAD to Housing Act.

Throughout the bill, there are a number of provisions that reduce requirements for NEPA compliance, even exempting some projects entirely. The bill gives HUD more authority to designate housing developments that receive federal funds as “special project funds”, granting simplified and streamlined compliance standards. Some projects, including small-scale housing construction, like infill development, may be exempted entirely from NEPA requirements.

Additionally, the bill exempts most projects funded by the Rural Housing Service (RHS) from NEPA requirements when the project is located on an infill site. This is a significant boost as it will save many small infill projects time and money.

More Tools for Rural Communities

The Road to Housing Act also provides rural communities with a variety of other tools that make financing, repair, and new construction easier. These include, but are not limited to:

• A pilot program that will offer small-dollar mortgages with original principal balances of $100,00 or less.
• A 10 percent set-aside under the pre-approved design grants for small and rural communities to help them build pattern books that help streamline local home construction.
• Exempts most Rural Housing Service (RHS)-funded projects from NEPA requirements regarding the construction or modification of residential housing that is located on an infill site.
• The bill directs HUD and USDA to coordinate and streamline implementation of their housing programs.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled

Assistance from the ROAD to Housing Act is likely to take a while to be enacted. The agencies affected by this bill will need time to develop the new programs, enact regulatory changes, and identify the funds necessary to support the changes. This isn’t a simple undertaking; many of the provisions give agencies 12 to 24 months to carry out the changes and create entirely new programs.

Although the improvements in the bill won’t be available soon, local governments can start thinking about how they could utilize the new programs and resources in the future. They can then, in turn, incorporate the planned use of the new programs within long-range housing plans. Communities can also expect opportunities along the route to implementation to weigh in on the proposed rules as they are made public over time.

So keep your eyes peeled, there’s more to come in regard to this groundbreaking new legislation.

The post The Impact of the ROAD to Housing Act on Rural Communities appeared first on Rural Resurrection.

As State Farm’s grant website states:

Good Neighbor Citizenship® company grants are dedicated to helping build safer, stronger and better educated communities across the United States. We focus on: safety, community development and education.

Their grants fund the following project categories:

Safety Grants

Grants featured in Grant Spotlight posts are also on the Rural Resurrection Tool Kit page. For more grant opportunities, check out the Tool Kit page.

The post Grant Spotlight: State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship® appeared first on Rural Resurrection.

I’ve written quite a bit about USDA’s programs on Rural Resurrection. This includes Search Grants, Economic Impact Initiative Grants, the Rural Data Gateway, and others. One program that I haven’t reported on yet is the SFH Rural Disaster Home Repair Grant Program. Authorized through the Disaster Assistance Fund (DAF), the program assists homeowners who need to make essential repairs and improvements to homes that have been affected by an eligible 2024 Presidentially Declared Disaster.

Eligible Uses of Funds

Eligible uses of program funds include:

• Repairs to remove a heath or safety hazard that was caused by the disaster.
• Home repair expenses, including the reimbursement of eligible costs incurred prior to application, as long as it was the result of the natural disaster.
• Site preparation and the cost to relocate manufactured homes.

Eligibility Rules

• You must own and live in the damaged single-family home.
• Your adjusted household income must fall within local very-low or low-income limits.
• The property must be in a declared disaster area and and eligible rural location.
• No duplication of benefits from other disaster relief programs is allowed.

Why Do City Leaders Need to know

Most of the grants that I write about provide funds directly to cities for city-led projects. This one is specifically for homeowners. So why write about it? Many times homeowners reach out to city offices when disaster strikes, not knowing who to turn to. Having. information ready when disaster strikes will be impactful for the residents of your community.

The post USDA Rural Disaster Home Repair Grant Program (DAF) appeared first on Rural Resurrection.

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The Ready.gov website has a number of resources to help your community conduct disaster and emergency planning. A variety of handouts, guides, public service announcements, and a link to the FEMA app are all available through the website. Even if you are not in the midst of an emergency, having these helpful items downloaded, customized, and stored in an easily accessible location will save time in the event of a disaster.

Each year, Rural Resurrection typically provides at least a post or two related to preparing for disasters during the month of September. Here are a few links to previous National Preparedness Month posts:

• Nine Meals from Anarchy
• Remembering the Great Peshtigo Fire
• Emergency Action Plans for Community Events
• Get Ready to Apply for Disaster Assistance
• Tabletop Exercises Help with Disaster Preparedness
• Do you have an Emergency Archive?
• Communication is Key When Preparing for Disasters

Read up on disaster preparedness now so that you’ll be prepared for when disaster strikes. There’s a saying, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” Preparing now will help your community take that punch and recover.

The post National Preparedness Month 2026 appeared first on Rural Resurrection.

Over those 400 posts we have talked about a wide range of subjects from housing to the impact of RAGBRAI. We’ve started National Implementation Month, a month solely dedicated to implementing plans to make your community better. We’ve also talked about Star Communities and Destination Towns.

What Happened in the Past 100 Posts?

The past 100 posts were impactful and some of the best articles yet. We were able to check out the Star Communities of Chillicothe, Missouri, and Glencoe, Minnesota. The Destination Towns category really took off as well with the Missouri towns of Blackwater, Augusta, Arrow Rock, and Rocheport. There was also a post that game some clarification of the intent of Destination Towns.

Adaptive reuse continued to be a popular subject with a post about the creative reuse of a former Shopko in Wisconsin. There were also posts about Carnegie Libraries, stoic ageless structures that still have a prominent place in many rural communities. We also stumbled across the Summit Center in Bancroft, Iowa, while on RAGBRAI. This former school is finding new life and shows great potential for the future.

Over the past 100 posts we also added to a community’s tool kit through posts about Tax Increment Financing (TIF), small business incubators, strategic planning, crowdfunding, being “shovel ready”, and creating a National Register Historic District.

The Next 400 Posts?

What do you want to see in the next 400 posts? Do you want to see more of certain types of posts? Is there something new that can or has affected rural communities that should be addressed here?

Recently I’ve been trying out a new venture with this blog. I’m been dabbling in YouTube. As I’ve said, I have a face for radio and a voice for blogging. There’s also quite a bit of editing involved that I’m not that efficient at yet. It does bring an additional visual element and an additional possible viewer base. So let me know what you think about what’s been created so far and if you want to see more YouTube videos.

If you like this blog please share it with others. Join the Facebook page or follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Like and subscribe to my YouTube channel as well.

So here’s to the first 400 posts and hopes many more. As always, when it comes to your community, don’t work to just survive, thrive!

The post 400 Posts! appeared first on Rural Resurrection.

Provided below is a list of the postings on Rural Resurrection about Branding. When new posts on this subject are added to the blog, this post will be updated and re-published later in the week.

Why Branding?

Communities are quickly realizing the importance of branding. Does your community need to go through a re-branding?

Branding for Communities: Signage

For many communities, signage is a point of frustration. But that shouldn’t keep your community from using it to express your brand.

Branding for Communities: Affordable Implementation

Implementation is a key step to any branding process. But it doesn’t have to be costly to have an impact on your residents and visitors.

Branded Trucks

Branding for Communities: Flags

Flags can be very polarizing pieces of fabric. But they are an important part of your community’s branding.

The Importance of an Effective Wayfinding System

An effective wayfinding system is much more than directions to a defined location. It helps to develop a sense of community.

Hiring a Branding Consultant for Your City

Spending the time and effort to create the right brand is so necessary. So is picking the right branding consultant. Here’s how to do it.

Book Review: The Civic Brand by Ryan Short

A book review of “The Civic Brand by Ryan Short” by John C. Shepard, the Vice-Chair of Communications for APA’s STaR Division.

Better Application Forms

Governments need to make our application forms better. Not just for our city’s residents, but for the staff’s use as well.

Sister Cities, It’s for Small Towns Too

Some may believe that having a sister cities program is something regulated to larger communities. But smaller towns can benefit from having a sister city as well.

Once again, keep an eye out for more articles in this series as there are a number of other posts in the hopper like these.

The post Branding for Communities: Links to Stories appeared first on Rural Resurrection.