Explore HomeTown Competitiveness
Economic Development Model Provides Tools, Training to Help Rural
Communities Thrive
Workshop
photos are available!
Upper Peninsula community leaders gathered on Thursday, October 18th
at Northern Michigan University’s Don H. Bottum University Center in
Marquette, to learn about HomeTown Competitiveness, a framework for
rural communities to help them identify reachable goals and strategies
focused on the four pillars of reversing rural decline: capturing wealth
transfer, mobilizing local leaders, energizing entrepreneurs, and engaging
and attracting young people.
The HomeTown Competitiveness (HTC) model was presented by Milan Wahl,
co-director of the Heartland Center for Leadership located in Lincoln,
Nebraska. Forty-two community leaders from nine U.P. counties participated
in the day-long session. The participants learned about the four pillars
of HTC and how this program is implemented in Nebraska communities.
HomeTown Competitiveness Pillars
Pillar One: Capture Wealth Transfer
• Building philanthropic capacity & goals
• Capturing a portion of intergenerational wealth
Pillar Two: Mobilize Local Leaders
• Strengthen & diversify local leadership
• Sustain progress & track results
Pillar Three: Engage & Attract Young People
• Identify & engage entrepreneurial youth
• Attract young families
Pillar Four: Energize Entrepreneurs
• Understand entrepreneurial talent
• Nurture & grow local entrepreneurs
Feedback from the workshop included these comments:
This was a very informative and motivating conference. Hopefully
we can take this information back to our communities and start collaborating
more with each other.
The charitable contribution idea was new and interesting.
This would be very easy to do if we work as a community across
the U.P., not just as separate counties.
Next Steps: The planning committee for the HTC workshop
will explore regional opportunities to work together to promote the
ideas of the HomeTown Competitiveness program. This group will meet
in December.
More information on HTC is at www.htccommunity.org.
(HTC brochure and Letter
to Community Leaders)
Here is what local people are already saying about the HTC model
“HomeTown Competitiveness concentrates on building up business from
within the community. It promotes coming together collectively to identify
strengths and weakness. Communities then build on those strengths and
compensate for those weaknesses with the idea of improving the entire
U.P. economy.”
• Gary LaPlant, Director, Community Foundation if the Upper Peninsula
“The HomeTown Competitiveness model addresses strategies communities
can do now and it’s scaleable. You can start small and work your way
up. The concept is that the high tide raises all ships. Everyone benefits.”
• Joe Esbrook, Director of Business & Community Development,
Michigan Works! The Job Force Board
“HomeTown Competitiveness is not about U.P. communities competing with
each other. It’s about U.P. communities competing in a global marketplace.”
• Cathy Nardi, Director, Marquette Community Foundation
“This is the first economic development campaign I’ve seen that invests
local wealth into the local community.”
• Fred Joyal, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Northern Michigan
University
“What impresses me about the HTC model is that it includes development
of our young people. This is critical because they are the next wave
of leaders who will carry on all the community building and economic
development we do now.”
• Judy Watson Olson, President, Great Lakes Center for Youth Development
GLCYD 