Photo from Community Heart & Soul, Thomaston, GA

Community Heart & Soul®: How Resident Engagement Strengthens Small Cities and Towns

Three recent grants to the Community Foundation totaling $350,000 will introduce a national model for community engagement to small towns in our region, starting with Genesee and Orleans counties. Inspired by the Foundation’s commitment to rural communities and growing engagement across the eight-county region, these grants were awarded by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and Community Heart & Soul® Foundation. Our staff — in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo — will leverage grant dollars, data expertise and relationships, and the Community Heart & Soul model to work with residents on ways to improve their communities.

Community Heart & Soul is a resident-driven process that engages the entire population of a town in identifying what they love most about their community, what future they want for it, and how to achieve it. Dozens of towns across the country have used this proven model to spell out their priorities and build stronger, healthier, and more economically vibrant versions of their hometowns.  

Small towns are places where neighbors greet each other by name, family-owned businesses are main street staples, and long-standing traditions showcase local identity. But these same communities may also struggle with population decline, limited employment opportunities, aging infrastructure, or long travel times to health services and grocery stores.

Past Community Heart & Soul projects have used a variety of methods to hear from residents, from giant travelling chalkboards to community forums that ask residents what they love about their town. 

Notable wins in towns that have gone through the process include less trash on sidewalks, ribbon cuttings for new businesses, expanded parks and trails, repurposed buildings, greater participation in town events, and success securing new investment. 

We’re excited to bring this opportunity to our region for the first time and will share more as we go.