Citizens' Institute on Rural Design

Rural placemaking, arts, and local design can catalyze renewed community and economic development in small towns and rural places. Placemaking celebrates and invests in the uniqueness of each community.
This ROAD session, hosted by the Housing Assistance Council (HAC), will provide concrete placemaking strategies and takeaways relevant to rural communities of every size—even the most isolated and least resourced. Rural-rooted placemakers will share what works without sugarcoating the hard stuff.
Join us to explore:
- How partnering with artists unleashes a new wave of energy and volunteers—beyond the usual suspects
- How the best placemaking strategies span generations—inherently
- How rural placemaking can infuse established rural housing and community development efforts

Field Based Rural Placemaking: What Works Fast, Now, and on a Shoestring - Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group Join this webinar for concrete placemaking strategies and takeaways relevant to rural communities of every size—even the most isolated and least resourced.

The Citizens' Institute on Rural Design & To Be Done Studio toured the Two Harbors waterfront on September 15th with community, business, and city leaders excited to engage with the community on the future of Agate Bay. What do you want to see happen at the waterfront?

Visit our website & sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of the page to learn about upcoming events. Or, take the survey on our website! Or, email Jolene at [email protected].

Thanks to Lake County Press for sharing these beautiful 📸 by local artist & business owner Kayla Schiltgen: Artist.

https://www.twoharborswaterfront.com/

In 2018, Valentine, Nebraska (population 2,630) partnered with CIRD for a Local Design Workshop, bringing together hundreds of citizens, local elected leaders, the Nebraska Department of Transportation, and rural design experts to reimagine Valentine’s Main Street corridor, which doubles as a state highway. A recent Norfolk Daily News article highlights ongoing progress in Valentine, mentioning CIRD’s catalytic role.

Citizens' Institute on Rural Design Editor’s note: Rural Design Up Close is an occasional CIRD feature, highlighting the best in rural design across the country. In 2018, Valentine, Nebraska (population 2,630) partnered with CIRD for a Local Design Workshop, bringing together hundreds of citizens, local elected leaders, the Nebraska...

The Community Change Grants program supports the growing network of advocates, organizations, and agencies working to advance walkability. Grants are awarded to innovative, engaging, and inclusive programs and projects that create change and opportunity for walking and movement at the community level.
Applications are open through October 9th, 2023!

Community Change Grants - America Walks Community Change Grants are awarded to grassroots organizations that are working to increase walkability in their regions.

The Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF), a partnership between FEMA and the Smithsonian Institution, HEART trains emergency managers and cultural stewards to gain the skills and hands-on experience needed to protect, evacuate, and salvage the irreplaceable objects that bring meaning and understanding to their community.

Thanks to generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The National Endowment for the Humanities, and The Bank of America, participation in HEART is free.

Lodging expenses in Washington, D.C., will be covered for all selected participants. Lunch will be provided during the in-person training; however, participants will be expected to cover the rest of their meal costs, all incidental expenses, and local travel. Please note that participants will also be expected to cover travel to and from D.C. Limited travel funds are available to subsidize travel costs; you will be able to request assistance if selected for the program.

Heritage Emergency and Response Training (HEART) Application Announcement Heritage Emergency and Response Training (HEART) Application Announcement

How do you find more funding and support for your creative placemaking work, whether it's a new project, extension, or expansion of existing work? Who should you ask? How do you develop champions and partners? What's the best approach to local funders and decision-makers? What can you do from the start of a new project to build more support?

Join the NEA and LISC for a discussion about these issues, along with some tips for creating your pitch.

This free public event is open to everyone and designed for community groups working on creative approaches to community planning and development. https://loom.ly/Hw2lL0I

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Strategies for Funding and Expanding Creative Community Work. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. How do you find more funding and support for your creative placemaking work, whether it's a new project, extension, or expansion of existing work? Who should you ask? How do you develop champions and partners? What's the best approach to local funders and decision-makers? What can you do from the st...

Check out the link to learn more about this month's RuralRISE speaker and topic.

2023 Speaker Series - RuralRISE 3rd Thursday at 2:00 p.m. Eastern via Zoom. Register here. September 2023 August 2023 * The sample lease agreement for a shared building is one that Deb and Becky were given permission to share with others. Please have your own legal representative make a specific lease for your situation. July 2023...

Resource Share: 2023 Speaker Series - RuralRISE

August's virtual speaker topic: Innovative Rural Business Models
Speakers: Deb Brown and Becky McCray, SaveYour.Town

For more information: https://loom.ly/1-5Z0Rg

2023 Speaker Series - RuralRISE 3rd Thursday at 2:00 p.m. Eastern via Zoom. Register here. August 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023

Resource Share From DoT: Beyond the Clock Virtual Happy Hour!

What does it mean to be called to something? And, is our work the same thing as our call? And, what happens to our identity, when that call changes or is acted upon?

Join the Department of Transportation (DoT) on August 15th from 4-5 PM CST for our August Beyond the Clock Happy Hour where DoT will continue going into a deeper discussion around these questions (and more!) posed by their recent guest speaker, Whitney Kimball Coe. These questions are particularly relevant to rural cultural workers as we grapple with our roles in our community when we are on, off, and beyond the clock!

Grab a drink of your choice and join DoT at our virtual table! This is a free online event!
https://loom.ly/aTfS5R4

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: August Beyond the Clock Happy Hour!. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: August Beyond the Clock Happy Hour!. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

Resource Share!
Forecast offer workshops, training, fellowships, and other in-person and online learning opportunities focused on helping public artists, creatives, and affiliated professionals enlist culture and creativity to address equitable and healthy community outcomes.

https://loom.ly/QQrkLtQ

Forecast Public Art: Institute Build skills to incorporate public art + community engaged-design principles into your work, learn how to get a public art project off the ground, and more.

The 2023-2024 CIRD Workshop community site visits have begun!

Thank you, Eastern Shoshone Tribe, for such a warm welcome, taking our team around your community to check out possible site locations for your future Cultural Center, and having a great turn out of community support on your design challenge.

There are many benefits to creating a detailed inventory of a community’s sidewalk network, but practitioners may need guidance to help them plan for conducting a sidewalk inventory, collecting the right information, and using the inventory in their decision-making. This webinar, sponsored by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) and America Walks, will introduce sidewalk inventories and their importance, compare tools for conducting inventories, and share case studies from communities that have done this work. https://loom.ly/FibdIhg

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Sidewalk Inventories: A Tool for Equity and ADA Compliance. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. There are many benefits to creating a detailed inventory of a community’s sidewalk network, but practitioners may need guidance to help them plan for conducting a sidewalk inventory, collecting the right information, and using the inventory in their decision-making. This webinar, sponsored by the ...

The Reimagining Communities Match Program doubles donations for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) residents or BIPOC-led groups* who crowdfund for projects that reimagine public spaces and infrastructure. Up to $500 per donor is doubled instantly for eligible projects.
https://loom.ly/UbQB5Iw

Reimagining Communities Match Program The Reimagining Communities Match Program doubles donations for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) residents or BIPOC-led groups* who crowdfund for projects that reimagine public spaces and infrastructure. Up to $500 per donor is doubled instantly for eligible projects. This match progra...

Uses & Activities: How to Create Multi-Purpose Places Uses and activities are a reflection of what is possible in a place and they say the most about how well a place serves its community. Read on for seven principles for cultivating a critical mass of use in public space with case studies from around North America.

“The Housing Assistance Council is delighted to further strengthen and broaden the reach of its partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts around the shared goal of enhancing the quality of life and economic viability of communities”, said David Lipsetz, CEO of the Housing Assistance Council. “Paramount to placemaking, the resident-led approach cultivates a sense of ownership and fosters strong community bonds—critical components that interweave the vibrant tapestry of rural communities and small towns across rural America.” https://loom.ly/T9MMjDg

National Endowment for the Arts Funds 25 Rural Communities Through Citizens' Institute on Rural Design he National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to announce the 25 towns and tribal communities taking part in this year’s Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design™ (CIRD), continuing the agency’s longstanding commitment to rural America.

Summer 2023 NeighborWorks Training Institute, August 21-25!
This week-long event will deliver the knowledge, strategies, and tools you need to enhance your skills and revitalize your commitment to empower the communities you serve. Participants rely on NeighborWorks to deliver new and innovative approaches to professional learning, so we are offering over 80 courses at this NTI, including half that are new or updated.
https://loom.ly/Zg7kTXU

Chicago NeighborWorks Training Institute NeighborWorks offers a 'one-stop-shop' for training and development. Learn about our courses, events, certifications and more. Chicago NeighborWorks Training Institute NTI

The KFC Foundation invites applications to its community giving program, Kentucky Fried Wishes.

The program will provide 50 organizations with grants of $10,000 to fund a project on their wish list. Grants will be awarded for tangible, actionable projects that are feasible to accomplish with $10,000 and make an immediate impact in the community.

Applications are due 6/30/23.

https://loom.ly/tYdTcKQ

Kentucky Fried Wishes - KFC Foundation Non-profit organizations can apply for a $10,000 Kentucky Fried Wishes grant to fund an actionable project on their wish list. 50 non-profits will be selected to win a $10,000 grant.

Since the beginning of the Complete Streets movement in the early 2000s, more than 1,700 Complete Streets policies have been adopted in jurisdictions of all sizes and contexts across the United States. Adopting Complete Streets policies is a crucial first step to reducing traffic violence, improving health equity, responding to the climate crisis, and rectifying a long history of inequitable transportation practices. This Best Complete Streets Policies report spotlights the communities that have taken that first step and outlines how they made it happen. https://loom.ly/XYuiQJA

Best Complete Streets Policies 2023     Evaluate your policy: The Coalition’s framework we use to score policies is open-source. Anyone can use our Complete Streets Policy Evaluation tool to evaluate existing policies or an in-progress one being drafted. Identify strengths and weaknesses by downloading the tool here. Thank you, St...

Quadratec invites applications for its ‘Energize the Environment’ Grant Program. Through the program, a grant of $3,500 will be awarded to an individual or group pursuing a program or initiative designed to benefit our environment.



https://loom.ly/fEmM-Zo

Quadratec Cares 'Energize The Environment' Grant Program | Quadratec “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.” ― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax Money does not grow on trees. We all know that. Nor is it found under rocks or hanging from bushes. But for those individuals or organizations passionate about the environment .....

“There are a lot of, let’s call them small, but mighty preservation groups and coalitions fighting for places in rural America,” she added. “And they’re just as well equipped to accept and administer grant funds as anybody else.” https://loom.ly/YjsLxTo

Four Rural Sites Listed on Annual ‘Most Endangered List’ for 2023 Rural sites and landmarks listed on The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list galvanize communities around their heritage.

The Oglala Lakota Artspace (OLA) is a safe and inclusive space that provides year-round arts and culture programming, music studios and access to financial services through our partners, Lakota Funds on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The OLA is a space activated by knowing, honoring and sharing that is celebrating their grand opening on May 20th!
https://loom.ly/fOlHPZk

Oglala Lakota Artspace — First Peoples Fund Oglala Lakota Artspace

Applications are now open for cities in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. for the Asphalt Art Initiative!

Asphalt Art Initiative: While cities incorporate art into public spaces in a variety of ways, the focus of this initiative is what we’re calling asphalt art: visual interventions on roadways (intersections and crosswalks), pedestrian spaces (plazas and sidewalks), and vertical infrastructure (utility boxes, traffic barriers, and underpasses).
https://loom.ly/eLWH1rY

Asphalt Art | Bloomberg Philanthropies The Asphalt Art Initiative provides guidance and funding to cities around the world for visual art interventions on roadways, pedestrian spaces, and public infrastructure. The program assists cities looking to use art and design to improve street safety, revitalize public spaces, and engage their co...

Bloomberg Philanthropies is currently receiving applications for its Asphalt Art Initiative, supporting pilot projects to demonstrate the impact of these low-cost activations and encourage cities to develop their own processes for implementing effective asphalt art projects. The deadline to apply is June 12th.

https://loom.ly/EljzQOk

Grants | Asphalt Art The current round of the Asphalt Art Initiative grant application is open to all cities in Canada, Mexico, and United States.

Interested in learning more about CIRD's Local Design Workshop & Design Learning Cohort? There's still time to apply before the deadline on May 1st!

Want to know how you can apply? Check out our informational webinar: https://loom.ly/XOykda0

2023 CIRD RFA Information Webinar The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Housing Assistance Council (HAC), with To Be Done Studio (TBD), are excited to announce the Request for App...

Great conference opportunity!

The Association of Tribal Archives Libraries and Museums (ATALM), is an international non-profit organization that maintains a network of support for indigenous programs, provides culturally relevant programming and services, encourages collaboration among tribal and non-tribal cultural institutions, and articulates contemporary issues related to developing and sustaining the cultural sovereignty of Native Nations.

The link below takes you to the conference agenda to check out the amazing line up they have set up for this year's conference.
https://loom.ly/eUJdd1Q

2023 International Conference of Indigenous Archives, Libraries, and Museums | ATALM CONFERENCE PLANNING COUNCIL The National Planning Council brings the broad perspective needed when planning programs, awarding scholarships, and selecting award winners. To be considered for membership on the Council, please complete this form.

Why apply to the CIRD Design Learning Cohort? Here's 5 reasons!

1️⃣ Tools to help you use design to strengthen your rural community
2️⃣ Connection to a peer network of rural communities from across the country
3️⃣ Technical assistance and one-on-one coaching
4️⃣ Learning from national experts in sessions tailored to the cohort
5️⃣ The option to attend an in-person convening with other cohort communities

Learn more & apply: https://loom.ly/5SoIP4Y

National Endowment for the Arts

How to Apply

Deadline is April 30th!
The National Signature Project Award is open to any rural classroom teacher in the United States, and it is jointly funded by the Rural Schools Collaborative (RSC) and the National Rural Education Association (NREA).
The National Signature Project Award is awarded annually to an outstanding and innovative classroom project that exemplifies the very best in rural, place-based education.
https://loom.ly/Vr7yBoo

2023-24 National Signature Project Award: Now Accepting Applications! Applications are due by April 30, 2023

CIRD Application Deadline Extended!!! The updated deadline for applications is now MAY 1st! Please reach out to CIRD staff if you have any questions or need help with the application: [email protected]
https://loom.ly/5SoIP4Y

How to Apply

Application Deadline Extended!!! Updated deadline for CIRD applications is now MAY 1st by 11:59pm!
https://loom.ly/5SoIP4Y

How to Apply

Friendly reminder that the request for applications for the 2023-2024 CIRD program closes in 1 week - April 21, 2023, at 11:59pm ET!

If you have any questions about the CIRD program, please check out our How to Apply page (https://loom.ly/5SoIP4Y) and/or reach out to the CIRD team to set up a 1:1 conversation or quick reply via email: [email protected]

How to Apply

Have you ever wondered how the arts prepare for disasters and emergencies? Check out this webinar series below, hosted by the Kentucky Arts Council, and sign up for their first event happening this Tuesday, April 18th!

"Disasters and emergencies are among the largest threats to the careers of artists and livelihood of arts organizations across the country. Yet addressing these issues falls to the bottom of the to-do list when skies are blue, and danger is out-of-sight. Join a 5-part series from the Kentucky Arts Council exploring important topics and issues related to emergency and disaster readiness, response and recovery in the arts. The series will culminate with an online event hosted by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies."

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Emergencies, Disasters and The Arts. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Disasters and emergencies are among the largest threats to the careers of artists and livelihood of arts organizations across the country. Yet addressing these issues falls to the bottom of the to-do list when skies are blue and danger is out-of-sight. Join a 5-part series from the Kentucky Arts Cou...

Hart Family Fund for Small Towns Applications Open!

Grants from the Hart Family Fund for Small Towns are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by providing seed money for preservation projects in small towns. Grants range from $2,500 to $15,000.
https://loom.ly/K6sS8i8

Hart Family Fund for Small Towns: Guidelines & Eligibility | National Trust for Historic Preservation Grants from the Hart Family Fund for Small Towns are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by providing seed money for preservation projects in small towns with populations of 10,000 or less. These grants help stimulate public discussion, enable local groups to gain the technical exp...

The CIRD Team is offering Applicaiton Virtual Office Hours TODAY!

Between 12pm - 5pmET, come join us to learn more about the program and get answers to questions related to the CIRD program and application process. Come and go as you please; this is an open event with no required time commitment.

Link to join, no registration required: https://loom.ly/in7FuR4

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

The CIRD Team is offering Applicaiton Virtual Office Hours TOMORROW!

April 11th between 12pm - 5pmET, come join us to learn more about the program and get answers to questions related to the CIRD program and application process. Come and go as you please; this is an open event with no required time commitment.

Link to join, no registration required: https://loom.ly/in7FuR4

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...