You love your community and want to make it better. But you’re tired of hearing “we tried that once” or “nothing ever changes here.” You’re frustrated with endless meetings that go nowhere and committees that move at glacial speed.
Instead, you can start making positive changes right now, without waiting for permission, support, or perfect conditions.
Your town’s future isn’t controlled by a few organizations, officials, or naysayers. It’s created by people like you taking small actions every day.
We believe small towns can be saved by their own people using their own resources.
We’re Becky McCray in Oklahoma and Deb Brown in Mississippi. You’re in the right place to get practical steps you can put into action right away to shape a better future for your community.
We have been doing this work together for over 10 years now. We’ve learned what works and what doesn’t. Positive change doesn’t require long-term committees, big budgets, or years of planning. We know what will make the biggest difference for you and your small towns.
We know your challenges because you told us. Over 2,200 rural people have shared their needs and priorities with us since 2015 on our Survey of Rural Challenges.
Here’s how to work with us, based on where you are in your journey.
These low- or no-cost solutions will work in even the tiniest of towns.
Learn to Save Your Town:
Find a video that addresses your exact challenge, from refilling your downtown, dealing with negativity and opposition, finding volunteers to retaining young people. All are 30 minutes or less. Find them all at our Learning site.
Dig into bigger challenges with toolkits and short courses online. Tour of Empty Buildings, the Idea Friendly Method, and Revive Your Dead Downtown. Find them all at our Learning site.
Bring us in:
For in person learning, co-founders Deb Brown and Becky McCray deliver keynotes, workshops, and in-depth Idea Friendly Action Visits.
Start here:
Not sure what to do first? Learn the first 10 steps to making your town Idea Friendly.
No budget, no special knowledge and no official backing required. Just pick one or two to kick off momentum in your town right away.
Organizations:
Use our programs and pre-designed packages
You don’t have to settle for programs that don’t work in your small towns, and you don’t have to build custom trainings and cohorts from scratch. Join organizations like Network Kansas and Montana Extension and borrow our rural experience. Set up a call now.
Learn from our Survey of Rural Challenges
Over 2,200 rural people have shared what they most want help with and what they consider their best assets. See what matters most to rural communities.
Add our proven methods to your events and conferences
We don’t just talk about rural issues; we live them. We’ve presented keynotes and workshop at events from the local to the international, including the IEDC Rural Retreat and the International Association of Fairs and Expos. Your event deserves real rural speakers who fit right in with your people and bring practical steps that actually work for small towns. Share what you need here.
Everyone:
Whether you’re working directly with your own community, supporting multiple towns or influencing rural policy, get our newsletters.
You’ll get practical steps that work in any community, ideas to share, and updates on what we’re working on together.
“I have been inspired and helped by your clear and down to earth messages. I believe you have helped me be a better community leader!” Connie Wilson
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Bring this cohort to your town:
An Action Cohort for Rural Entrepreneurs & Community Builders
Tap this new Rural Action Cohort to bring entrepreneurial ideas together with community projects to learn from each other.
Find out how you can host one in your rural community!
Helping you along the way:
Intensive Action Package
Invest six months to work with us in person and online to generate lasting change in your community.
Jerry Zielke
Economic Development Director, Paulding OhioSee more results from real people
Helping you along the way:
Learn in depth with our books
Start a book club now to shape a better town
We believe small towns can be saved by their own people using their own resources.
We picked the name SaveYour.Town because that is what you are going to do, save your town. No one is coming to do it for you.
No factory or big business is going to save you. No outside expert has the one right answer. It’s you.
You are going to shift a few key behaviors away from bureaucracy and officials and toward the people. You’ll let go of old formal rules and organizations in order to empower everyone to play a small but meaningful role. You’ll focus more on tiny experiments by lots of people rather than a few big bets made by only a handful of official leaders. You’ll welcome all ideas, from all the people in your town.
That’s who’s coming to save your town: all of you.
Real town results
Cowlitz County Economic Development Council
WashingtonSee more results from real people
Declare your town “Idea Friendly”
Share the Creed with your friends who “get it.” Send it by message, email or print it out. Post it on your favorite social media channels and spark some positive talk online.
Want to know more about us? Hop over to the About page.
Want to solve your own challenges with our videos, toolkits, books and webinars? Learn to SaveYour.Town
Want to hear practical advice from us every week? Get our newsletters.
I still read your newsletter and watch for your advice. It has always been helpful and continues to inspire me. I tell my fellow rural Mayors, you need to be following this!
Mayor Mila Besich, subscriber since 2017
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