Examines the basic principles of economic development and provides a case study of the Communitywide Work Force Development Project, which was designed to involve the community in solving the economic development and work force problems of Terre Haute, Indiana. (DMM)

The Iowa Community Betterment (ICB) program provides support to communities attempting to maximize their own resources and create development. In two ICB projects, Edgewood citizens developed badly needed affordable housing and built a golf course, and Greene residents boosted tourism by building a paddlewheel riverboat and supporting local…

Traces the struggle of southern Mexican communities to resist established outside exploitation and gain control of local rainforest resources. Discusses the role of local politics in resolving the conflict between economic development and conservation adherents and pursuing the goal of sustainable production. (SV)

Engelhard is a very isolated rural community in Hyde County, North Carolina, economically dependent on seafood, small scale agriculture, and logging. In the mid-1980s the agricultural crisis, the decline in seafood landings, and changes in timber industry technology contributed to rising unemployment. Several decades of declining population and…

Describes the process by which experimental Ford Foundation programs designed to stem the urban crisis evolved into more narrowly constructed interventions to reform service delivery systems and alleviate poverty in inner-city neighborhoods. Related themes are highlighted and limitations caused by problems of institutional constraints, political…

Innovative solutions to local problems in Appalachia were highlighted at the 1999 Ideas That Work conference. Presentation summaries focus on computer literacy and access to computers for middle school students, collaborative services for preschool children, youth programs, motivating students to attend college, training and technical assistance…

The upward economic flux of Pike County is having a dramatic impact on the traditional morals and values held by the established community. Drug availability has increased proportionately with improved highway systems, accessibility of money, and increasing numbers of youth with their own cars. Although 75% of the population live in isolated…

After years of hardship and despite owning only 12 percent of its own reservation, the Nez Perce tribe is successfully pursuing community development. Factors include energetic tribal government, good intratribal communications, integrated planning for economic development and forest resource management, and emphasis on cultural preservation and…

Indigenous community organizations and organizational federations in Ecuador have moved from dealing with issues of land, civil rights, and cultural identity to promoting culturally appropriate, community-based, sustainable economic development ventures. The need for technical training and the success of Indian-to-Indian job training are…

The Canadian city of Lloydminster created an agency to promote import replacement by matching consumer needs of schools and other institutions with local suppliers via monthly newsletters, open houses, reverse trade shows, and a computerized database of regional businesses. Dollars retained in the community, new jobs, and development of local…

This report summarizes 1994 activities of the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), an independent agency of the U.S. government. The IAF promotes equitable, responsive, and participatory self-help development in the Caribbean and Latin America by awarding grants directly to local grassroots organizations, as well as to larger organizations that…

This report summarizes 1995 activities of the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), an independent agency of the U.S. government. The IAF promotes equitable, responsible, and participatory self-help development in the Caribbean and Latin America by awarding grants directly to local grassroots organizations, as well as to larger organizations that…

Examines the chain of events that took place during 13 years of grassroots economic development in the Honduran village of Ayapa. Taking advantage of outside technical assistance and training has enabled small-scale farmers to organize themselves, secure access to fertile land, and learn how markets work. (LP)

Community colleges in Appalachia are helping boost local economies and expand educational opportunities through the national Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI). At the heart of RCCI is a nine-step strategic planning process in which a community group moves from vision to action. Kentucky's Southeast Community College has promoted…

In 1979, the Learning Enrichment Foundation was established with assistance from the York Board of Education, as a not-for-profit community development corporation devoted to the promotion of multicultural arts enrichment, the provision of child care services, and mounting employment-training schemes, particularly for youth. The group's…