Overview

Community Growth Institute's Training and Education program is designed to give local leaders the knowledge they need to build strong towns in a competitive world.

Training Customized to the Rural Experience

We started the Training and Education program because we found that other training opportunities for local officials from small towns were largely inadequate. Like most zoning codes, these courses were based primarily on the experiences of urban and suburban communities. Our approach is different, and it comes from a deep knowledge of what public officials in small towns experience. You want to know about Robert's Rules - sure - but you don't want to pretend that your meeting will always run by rigid protocol. We get that, and our approach reflects it throughout.

Small Town Leaders are really Volunteers

Small towns and rural areas rely heavily on volunteers. This is how things get done on a limited budget.

We see a lot of enthusiastic people that care deeply about their community commit to public service and then struggle with the basics. What is my role? What is expected of me? What questions should I be asking? How can I make a difference?

We also see a lot of established officials that want to do more but are bogged down with the way things have always been done. How do we change the direction of the community? How do we grow jobs and create opportunity? How do we reduce our budget? How do we leave the community stronger than we found it?

From the basics to the highly sophisticated, the Training and Education program provides an opportunity for every public official to grow along with their community.

Affordable and Convenient

Technology has bridged many gaps for small towns. Instead of having to get authorization to drive hours for an all-day session that may or may not be worth your time, we've used technology to bring training opportunities directly to you. All you need is a computer with an Internet connection and a phone line to call in. You'll get all the information, see our faces, hear our voices and be able to ask questions and interact with other participants.

And as part of the Network Community Program, all of your public officials can attend all of the courses and there is no additional cost.