Economic Development
Community Futures focus on building local capacity as a means of facilitating growth from within communities. In addition to assisting with business development, Community Futures practice and promote community Economic Development and Community Economic Adjustment Initiatives. In carrying out these roles, Community Futures act as facilitators, bringing together diverse groups to develop a locally driven vision for their future and integrate community resources into a long-term sustainable strategy.
Community Futures believe that economic development can be strengthened through a locally driven process by which individuals, groups and communities take charge of their own future by organizing collectively, setting goals and objectives, and establishing priorities for action that result in the overall improvement of the community. In assisting communities to develop and diversify through community strategic planning – working with communities to assess local problems and establish objectives, as well as plan and implement strategies to develop human, institutional and physical infrastructures, entrepreneurship, employment and the economy – Community Futures are provided with various resources, including access to a variety of program funding, partnership in-kind support and development, specific focus committees and taskforces charged with addressing the business and network needs of Community Futures, Board and Staff.
