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Tools for Small Town & Rural Leaders
Free rural development guides, small town planning resources, and real-world examples. Explore practical strategies for economic development, cultural preservation, and building resilient communities.
Community Guides
A collection of in-depth rural development guides for small town leaders, planners, and policymakers. Each guide provides practical frameworks and proven strategies for economic development, community planning, cultural preservation, conservation, and long-term community resilience.
Guide No. 1
Small Town & Rural Community Guide to Planning & Development
A practical guide to small town and rural planning, covering land use, community engagement, and long-term development strategies. Learn how to create stronger, more resilient communities through effective planning.
Guide No. 2
Cultural Preservation in Small Towns: A Practical Guide for Rural Communities
A practical framework for preserving culture in small towns and rural communities. Explore strategies for heritage tourism, local identity, and using culture as a driver of economic development.
Guide No. 3
Rural Conservation & Outdoor Economy Guide: Strategies for Small Town Growth
A guide to using conservation and the outdoor economy to support rural development. Learn how natural assets can drive economic growth while protecting the character and environment of your community.
Rural Planning Examples
This collection highlights successful rural projects, policies, and community development strategies from across North America. JCShepard.com draws practical lessons and ideas from these examples for local leaders, planners, and community stakeholders.
Indiana County, Pennsylvania
Indiana County, Pennsylvania: Embedding Walkability into Rural Comprehensive Planning
Western Pennsylvania · Rural county and small city communitiesAligning rural development regulations with public health, walkability, and active transportation goals
- Walkability goals become meaningful only when they are tied to enforceable development standards.
- Consistency across comprehensive plans, transportation plans, and subdivision ordinances strengthens implementation authority.
- Rural counties can support active living without relying exclusively on large infrastructure projects.
- Explicit plan language gives planners stronger leverage during development review and subdivision negotiations.
Klickitat County, Washington (USA)
Klickitat County, Washington — Building Health Infrastructure from the Ground Up
Klickitat County, Columbia River Gorge, Rural Washington StateRural residents faced limited access to walkable infrastructure, low-cost physical activity opportunities, and preventative public health resources.
- Small-scale, incremental infrastructure projects can create meaningful public health improvements in rural communities.
- Coalition-based governance helps sustain projects beyond initial grant cycles.
- Rural employers can become critical public health partners when communities lack centralized gathering spaces.
- Accessible trails and community gardens improve both physical health and social cohesion.
Centreville, Alabama (USA)
When the Hospital Becomes the Classroom: Bibb Medical Center and Shelton State, Alabama
Centreville, Bibb County, West AlabamaA rural hospital in a high-poverty county needed to solve persistent nursing shortages by growing its own local workforce.
- A committed local anchor institution can initiate workforce solutions instead of waiting for outside intervention.
- Proximity matters: training programs work better when they are built around the daily realities of rural students.
- Paid apprenticeship changes the economics for working adults who cannot afford unpaid clinical hours.
- Community colleges already have much of the needed infrastructure; local partners can bring it closer to home.
Cloquet, Minnesota (USA)
Cloquet Carlton Lofts Rural Planning Example: Turning a Vacant School into Workforce Housing
Cloquet, Carlton County, Northern MinnesotaVacant historic school building combined with a shortage of affordable workforce housing in a small town facing regional “urban pull.”
- Start reuse planning before a public building becomes vacant to avoid cost escalation and market decline.
- Historic designation can unlock financing rather than block development.
- Layered financing is complex but standard — partnerships make it manageable.
- Maintaining institutional presence (e.g. school district offices) strengthens long-term viability and community acceptance.
Topic Series
Heritage Tourism
Turning local history into economic opportunity without losing authenticity.
Economic Resilience
What actually drives rural economies — and how to strengthen them.
Policy & Planning Trends
The ideas shaping rural planning practice in the 2020s.
Renewable Energy
How rural communities are navigating the energy transition.
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