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Rochester Horizons Index
Horizons Project
Horizons is about movement and change: From waiting
to leading ... from talk to action ... from poverty to prosperity ... from a few
to many ... from despair to hope ... from indifference to pride.
Seem like bIG DREAMS FOR SMALL RURAL
COMMUNITIES? NOT AT ALL. THESE COMMUNITIES CAN - AND - ARE THRIVING:
Communities where families and neighbors
with wide-ranging perspectives and ideas once struggled in isolation ... now
plan collaboratively for their future. They have come to recognize the
importance of a single voice, as well as the strength of community decision
making.
After holding a "funeral" to bury
negative attitudes and behaviors, a community moved on to creating a shared
vision, setting goals and taking action.
Many small towns are addressing their
communities' need for access to healthcare, especially by those with very
limited means.
Three communities joined forces to push
for a statewide communications policy to bring in wireless technology. The
much-needed cell tower now makes these towns attractive to new businesses.
People involved in the Horizons program
increasingly show up and speak up at important community deliberations around
needed infrastructure, improving school district budgets and developing
municipal sewer systems. Many participants have built the skills, run for
- and won - positions for mayor, school board or city councils.
Small rural cities are starting their
own community foundations; locally-grown support for actions plans that will
help low-income families.
Does Horizons accomplish
all this? No, People do - people who care deeply about their communities
and want them to thrive. Horizons provides ideas, resources, support and
inspiration - fertile ground where optimism can thrive.
WHAT IS
HORIZONS?
The Horizons Project in Rochester is about
helping our community thrive. It is a community leadership program aimed at
reducing poverty in small rural and reservation communities with populations
under 5,000 faced with economic decline and demographic change.
Horizons explores perceptions about and
sources of poverty; it isn't always just about lack of money.
Horizons builds stronger community leadership; leadership is as important
as good roads, great schools and clean water. Horizons embraces the
entire community; everyone is needed and everyone has something to give.
For communities to thrive, everyone must thrive.
Who funds it?
Horizons is funded by the Northwest Area Foundation,
whose mission is to help reduce poverty in Minnesota, Iwoa, North Dakota, South
Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. The Foundation invests in -
and relies upon - experienced regional instutions to provide training,
consulting and technical support in each Horizons community. It also
directs the two grants that come to communities during the program, totaling up
to $10,000 to help them sustain their poverty reduction work.
Who facilitates
it?
Seven organizations deliver the Horizons program.
They helped design Horizons and have coached nearly 200 rural and reservation
communities through the process since 2003. They provide communities with
coaching and training but have assembled a vast network of other partners who
help Horizons communities.
How long does
it take?
Horizons is an 18-month program with four required
segments. Communities must meet the thresholds for each segment within
defined timeframes before they can move forward. Each threshold is
connected to skills and achievement that help strengthen a community.
What does it
involve?
All Horizons communities get the same foundation of
program resources and tools during the first three activities. The
delivery organizations then select additional program resources customized to
address each community's unique needs. For one community, it might mean
economic development training; for another, conflict resolution counseling or
technical skill courses.
All Horizons communities take part in:
