Cluster communities, voluntary alliances between communities to address common problems, can be facilitated by government financial support; state policies, laws, and regulations permitting collaboration; and educational programs. Education should focus on reconceptualizing "community" and fostering regional belonging. (SK)

Community clusters allow small towns to combine their efforts to enhance economic development, promote tourism, or share public services. Two successful clusters of communities in Iowa are the Area Community Commonwealth and the North Iowa Rural Area Development. Both clusters participated in Iowa State University's Cooperative Extension Service…

The Tomorrow's Leaders Today program in rural Iowa promotes the development of multicommunity clusters within which communities cooperate. The leadership development curriculum focuses on action learning/action research and on the three elements of making personal contact, building group identity, and becoming organized. (SK)

This booklet contains summaries of workshop presentations at the conference on community development. This conference brought local community officials and leaders together with interested citizens to learn about successful rural community development activities occurring in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Sessions covered four main…