Rural Vitality

DCEDC has formed the Rural Vitality Committee to address the needs of DeKalb County’s rural communities. The committee is comprised of countywide organizations invested in promoting community development and livability. The initiative will balance resources to better serve smaller communities based on the DeKalb County Community Foundation’s (DCCF) recent research, additional input from community leaders, and examples of success from elsewhere. This introduction provides information on the committee and how it can help your community.

The expressed mission of the DeKalb County Rural Vitality Committee is to work with businesses, public officials, and community leaders to strengthen the economic vitality of rural DeKalb County. The committee will foster regional collaboration, identify resources, guide projects or plans, and empower local participation in community development.

These efforts will generate opportunities for each community to grow local capacity to develop, manage, and sustain a strong economic base, improve livability, and enhance its physical assets, particularly downtown.

The Rural Vitality Committee Believes:

Greater effort must be made to support the vitality of DeKalb County’s rural communities.
Additional resources should be identified to help meet the needs and opportunities within these rural communities, assisting them to achieve their goals and objectives.
Developing county-wide relationships will benefit all communities.
Each rural community should experience improved livability, economic vitality, and broad resident engagement. Key leaders (elected and non-elected) will be supported and empowered to work within their community and across communities, building on their assets and making practical improvements tied to their needs and goals.

The efforts of the Rural Vitality Committee are designed to generate progress towards achieving each community’s desired goals. Metrics will be developed to track progress, use resources wisely, and maintain focus. By measuring progress, plans can be adjusted, additional needed resources identified, and successes celebrated.

This page is designed to share news, updates, and resources you and your community can use. Stay tuned for more information to come!

DCEDC Rural Vitality Committee Members:

Melissa Amedeo, DCEDC
Mike Carpenter, RVG Commercial
Michelle Donahoe, DeKalb County History Center
Jerry Foster, Resource Bank, N.A.
Derek Hiland, DeKalb County Government
Greg Millburg, DeKalb County Farm Bureau
Jill Olson, DeKalb County History Center
Will Schoonover, FNIC
Cortney Strohacker, DeKalb County CVB
Dan Templin, DCCF
Andrea Van Drew, DCEDC
Norm Walzer, Director Emeritus, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
Tom Weaver, Weaver Construction, Inc.
Jolene Willis, DCCF
Vanessa Wright, Compeer Financial
…with support from Mim Evans, NIU CGS

Funding Opportunities

DCCF Grant Opportunities

IDNR State Historic Preservation Office Financial Incentives

Grants from the Hart Family Fund for Small Towns are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by providing seed money for preservation projects in small towns (10,000 people or less). Grants from the Hart Family Fund for Small Towns generally range from $2,500 to $15,000. https://savingplaces.org/hart-family-fund

Nicor Pillars of Giving Grants: https://www.nicorgas.com/company/about-us/charitable-giving/pillars-of-giving.html