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How to turn a struggling small town around

Jan Anderson

January 10, 2018 |

The Boulder Monitor |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boulder, Montana

Boulder, Montana struggled upon learning that a major local employer, the Montana Developmental Center, was going to close. However, the news pushed the town toward a path of redevelopment. The Boulder Transition Advisory Committee stepped up by launching the “Make Boulder’s Future Bright” campaign, which involved citizens in creating goals and strategies to achieve them. Since earning a major grant, the town has been working to revitalize the downtown area. This story is part 1 of a series about housing for rural Montanans.

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A new way emerges to cover college tuition. But is it a better way?

Danielle Douglas-Gabriel

December 31, 2017 |

The Washington Post |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Several private colleges are considering an alternative to traditional student grants and loans - Income Share Agreements (ISAs) - in which colleges or outside capital sources provide loans to students with the promise that students will pay a percentage of their income with no interest for a set period of time after graduation. Critics argue that the arrangement will simply add to existing student debt and favor students in higher-paying math and science majors, programs in which minorities lack proportionate representation. Can colleges adjust the financing model to take into account these concerns?

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Nuxalk people roll up their sleeves to construct a solution

Emilee Gilpin

December 19, 2017 |

National Observer |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Bella Colla, British Columbia

In the the Nuxalk Nation, the deep seated effects of colonialism were felt, literally. The Nation had a housing crisis, that was exacerbated by outside contractors and architects who built subar housing. In 2015, community leaders created an apprenticeship program that matched “Nuxalk apprentices with advanced skilled workers, members of the Nuxalk Nation are building their own homes with their own resources, just as their ancestors once did.”

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Meet the Woman Who's Boosting Arizona's Mom-and-Pop Business Culture

Fran Korten

December 13, 2017 |

Yes! Magazine |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Phoenix, Arizona

Kimber Lanning, is the founder of Local First Arizona, a coalition of local businesses with 3,200 members, making it the largest in the country. Local First helps local businesses obtain the resources they need to compete with large corporations. They also try to educate people and dispel myths they have about buying local

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Free Money: The Surprising Effects of a Basic Income Supplied by Government

Issie Lapowsky

November 12, 2017 |

Wired |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Cherokee, North Carolina

In North Carolina, the Cherokee tribe members receive cash payments every year from the revenue of local casinos. Native American reservations have one of the highest poverty rates in the country, but this payment has shown a positive impact on children's lives. As inequality increases, tech companies are advocating for "universal basic income," using the Cherokee community as a case study. More research needs to take place in order to define what the universal basic income will be, how people will respond to it, and what will be the overall effects.

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Mexican-American Preservationists Are Saving San Antonio's Urban Fabric

Johnny Magdaleno

September 04, 2017 |

Next City |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Antonio, Texas

As San Antonio develops, local groups like the WPA work to preserve cultural heritage along with buildings. Community organization, financing, and legislation are all tools the groups are using to maintain historic communities.

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In Ethiopia, model drought defenses are put to the test

Ryan Lenora Brown

July 24, 2017 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Ethiopia, Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s cosmopolitan capital, has long been considered a world apart from surrounding rural communities, all of which suffer from reoccurring droughts and civil war. However, thanks to international aid and government intervention, things are looking up for the whole of Ethiopia, dubbed one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Success is particularly linked to a government program designed to predict natural disasters before they occur, and an innovative economic development program, which employs Ethiopia’s poorest in exchange for labor on public works projects. So far, these measures h

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This Online Lender Uses Data Analytics To Serve Borrowers Who Lack Credit Scores

Jessica Goodheart

June 29, 2017 |

FastCompany |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Redwood City, California

Historically, banks have been largely hesitant to give small loans to individuals, particularly those with little or no credit history, which includes many immigrants and minorities. But an institution called Oportun is willing to bet on the underserved while still staying profitable as a business - they provide increased access to loans by leveraging a solid screening process, online resources, and credit score support for their customers.

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Creating “Better Buildings” With Solar Energy

Anne Cosgrove

June 12, 2017 |

Facility Executive Magazine |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Richfield, Minnesota

With the prices of solar technology dropping and the opportunity to save drastically on energy usage and costs, businesses and organizations across the country are investing more in solar infrastructure for their buildings and facilities. The Better Buildings Initiative of the US Department of Energy is helping by providing guidance and documenting effective approaches and financing for renewables installations - from hotels, to schools, to big box retail.

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After Coal, a Small Kentucky Town Builds a Healthier, More Creative Economy

Peter Slavin

June 06, 2017 |

Yes! Magazine |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Hemphill, Kentucky

Many small towns in rural Appalachia are struggling to adapt to the greater evolutions of the American economy away from the coal industry. But some places, like the little town of Hemphill in Kentucky, are using the opportunity to get creative with local enterprise and unite the community in launching new ventures. The Hemphill Community Center is now a central resource for launching new small businesses, arts and cultural events, and fostering shared resources and renewed growth for the town.

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