Steering Committee Members: Britni Ross Kelly Baxter Jim Kanable Kent Olson Del Bartels Michelle Butler Shirley Chin Daniel J. Rush
Horizons is a community leadership program aimed at reducing poverty in small rural and reservation communities (population less than 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.
Horizons is funded by the Northwest Area Foundation, whose mission is to help communities reduce poverty in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. The Foundation invests in - and relies upon - experienced regional institutions to provide training, consulting and technical support in each Horizons community. It also awards grants of up to $10,000 to each community that successfully completes all components of the Horizons program.
Eight organizations, all of which already work in small communities, deliver the Horizons program. These organizations helped design Horizons and tested it in 44 communities from 2003-2005 - with great success. They provide communities with coaching, training and connections through each step of the program.
Horizons is an 18-month program with five required segments. Communities must meet the thresholds for each segment within defined time frames before they can move forward. Each threshold is connected to skills and achievement that help strengthen a community.
Communities get an initial foundation of resources and tools. The delivery organizations then select additional 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:
Community conversation and action planning focused on poverty: This segment requires 12 hours during a two-month period and the involvement of at least 30 people. The goal is for the community to learn what poverty looks like and what they can do about it. Momentum grows as the community builds skills, involves more people and becomes increasingly strategic.
Leadership building using LeadershipPlenty training: At least 25 people give 30-40 hours of time. This is a popular segment because it's practical and assumes every community member can provide leadership.
Community visioning and planning focused on leadership growth and poverty reduction: This involves the whole community. Some communities get competitive, seeing who can involve the most people!
Idea implementation: The delivery organization and others provide the community with support, coaching and additional resources as they put their plans into action.
By completing the entire Horizons program, a community can expect:
A community-wide understanding of poverty and ways it can be solved;
More people in leadership roles in the community;
Community leaders who come from all ages, backgrounds and incomes;
At least 6 people with better skills to help lead community discussions and move toward community action;
Three people who can present ongoing leadership training in the community;
At least 25 people with enhanced leadership abilities;
A vision and a plan - created and carried out by at least 60 people;
Up to $10,000 to sustain community strategies for poverty reduction and leadership;
Connections to many organizations and hundreds of other Horizons communities that can help for the long haul; and
Changes from within the community that allow this work to continue long term.
Is Horizons worth the effort? More than three dozen small rural communities say "yes!"
Read about their experiences and accomplishments at www.nwaf.org. (Click on "Programs" and then "Horizons.")
