Creating Space For People to Grow
Who We Are
Growing Small Towns is a community development non-profit that helps small towns be places people love to call home.
Through collaboration with individuals and organizations, we create space for people to grow. Our innovation lab provides a dynamic and inspiring place to work, launch ideas, and learn. Our programs foster entrepreneurship, celebrate culture, and challenge ways of thinking to help small towns envision a brighter, more hopeful future.
Growing Small Towns exists because we believe everyone deserves to love their community.
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We are investing in the future of our home. We practice in our local communities and share the best of what's working and the best lessons from what's not.
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We support the social well-being of the people we serve by helping them find a place where they belong and can contribute their unique gifts and talents.
We support the economic growth of our communities by facilitating learning opportunities for workforce development, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
We help people crack open their minds to creatively problem-solve and approach challenges with fresh ideas and innovative thinking.
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Why We're Here
Our Guiding Values
grow our own
Our first priority is to those who already call our communities home.
honor the past
We always remember that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.
celebrate differences
We embrace people from all walks of life and the ideas they bring to the table.
look ahead
By encouraging creativity and fostering innovation, we proactively tackle our community’s challenges.
try new things
We don’t let the fear of failure or making mistakes hold us back from trying.
work together
When we collaborate as a region, every small town involved wins.
Partner With Us
Drive Community Health +
Vitality in SE North Dakota
Each small town has its own character, so we’d never be so bold as to claim there’s only one way to create a healthy community.
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When thinking about how to serve the small towns, we start with the belief that people are our biggest asset.
We equip small-town people with the skills, knowledge, and thinking to create a place that offers everyone a sense of belonging, great places to work, and interesting things to do.
We only partner with individuals and organizations that share this passion for people and the belief that, together, we’re better.
Growing Small Town’s success is tied to the quality of our partnerships and we’re always looking for new people and organizations that care as much as we do about the future of the small towns everywhere.
What makes a healthy community?
Community-Focused Organizations
Organizations are looking for easy ways to support their local communities and make an impact that will last. We love to support the growth and development of your internal teams and through a partnership with us, your organization can show its dedication to the local community while enhancing brand loyalty.
Forward-Thinking Communities
Resources are tight in small towns and we need to embrace the idea that “a rising tide lifts all boats”. Our programs are developed specifically for the small towns in our service area, and we’ve created partnership opportunities that allow our communities to offer the premier services that people wouldn’t expect from a small town.
Open-Minded and Open-Hearted People
We’re not just about big partnerships; we love to partner with individuals, too. People with an open mind are willing to try new things and be challenged in their thinking. People with open hearts will be honest and transparent, even when uncomfortable. We believe this is what it takes to create a bright future for small towns.