City of Staples: An Initiative for a Thriving Community
April 10, 2017
Every community is different—with its own unique history, characteristics, and challenges. The key to building a community that thrives is to identify these unique strengths and build upon them.
In Staples Minnesota, a unique program is designed to help community leaders identify such strengths and use them to advantage. It’s the Initiative Foundation’s Thriving Communities Initiative, which is awarded to two or three communities annually, and provides community leaders with specialized training, a strong network of peers, and targeted grants and funding to support their efforts.
The program has lasting impacts beyond the important goals of building new businesses, growing local economies, and retaining workers. When a community such as Staples comes together and forms leadership teams, the bonds and networks formed can help achieve a common vision and lofty goals that previously seemed impossible.