Please rank all of these items on a scale of 1 to 10. We’ve provided descriptions of what “1” might look like and what “10” might look like. These are just examples to clarify our meaning. As every community is unique, the absence or presence of these vibrancy criteria might manifest in a slightly different way for you.

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* 1. CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT

On a scale of 1 to 10, how engaged are your community’s citizens?

SCORE OF 1:

Few people vote. Even fewer attend public meetings. Few attempts are made to promote dialogue between community leaders and citizens. Most letters to the editor and social media posts on local issues have a tone of disillusionment, pessimism, and anger. In the past when people have given their input, they haven’t seen results so they’ve given up trying.

SCORE OF 10:

Voter turnout is high. Public meetings and events attract a large and diverse crowd. Civic leaders communicate with citizens often and through various avenues. While not everyone agrees on the issues, there’s plenty of spirited debate. There’s a sense of optimism in the air, volunteerism is high, and neighbors reach out and help neighbors.

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* 2. ABILITY TO KEEP TALENT AT HOME

On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely is it that young people will live and work in the community after graduating from high school or college?

SCORE OF 1:

Young people are very likely to leave home after graduation. There are few good jobs and little in the way of nightlife and entertainment. Many young people have already left, so there are few opportunities for a social life.

SCORE OF 10:

Young people often stay after they graduate high school, or move back home after college. There is no reason not to. Good jobs are plentiful. Downtown is thriving, with an abundance of cool restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. And young people have lots of opportunities to socialize—a healthy population of Millennials already lives here.

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* 3. ABILITY TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES/TALENT

On a scale of 1 to 10, how attractive is your town to new businesses and/or talent?

SCORE OF 1:

We struggle to attract business investment. We don’t have the strong economy, education system, vibrant quality of life, or thriving population of young people that companies look for. As a result, we rely heavily on incentive deals, which don’t always yield the desired results.

SCORE OF 10:

Companies compete to relocate here, and talent gravitates to us. We have strong schools, a great healthcare system, and great neighborhoods. We know our strengths and communicate them well to attract the kinds of businesses we want. In fact, we don’t typically have to court investors. Growth here happens organically.

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* 4. QUALITY OF EDUCATION

On a scale of 1 to 10, how strong is your education system?

SCORE OF 1:

We have high poverty rates and the low kindergarten readiness rates that go along with them. Not surprisingly, our high school graduation rates are low as well. Our schools do little to prepare graduates for the workforce, so it’s tough to attract business investment.

SCORE OF 10:

Education is thriving. There’s a strong focus on early childhood development and, as a result, kids enter kindergarten ready to learn. Twelve years down the road, our high school graduation rates reflect this. Our schools are on top of what it takes to prepare young people for the future, making our community attractive to all types of businesses that want to set up shop here.

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* 5. VIBRANCY OF DOWNTOWN

On a scale of 1 to 10, how vibrant is your downtown?

SCORE OF 1:

It’s practically a ghost town. There are lots of boarded-up buildings, few restaurants and shops, and very little foot traffic. No one wants to live or work downtown. Weekends are dead, as people drive out of town en masseto dine and shop in other cities nearby.

SCORE OF 10:

There’s always something going on downtown: a festival, a concert, a farmer’s market. There are tons of places to eat, drink, and shop. Lots of (non-retail) small businesses are moving in too, and the housing market has exploded (it’s especially popular with young people and empty-nesters). There’s always new construction happening, and tax values are soaring.

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* 6. ABILITY TO GET WEALTH OFF THE SIDELINES

On a scale of 1 to 10, how successful are you at getting wealth off the sidelines and encouraging people to invest in the community?

SCORE OF 1:

Community philanthropy is almost nonexistent. There are citizens with the resources to invest, but no one helps them envision what they could help the community become.

SCORE OF 10:

Community philanthropy is thriving. Leaders are good at seeking out local sources of benevolent wealth and helping them see the value of investing locally. The satisfaction of helping make life better for everyone is the best ROI there is.

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* 7. EASE OF DOING BUSINESS

On a scale of 1 to 10, how easy is it to create and run a small business in your community?

SCORE OF 1:

It’s not easy at all. Request for Proposal (RFP) processes are murky and changeable. Government officials are inaccessible to entrepreneurs. Zoning rules are vague, and codes are inconsistently applied and enforced. Incompatible businesses are placed next to each other, and vacant buildings abound.

SCORE OF 10:

Local government does a great job of establishing clear RFP criteria and processes, smart zoning laws, and unambiguous codes. Everyone knows what to expect. Rules and guidelines are consistently enforced. Officials are accessible and easy to work with. For all of these reasons, we’re experiencing brisk economic growth.

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* 8. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL BUSINESS

On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are small business owners to receive the training and development they need to thrive long-term?

SCORE OF 1:

There are few, if any, mentors or skill-building resources available to entrepreneurs. As a result, many new businesses fail within a few years.

SCORE OF 10:

Few entrepreneurs start out with strong business and leadership skills. That’s why we make it a priority to provide the support and the resources they need. We have mentorship programs and regular training and development events in place. Local business leaders are galvanized and on fire to help each other and move the community toward vibrancy.

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* 9. OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENT & TRACKING OF OUTCOMES

On a scale of 1 to 10, how proficient is your community at measuring, tracking, and reporting outcomes and results and making objective decisions based on them?

SCORE OF 1:

We don’t have a good system in place to gather data and track the metrics that gauge the state of our community. As a result, we make decisions haphazardly, based on opinions or personal preferences rather than pressing problems we face.

SCORE OF 10:

We religiously measure and track our community’s key indicators (graduation rates, per capita income, crime, etc.). We keep critical data updated and on a dashboard so we can see it at a glance. This allows us to share the facts with decision makers and citizens alike.

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* 10. ALIGNMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES

On a scale of 1 to 10, to what extent are local government entities aligned and successful at working together to create a better quality of life for your community?

SCORE OF 1:

They are not aligned at all. Various departments are siloed in their goal-setting and decision-making. For example, the EDC ignores crucial quality of life factors such as the state of education or healthcare in the community. Therefore little progress is made.

SCORE OF 10:

Government leaders do a great job of bringing together various departments to work toward common goals. Leaders share data and regularly communicate and collaborate with each other. There is a strong sense among citizens that government officials are working hard to create a better quality of life inside the community.

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* 11. What do you feel are your community’s top one to three strengths?

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* 12. What do you feel are your community’s top one to three opportunities to improve?

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* 13. What barriers do you feel are blocking your community from reaching its potential?

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* 14. Does your community believe in itself?

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* 15. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most committed, how committed are you to making your community the best it can be? 

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