The Heartland Center for Leadership Development has developed a list of 20 Clues to Rural Community Survival. They are:

1. Evidence of community pride
2. Emphasis on quality in business and community life
3. Willingness to invest in the future
4. Participatory approach to community decision making
5. Cooperative community spirit
6. Realistic appraisal of future opportunities
7. Awareness of competitive positioning
8. Knowledge of the physical environment
9. Active economic development program
10. Deliberate transition of power to a younger generation of leaders
11. Celebration of diversity in leadership
12. Strong belief in and support for education
13. Problem solving approach to health care
14. Strong multi-generational family orientation
15. Strong presence of traditional institutions that are integral to community life
16. Attention to sound and well-maintained infrastructure
17. Careful use of fiscal resources
18. Sophisticated use of technology resources
19. Willingness to seek help from the outside
20. Conviction that, in the long run, you have to do it yourself

For more information on the Hearland Center, visit www.heartlandcenter.info