Community visioning and strategic planning programs have become increasingly important in recent years as local governments in rural areas have searched for innovative ways to revitalize their local economies or manage population growth. A panel of experts describes local government programs in ten states. They also evaluate the effectiveness in reaching the vision and objective set forth in these programs. The authors examine the main components of each program and offer insights into factors contributing to its success. Major attention is paid to the need for social capital, benchmarking, and continuing support following the initial efforts. The discussion in the book includes recommendations for starting a community strategic visioning exercise.

NORMAN WALZER is Professor of Economics and Director of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University. He is the editor or coeditor of the following titles: Rural Health Care (Praeger, 1992), Rural Community Economic Development (Praeger, 1991), and Financing Rural Health Care (Praeger, 1988).