Community Outreach Programs to Address Rural Challenges

There are a variety of strategies and approaches to address challenges in rural communities – and our Community Outreach programs can be used to help fund many of these.

Concierge Service for Small Associations

NAR will provide a “concierge” type of service to small associations, especially those with limited, or no, staff to help you address a challenge in your community using one of our REALTOR® Party Community Outreach programs. The first step will be to submit the Rural Outreach Assistance Questionnaire to collect some basic information. After the questionnaire is submitted, staff will schedule a call with you to get additional information and a suggest a potential strategy, as listed below.  We will discuss with you which community outreach grant (housing opportunity, smart growth, placemaking) or program to use. And we can work directly with a consultant to initiate the process and get you, and your partners, started. Rural Outreach Assistance Questionnaire

Types of Strategies and Projects

Neighborhood Revitalization & Walkable Communities – Smart Growth Grant

• Organize a Better Block: a one to two-day event to implement a community’s vision to revitalize a downtown.
  • REALTOR® Party Success Story: REALTORS® in Ottumwa, Iowa Help Bring Life Back to Their Downtown
  • Resource: Better Block Guide for Associations
• Conduct a Placemaking Visioning Process: a planning process with local stakeholders based around a shared vision for what a downtown could become.
  • REALTOR® Party Success Story: An Action Plan in Action
• Conduct a Main Street Downtown Analysis: a strategy to revitalize or strengthen a downtown or commercial district using the Main Street Approach.
  • REALTOR® Party Success Story: Medina County (OH) REALTORS® Help Bring Dying Main Street of Seville Back to Life
  • Resource:  Main Street® Downtown Assessment How-To Guide

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  Conduct a Heart & Soul: a long-term (two years) process to gather the input of all residents to build stronger, healthier and more economically community.
  • Case Study: Creating Change in Maine
• Conduct a WalkShop/Walkable Community Workshop: a planning and community input session to learn about walkable communities.
  • REALTOR® Party Success Story: Connecting a Community with Walkability
  • Walkable Community Overview for REALTORS®: a short overview to introduce walkable communities, the demand for walkable communities and the impact on the real estate market
  • Advocating for a More Walkable Communities: a guide to advocate for more walkable communities including an overview on zoning and policies to advance walkability in your community
  • Walkable Community Workshop How-to Guide: a how-to guide on conducting a WalkShop, or walkable community workshop, in your community to make it more walkable
• Create New Public Spaces and Destinations in your Community: transform unused (vacant lots) and underutilized (open fields) sites and “eyesores” into welcoming destinations. Placemaking Grant.
  • Success Story: Small Connecticut Boards Make Big Impact with Placemaking Grants
  • Resources: Placemaking Guide for REALTOR® Associations, Spaces to Places Blog and Placemaking Webinars.

Sustainable Growth & Development – Smart Growth Programs

• Organize a planning and design Charrette: a charrette is an intensive, multi-disciplinary workshop with the aim of developing a design or vision for a project or planning activity. Smart Growth grant.
  • REALTOR® Party Success Story: New Hampshire REALTORS® Envision Smart Growth for White Mountains
• Conduct a community survey or poll: use NAR’s public opinion firm to perform a survey on the opinions of the local or state residents concerning growth, transit and/or housing related issues. State & Local Growth Polling Program.
  • REALTOR® Party Success Story: Traverse (MI) REALTORS® Put Three Smart Growth Grants to Work
• Create better transportation options such as integrating bicycle and pedestrian plans into Capital Improvement & Comprehensive Plans.Smart Growth grant.

Housing Opportunities – Housing Opportunity Grant

• Conduct an analysis of market conditions and trends
• Host housing events & forums: Gather stakeholders to identify housing challenges and discuss ways to address these challenges.
  • Success Story: Virginia REALTORS® Join in Partnership to Address Rural Housing Opportunities:
  • Resource: Workforce Housing Forum Guide
• Hold a vacant properties forum: apply to participate in the Transforming Neighborhoods program using a pre-set template and our consultant or plan your own forum to address vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties in your community.
  • REALTOR® Party Success Story: Richmond REALTORS® Tackle Vacant Properties, Affordable Housing and Win

Legislative and Regulatory Issues – Land Use Initiative & Smart Growth Grant

• Review proposed ordinances and their impact on real estate: use our consultant to conduct an analysis of the legal, planning, economic and environmental issues surrounding legislative and regulatory land-use proposals.
  • REALTOR® Party Success Story: Heartland Association’s (IL) Land Use Analysis Guides Local Development Ordinance
  • Resource: Land Use Memo Database
• Support the development of a Complete Streets policy (making roads safe for all users)
  • REALTOR® Party Success Story: Memphis REALTORS® Help Bring Home “Complete Streets”
• Contribute to the development or updating of a Comprehensive Plan
  • REALTOR® Party Success Story: Hays REALTORS® Use Land Use Initiative to Fine Tune Comprehensive Plan