Resources Available to Communities


Many organizations are poised to provide assistance to communities. A partial list follows:

Wyoming Organizations

Wyoming Business Council
Tucker Fagan, CEO
(307) 777-2800

In 1998, 25 programs and seven state agencies became privatized under the organizational umbrella of the Wyoming Business Council. Besides working to expand these inherited programs, the Wyoming Business Council is developing a strong structure to provide communities with the necessary tools to expand existing businesses, attract new businesses to their area and develop their infrastructure. Unlike the state's previous economic development efforts, this new organization has more of a corporate structure, incorporates private business practices in order to drive programs and has instituted regional offices throughout the state.


Wyoming Rural Development Council
Mary Randolph, Executive Director
2219 Carey Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 777-6430
Fax: (307) 777-6593
Email: mrando@missc.state.wy.us

The Council is comprised of volunteers from the private, local, state, federal and tribal sectors who collaborate to assist in identifying and resolving issues of importance to Wyoming. Activities include providing neutral forums to bring together diverse interests to address a wide variety of issues ranging from land use management processes to business finance to affordable housing. The Council publishes "Economic Development Related Affiliations for the State of Wyoming," with detailed information about organizations and associations who promote economic and community development.


Wyoming Community Foundation
George Gault, President
221 Ivinson, Suite 202
Laramie, WY 82070-3038
(307) 721-8300
Email:  wcf@wycf.org

The WCF is a charitable, nonprofit institution dedicated to helping meet the cultural, civic, educational, health and social service needs of the people of Wyoming. A permanent endowment has been established and grants are distributed to communities and organizations.

Wyoming Agriculture and Natural Resource Mediation Program
Lucy Hansen Pauley, Mediation Coordinator
2219 Carey Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82002
1-888-996-9278
(307) 777-7323
Email: lhanse@state.wy.us

This program is working to help Wyoming producers resolve farm credit conflicts, disputes over grazing permits, and other agricultural and natural resource related conflicts.  The mediation program is also involved with the Wyoming Split Estate Initiative.  Mediation training offered through the program has resulted in over 50 people in the state who are trained and available to help resolve conflicts.


Regional Organizations - Western United States


Cascade Holistic Economic Consultants (CHEC)
14417 SE Laurie
Oak Grove, Oregon 97267
(503) 652-7049

Cascade Holistic Economic Consultants (CHEC) is a non-profit organization that provides research, consulting, and educational services to the environmental community. In addition to holding workshops on Forest Service reform, CHEC analyzes public land policy, publishes a quarterly magazine, and reviews forest plans and timber sales on a contract basis.


Center for the American West
University of Colorado
Macky 229, #282 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309
Voice: (303) 492-4879
Fax: (303) 492-1671
e-mail: info@centerwest.org

The Center's mission is to explore the distinctive character and issues that are of paramount importance to Westerners; to bring to bear widely diverse insights as we explore the West of the past, examine the present, and prepare for the future; and thus help Westerners become well-informed, participating citizens in their communities and their West.


Challenges & Choices
Bill Thompson
Project Operations Manager
10800 E. Bethany Drive, Suite 400
Aurora, CO 80014
(303) 752-5800
Fax: (303) 752-5810

The Center for Holistic Resource Management, together with the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Foundation and the Sociology Department of Colorado State University have begun a collaborative project based on supporting families and small communities that are seeking agricultural, environmental and financial prosperity. This collaborative effort has been funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.


Corporation for the Northern Rockies (CNR)
Lill Erickson
P.O. Box 1448
Livingston, MT 59041
(406) 222-0730
email: info@northrock.org

The CNR was formed to develop a support system for communities and individuals that encourages cooperation, provides skills in sustainable development, and connects sustainable efforts to financial and technical resources. CNR fosters projects that integrate (1) environmental protection, (2) economic development, and (3) community development.


Greater Yellowstone Coalition
P.O. Box 1874
Bozeman, MT 59771
(406) 586-1593
Fax (406) 556-2839

The mission of the GYC is to preserve and protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the unique quality of life it sustains. The GYC publishes a newsletter and has produced numerous reports, and sponsors workshops on topics related to challenges facing the area.

Natural Resources Law Center
University of Colorado School of Law
401 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0401
(303) 492-1286
Fax: (303) 492-1297
Email:  nrlc@spot.colorado.edu

The Natural Resources Law Center is a research and public education program whose primary goal is to promote a sustainable society through improved public understanding of environmental and natural resource issues. The Center actively supports an uninhibited exchange of ideas essential to achieve this goal.


Northern Lights Research and Education Institute
210 N. Higgins, Suite 326
Missoula, MT 59802
(406) 721-7415

This institute serves as a publishing center for Northern Lights magazine and other public policy papers, books and studies, and implements several community-building and consensus-building projects related to natural resource management in the west.


Rocky Mountain Institute
1739 Snowmass Creek Road
Snowmass, CO 81654-9199
(970) 927-3851
Fax: (970) 927-3851

RMI is an independent, nonprofit research and education foundation that fosters the efficient and sustainable use of natural resources. Their work focuses on agriculture, economic renewal, energy, green development, security, transportation, and water.


Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute
University of Denver College of Law
7150 Montview Blvd., #122
Denver, CO 80220
(303) 871-6239

The Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute engages in a variety of educational, service, and research activities and projects related to public interest aspects of land use and development. The Institute sponsors workshops and symposia for land use practitioners and citizen groups on specific land use topics. It also undertakes and supports research and service projects on selected issues and topics related to land use and development in the Rocky Mountain region.


Smart Growth & Development
c/o Colorado Department of Local Affairs
1313 Sherman Street, Room 521
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 866-2856
1-800-899-4769

Interregional council dedicated to managing the growth of Colorado and minimizing its impact while protecting quality of life and supporting economic development.


Snake River Institute
Libby Crews Wood, Executive Director
P. O. Box 128
Wilson, WY 83014
(307) 733-2214
Fax (307) 739-1710

The Snake River Institute sponsors an annual symposium, Community: A Gathering of Western Citizens, to bring the discussion of Western issues from an academic level to a grass roots level, supplying information and tools to citizens to effect tangible, positive change in their local communities. The 1996 symposium was held Oct. 10-12 in Jackson, Wyoming.


The Wilderness Society Bolle Center for Ecosystem Management
105 West Main Street, Suite E
Bozeman, MT 59715
(406) 586-1600

This center develops practical guidelines and policy recommendations for achieving sustainable forests and produced Measuring Change in Rural Communities, a workbook for determining demographic, economic and fiscal trends.


National Organizations


American Greenways
The Conservation Fund
1800 North Kent Street, Suite 1120
Arlington, VA 22200
(703) 525-6300
Email:  greenways@conservationfund.org

The American Greenways DuPont Awards, a partnership project of DuPont, The Conservation Fund, and the National Geographic Society, provides small grants to stimulate the planning and design of greenways in communities throughout America.


Community Sustainability Resource Institute
P.O. Box 11343
Tacoma Park, MD
(301) 588-7227
Fax: (301) 387-7691
e-mail: csri@igc.apc.org

The Community Sustainability Resource Institute (CSRI), is a national, non-profit organization founded in 1989 that supports cooperative, interdisciplinary initiatives to advance community sustainability at the local, regional, and national levels.


Concern, Inc.
1794 Columbia Road, NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 238-8160
Fax: (202) 387-3378
e-mail: concern@ipc.apc.org

Founded in 1970, this is a national non-profit environmental, education organization. Its mission is to build public understanding and support for programs, policies, and practices that are environmentally, economically, and socially sound. Through its "Sustainable Communities Program," it seeks to increase public understanding of and participation in community sustainability.


The Conservation Fund
1800 N. Kent St., Suite 1120
Arlington, VA 22209
(703) 525-6300
Email:  postmaster@conservationfund.org

The Conservation Fund is a nonprofit organization established to advance land and water conservation in America. A newsletter "Common Ground" is published bimonthly as a service to the conservation community. "Land Letter," is a biweekly newsletter covering national land policy for natural resource professionals in government, nonprofit conservation organizations, and the private sector.


Heartland Center for Leadership Development
941 'O' Street, Suite 920
Lincoln, NE 68508
(402) 474-7667
Fax: (404) 474-7672
1-800-927-1115
Email:  info@heartlandcenter.info

This Center is an independent, nonprofit organization developing local leadership that responds to the challenges of the future. A major focus of the Heartland Center's activities is practical resources and public policies for rural community survival.


Land Trust Alliance
1331 H Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005-4734
(202) 638-4725

The Land Trust Alliance is the national organization of land trusts, working to ensure that land trusts have the information, skills, and resources needed to save land through voluntary land conservation.


The Sonoran Institute
7650 East Broadway, Suite 203
Tucson, AZ 85710
(520) 290-0828
Fax: (520) 290-0969
email: sonoran@sonoran.org

The mission of the Sonoran Institute is to promote community-based strategies that preserve the ecological integrity of protected lands, and at the same time meet the economic aspiration of adjoining landowners and communities. Underlying the Institute's mission, is the conviction that community-driven and inclusive approaches to conservation produce the most effective results.


Sustainable Futures Society
7825 Malamute Trail
Evergreen CO 80439
(303) 674-9688

This organization is dedicated to helping create lasting solutions to problems faced by communities. Sponsors workshops and reports on sustainable community development.


W. Edwards Deming Institute
P.O. Box 59511
Potomac, MD 20859-9511
(301) 294-8405
Fax:  (301) 295-8406
Email:  staff@deming.org

The Deming Institute's Partnership for Continual Learning is a program for communities interested in working collaboratively with the Deming Institute to explore and address their needs and issues applying Dr. Deming's philosophy.


The Wilderness Society
National Headquarters
1615 M St., NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 833-2300
Email:  member@tws.org

The Wilderness Society founded in 1935, is a nonprofit membership organization devoted to preserving wilderness and wildlife, protecting America's prime forests, parks, rivers, deserts, and shorelands, and fostering an American land ethic. They are also involved in assisting communities deal with the impact of growth and change.