Success Stories
Stories of Rural Resilience
Learning From Each Other
Wisconsin’s rural communities are known for their resilience and self-reliance. Pulling together to support neighbors is what we do. Here you’ll find inspiration from communities that have banded together to chart the best course forward. Ideas from rural businesses that were able to overcome challenges in innovative ways. And success stories that show just how vibrant rural life can be.
Adding infrastructure spurs development
If there is one thing the Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe has desperately needed, it is housing. A recent study by University of Wisconsin-Extension shows the waiting list for apartments for the tribe more than doubled between 2018 and 2023.
Tackling a child care void
Child care facilities have always been hard to come by in Sawyer County. A community survey found a severe shortage of affordable, quality child care in the county—especially for infants and toddlers. New parents face waiting lists that are several years long for a spot at existing facilities.
GROWing our own teachers
School districts throughout Wisconsin are struggling to recruit high-quality educators–with college degrees, state certification and expertise in their given field—and convince them to stick with the job for the long term. The problem is particularly acute in rural communities.
Kickapoo Valley Forest School: Forging Connections to the Environment
Residents of the verdant Kickapoo Valley—part of the Driftless Region, untouched by glaciers—wanted their children to understand and appreciate the natural beauty and resources of the woods and streams around them. They wanted regular outings for youngsters in the environment surrounding them in the Kickapoo Valley Reserve, an 8,600-acre conservation area that offers a wealth of nature to explore. The primarily rural region in southwest Wisconsin also faces socioeconomic challenges and few options for child care.