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From the Blog

  • Resources Available for Rural Communities Facing Design Challenges. Application Deadline is February 16, 2018

    January 10, 2018
    The Citizens' Institute on Rural DesignTM (CIRD), a leadership initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, has issued a request for proposals inviting communities to apply for design assistance. The CIRD program provides rural communities with populations of 50,000 or less the opportunity to address challenges related to economic vitality and quality of life by employing design solutions. . CIRD convenes two-day workshops with design professionals, local leaders, community organizations, and residents to create a plan for tackling issues around three topic areas—multimodal transportation, healthy living by design, and main street revitalization.

  • Exploring Higher Ground: Honoring Tribal Tradition in Louisiana's Climate Resettlement Plan

    September 28, 2017
    In anticipation of the Tribe’s imminent resettlement from their ancestral land along the coast of Louisiana, in January 2017 the Isle de Jean Charles Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Tribe (IdJC Tribe) gathered for a pivotal community workshop, with support from the Citizen’s Institute on Rural DesignTM(CIRD).  The two-day workshop brought together an unprecedented group of Tribal members, a large and diverse resource team, and state, federal, and local government representatives, who were instrumental in developing a sensitive yet practical approach to the resettlement. 
Map showing locations of CIRD Workshops
Where We Work

Established in 1991, the Citizens' Institute on Rural Design™ has convened more than 60 workshops in all regions of the country, empowering residents to leverage local assets for the future in order to build better places to live, work, and play.

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Webinars

A recording of the 2018 How to Apply Webinar is now posted! 

CIRD supports host communities before and after their workshops via informational conference calls and webinars that cover critical topics in community engagement, rural design, partnership development, and workshop planning.

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