Community Development

Cassville Main Street 2015

Cassville, Wisconsin Main Street

The Grant County Community, Natural Resource and Economic Development (CNRED) Agent (Community Resource Development) designs and delivers educational programs and provides technical assistance to civic organizations, community leaders, businesses, farmers, and local government officials. Acting as “community catalysts,” CNRED Agents enhance the ability of communities, organizations, and community members to identify and resolve pressing community issues, to explore new opportunities, and to pro-actively respond to change.Community Development programming areas include:

Primary Areas of Programming & Research:

  • Strengthening & Stabilizing Local Communities
    • Business-succession planning (retirement and transitions for small businesses)
    • Land use and community planning—focused on community stability and resilience
    • Quiet Communities—protecting natural resources including natural soundscapes
    • Community-scale Community Design
    • First Impressions Evaluations
      • Cuba City & Princeton
    • Renewable energy & distributed energy (solar, wind, micro-hydro)
    • Community-scale rural housing & energy efficient housing
  • Building Community Leadership Capacity
  • Growing Local, Rural Businesses
    • Local economies
    • Local food systems & “farm-to-” programs
    • Farm-based businesses
    • e-Commerce Initiatives
    • Rural, technology-based business start-ups
    • Rural broadband
    • Cybersecurity and data protection for rural businesses
    • Downtown revitalization & stabilization

Community Resource Development Agent
  James L. Schneider

JamesL.Schneider

Youth and Agriculture Center
916 East Elm Street, Suite A
Lancaster, WI 53813
james.schneider48@wisc.edu

Phone: 608-723-2125 Fax: 608-723-4315