The "National City and County Journal" contained an article by Vicki Luther and Milan Wall, listing 20 "Keys to Rural Community Survival" that have been ascertained by Luther and Wall in their innovative research on rural leadership.

"In times of economic hardship, why does one community thrive while, down the road, another slowly dies?" the article begins. It is a question that many community leaders would like to be able to answer.

Wall and Luther might be able to help. They looked for common characteristics that enabled five prospering communities in Nebraska to revive the economic trends stemming from the worst agricultural crisis since the Depression.

1. Evidence of Community Pride. Successful communities are often showplaces of community care and attention...with community festivals and events that give residents an excuse to celebrate their community, its history and heritage.
2. Emphasis on Quality in Business and Community Life. People in successful communities believe that something worth doing is worth doing right. Facilities, homes and schools are built to last and businesses are built or expanded with attention to design and construction details.
3. Willingness to Invest in the Future. Residents invest time and energy in community betterment, concerning themselves with the impact of what they are doing today in their lives and those of their children and grandchildren.
4. Participatory Approach to Community Decision-Making. Authoritarian models don't seem to exist in these communities and the power is, in fact, deliberately shared. People still know who you need on your side to get something done, but even the most powerful opinion leaders seem to work through the systems to build consensus for what they want to do.
5. Cooperative Community Spirit. Successful rural communities devote more attention to cooperative activities than to fighting over what should be done and by whom. The stress is on working together toward a common goal and the focus is on positive results. They may spend a long time making a decision, and there may be disagreements along the way, but eventually "stuff does get done."
6. Realistic Appraisal of Future Opportunities. Many communities have learned to build on their strengths and minimize their weaknesses and not to expect to land a giant industry.
7. Awareness of Competitive Positioning. Thriving communities know who their competitors are, and so do the businesses in them. Everyone tries to emphasize local loyalty as a way to assist local businesses, but many businesses also keep tabs on competitors in other towns. They don't want to give any of the hometown folks an excuse to go elsewhere.
8. Knowledge of the Physical Environment. Importance of location is underscored continually as business and civic leaders picture their community in relation to others. They are also familiar with what they have locally. The kind of agriculture, which is dependent on available natural resources, is an important factor in the local economy.
9. Active Economic Development Program. Public and private economic development corporations are common.
10. Deliberate Transition of Power to Young Leaders. Young leadership is the rule more than the exception in thriving rural communities where people under 40 often hold key positions in civic and business affairs.
11. Acceptance of Women in Leadership Roles. Women hold positions of leadership as mayors, in health care facility management, developing entrepreneurial ventures and presidents of chambers of commerce.
12. Strong Belief in and Support for Education. Good schools are a point of pride, residents want their children to get the best education they can afford and schools are the center of social activity.
13. Problem-Solving Approach to Providing Health. Local health care is a common concern but successful communities focus on specific health needs.
14. Strong Multi-Generational Family Orientation. Activities are often built around family needs and ties with all generations included.
15. Presence of Traditional Institutions that are Integral to Community Life. Churches represent the strongest force in this regard and community activities often include the church. School and service clubs also have a strong influence.
16. Sound and Well-Maintained Infrastructure. Importance of streets, sidewalks, water systems and sewage treatment is recognized and people work hard to maintain and improve them.
17. Careful Use of Fiscal Resources. Frugality is a way of life in successful small communities. People aren't afraid to spend money when they believe they should, but they aren't spend-thrifts. Expenditures are seen as investments in the future of the community.
18. Sophisticated Use of Information Resources. Rural community leaders seek special information beyond the knowledge base available in the community. Progressive communities are generally willing to use modern equipment to keep people up-to-date on financial and other matters.
19. Willingness to Seek Help from the Outside. There's little reluctance to seek outside help, and many successful rural communities demonstrate their success at competing for government grants and contracts for economic development, sewer and water systems, recreation, street and sidewalk improvement and senior citizen programs.
20. Conviction That, In the Long Run, You Have To Do It Yourself. Although outside help is sought when appropriate, thriving small communities believe their destiny is in their own hands. They are not waiting for someone else to save them, nor do they believe that "things will turn out" if they sit back and wait. Making their communities good places to live for a long time to come is a proactive assignment, and they are willing to accept it.