2026 CDS Annual Conference

This study summarizes stakeholders’ preferences for promoting economic growth by facilitating sustainable businesses and entrepreneurship in economically distressed regions in South Carolina. A survey was conducted in a randomly selected rural county and an urban county to capture stakeholders’ preferences for pathways to bolster economic development. Thus, the survey captured stakeholder perceptions regarding challenges and opportunities of economic and entrepreneurial development including any regional dynamics associated with a rural and an urban community. The survey responders represented various stakeholder groups including local business owners, executives, public officials, officials of non-profit organizations. The survey recorded stakeholders’ feedback on pertinent questions including economic and entrepreneurial development challenges and opportunities, environmental sustainability, skills-enhancement training to increase employability of residents, and public-private partnership opportunities. Study results will convey multi-sector stakeholders’ perceptions and suggestions as insights for urban and regional economic development practitioners, policymakers, and academicians. Besides, the results of this study will be useful for anyone interested in economic and entrepreneurial development in South Carolina, especially those focused on sustainable growth in areas that include census tracts designated as Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs).

This research project focuses on the availability of childcare in an eight-county rural and urban area in coastal Georgia. The Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America is directly adding 8,500 jobs to this region, increasing the demand for labor in this area. Community leaders identified Childcare as a factor keeping people out of the labor market. This study establishes, for both rural and urban counties, the current and future supply of and demand for childcare in the region. It also identifies where gaps in care exist and strategies to address the challenge.

The Nebraska Cultural Investment Report is a first-of-its-kind, statewide mixed-methods study examining how arts, culture, and humanities contribute to community development in Nebraska. Through quantitative indicator analysis and qualitative case studies in five diverse communities – rural, micropolitan, and urban – the project shares how cultural investment contributes to economic vitality, community vibrancy, and individual well-being. The research demonstrates how cultural assets, local leadership, and creative infrastructure shape community identity, strengthen social cohesion, and support long-term resilience. Findings offer actionable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and community partners working to advance creative and sustainable development. 

 

This study addresses the research gap in understanding practitioner perspectives on evaluating placemaking initiatives, a popular cross-sector process used to enhance community vitality and public spaces. Through interviews with twenty (20) U.S. practitioners, the research identifies wide variations in evaluation requirements, capacity constraints, and challenges linked to complexity, leadership transitions, and data limitations. Despite these barriers, effective evaluation supports learning, advocacy, and funding outcomes. Findings highlight the inherent tension between flexibility and structure in current evaluation practices while underscoring the need for collaborative, systematic, and context-sensitive approaches. This study contributes to broader discussions in cross-sector initiatives.

This presentation from the Levitt Foundation—a national creative placemaking funder supporting the largest free outdoor music series in America—explores how volunteer-driven community action, strengthened through cross-sector partnerships with public health organizations, help grantee communities navigate change and ultimately improve health outcomes. Using several Levitt Music Series communities as case studies, the session highlights how volunteers from healthcare institutions activate public space in partnership with cultural programming, providing a connection with community members in a welcoming and joyous setting and building trust in local health providers—ultimately leading to healthier communities in times of uncertainty.

These case studies demonstrate how the Levitt model of free, outdoor concerts taking place in accessible public spaces—with ample opportunity for volunteering and cross-sector partnerships—connects community members and cultural programming with public health resources. Together, these case studies reflect how communities chart collaborative pathways, harness cultural energy, and ultimately make public health a more visible and attainable goal for community members.

The challenges of climate migration and community resilience are highly relevant in The Gambia, particularly in a coastal community like Jinack Island. An island in the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean that has recently been a spotlight for smuggling of migrant to Europe through the “Backway” (irregular migration to Europe). This academic paper will put the participatory planning model into context and assess its effectiveness in strengthening communities to adopt a responsive approach to climate-induced relocation through a structured, co-designed model. Using Jinack as a case study, research, integrate participatory mapping, storytelling, and design charrettes to engage both migrants and would be migrants.  Findings reveal that participatory processes not only enhance adaptation strategies but also mitigate tensions surrounding identity, belonging, and resource allocation (Adger et al., 2013). In this context, the participatory co-design model proposed in this study offers a practical and inclusive framework for addressing both climate and migration challenges. By incorporating participatory mapping, the community of Jinack can identify environmental risks such as erosion hotspots while also mapping migration routes and vulnerabilities. Ultimately, integrating participatory co-design into The Gambia’s response framework can help policymakers to address irregular migration not only as a human security issue but also as a development and climate adaptation challenge. By prioritizing community engagement, local knowledge, and inclusive governance, this approach enhances resilience and offers sustainable alternatives to risky irregular migration pathways.
Keywords: climate migration, participatory planning, community resilience, adaptation

Community development requires navigating change in ways that honor lived experience, cultural knowledge, and collective voice. This presentation aligns with the conference theme, Community Currents: Navigating Change Together, by demonstrating how youth-led storytelling serves as a powerful cultural current for advancing education equity in rural communities. Community Currents in Action examines a Mississippi Delta initiative that engaged young people as narrators, documentarians, and advocates of their own educational experiences. Through storytelling workshops and documentary production, youth transformed personal narratives into tools for civic engagement, community dialogue, and policy awareness.


The project illustrates how cultural energy, rooted in storytelling, reflection, and creative expression, can be harnessed to navigate structural inequities while building leadership capacity among young people. By centering youth voice, the initiative fostered intergenerational learning, strengthened partnerships between community organizations, educators, and families, and supported participatory approaches to community development. The presentation highlights how working with, rather than against, the natural energy of youth experiences creates pathways for collective understanding and action, particularly in under-resourced rural contexts. This session offers insight into how storytelling can function as both a community engagement strategy and a method for navigating change together.


Dr. Shequite Wilson-Johnson of Mississippi Valley State University | One Voice | GAP Leadership Program was also a part of creating this presentation.