2026 CDS Annual Conference

This project examines an emerging cross-sector collaboration formed in response to a major economic shock in a single-industry community, following the announcement of approximately 1,000 layoffs at the region’s largest employer. The initiative brings together post-secondary institutions, small business and entrepreneurship centres, municipal agencies, non-profit development organizations, and labour-affiliated retraining partners to reduce silos within the entrepreneurial and workforce development ecosystem. The presentation explores early lessons from coordinating across historically fragmented funding and service landscapes, with a focus on limiting duplication, strengthening complementary roles, and responding collectively to a moment of profound community transition. 

Rather than competing for limited resources or duplicating services, this collaborative represents an effort to navigate change together by intentionally breaking down silos within the local entrepreneurial and workforce development ecosystem. Partners include a university and college, small business and entrepreneurship centres, municipal government agencies, community futures, and other non-profit development organizations, and labour-linked retraining initiatives. Each brings distinct mandates, funding constraints, and institutional cultures, requiring ongoing negotiation, trust-building, and clarity of purpose.

The presentation focuses on how cross-sector collaboration becomes both more difficult and more necessary during periods of economic disruption. It explores the conditions that enabled cooperation, the tensions that emerged, and the opportunities created by focusing on what is unique about each partner rather than attempting to do everything at once. Recognizing that this work is still unfolding, the session will intentionally invite feedback and shared learning from conference participants who have navigated similar transitions, positioning the presentation as a collective learning space rather than a finished case study.

This session details the Moving Waseca FORWARD project, a year-long rural workforce development initiative. The project brought together diverse stakeholders (education, business, government) using a cross-sector collaborative approach to address local workforce needs. Leveraging existing curriculum, the initiative formed task forces focused on agriculture and healthcare to improve career pathway awareness and communication. Presented by Extension educators and a key community partner, this session will share practical lessons on facilitating effective cross-sector partnerships and data-driven community development strategies in a small rural setting.

Key insights will include the value of creating a dedicated space for collaboration, strategies for balancing external data with local lived experiences, and lessons learned on empowering local leadership. Featuring community perspectives and initial results from our 6-month evaluation, this session offers practical, transferable strategies for forging effective cross-sector partnerships to navigate community change.

Communities are navigating an age of mobility, where traditional boundaries no longer reflect how people live, work, and play. This presentation will delve into how mobile data can help communities adapt and respond to shifting economic landscapes. Drawing on findings from Wadena County, Minnesota, this session will explore an innovative approach that breaks down traditional boundaries by utilizing mobile data to reveal new insights into community connections.
By engaging with community leaders, meaningful insights can be determined from mobile data to highlight connections between communities that highlight the impact of housing, job, and transportation corridors in rural counties. Key information from community partners allowed for additional customization and analysis, strengthening the application of the project findings. By demonstrating this collaborative approach, participants will gain valuable insights into the application of this modern tool to make informed and collaborative economic development decisions.

Building resilience in flood-prone communities requires trusted partnerships. Through a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant, Florida Extension collaborated with the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council to strengthen engagement for the Tampa Bay Coastal Master Plan (CMP). Together, they trained 26 Extension agents and community members to lead listening sessions, piloted in seven counties with 74 residents. Insights were shaped into workshops for 66 local leaders and municipal staff, boosting their confidence and capacity to engage with under-resourced communities. Many participants joined a Community Engagement Committee, which meets quarterly to guide outreach and strategy. This partnership-driven approach ensures diverse voices inform the CMP and future resilience planning.

Wahkiakum County, Washington experiences flooding and erosion that harm property, the economy, and salmon habitat, causing community tension. In response, the Wahkiakum County Marine Resources Committee launched the Wahkiakum Common Ground Workshop Series to build trust and collaboration among local and regional leaders as a foundation for future multi-benefit watershed restoration. Four workshops in 2025 combined presentations, site visits, and small-group discussions using appreciative inquiry and asset-based community development approaches. Thirty-seven leaders participated. Evaluations showed that participation increased trust, connection, confidence to collaborate, and support for shared solutions that reduce flooding and erosion and benefit people, salmon, and the economy.

This case study examines how community leaders in a rural, climate-vulnerable community in North-eastern Nebraska mobilize local resources, social networks, and community involvement to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate-related disasters. Through in-depth one-on-one interviews with community leaders and members, along with document analysis, the study explores how community leaders identify and leverage local assets and social networks in building resilience, the strategies they use to promote collaboration and shared decision-making during crises, and the challenges they face at each stage of building resilience against climate disasters.
The study aligns with the conference theme, “Community Currents: Navigating Changes Together,” as it demonstrates how a rural community collectively overcomes climate-related disruptions through shared participation and local problem-solving. It highlights how community leaders involve residents, groups, and existing social networks to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate-related disasters, instead of relying on external experts to handle the situation. The study also fits with the track “Chart Cross-Sector Pathways” by examining how leaders utilize existing relationships to foster collaboration between formal institutions, both locally and externally, as well as with informal networks to coordinate disaster planning and response. The study’s findings offer practical insights into how leaders handle complex challenges to strengthen their communities’ resilience and could benefit other communities facing similar climate-related issues. It could also produce evidence to inform policies to improve the effectiveness and fairness of disaster resilience efforts in rural communities.