Building Stronger, More Connected, and Investment-Ready Rural Communities Across Illinois.

Program Overview

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The Strong Communities Initiative (SCI) is a diagnostic, capacity-building program designed to help small and mid-sized communities strengthen their internal systems, readiness, and leadership alignment. SCI focuses on five equally weighted pillars of municipal health and performance, providing communities with a clear roadmap for operational and economic success. Through this Compeer Financial-funded initiative, Hometown Consulting partners directly with selected Illinois communities to evaluate current conditions, benchmark performance, and identify actionable steps toward greater efficiency, resilience, and growth.

Through SCI, selected participating municipalities will:

1. Build Organizational and Leadership Capacity
2. Strengthen Grant Readiness and Strategic Planning
3. Improve Communication and Transparency with Residents
4. Support Business Retention and Growth
5. Collaborate Regionally for Greater Shared Success

Program Focus Areas

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Governance & Organizational Structure

Evaluates leadership roles, internal communication, staffing levels, and organizational efficiency.

Economic Development Readiness

Assesses the community’s capacity to attract, retain, and support business development and investment.

Grant Readiness Analysis

Reviews policies, processes, and recordkeeping to ensure communities are positioned to pursue and manage external funding effectively.

Public Engagement & Communications

Examines transparency, accessibility, and public trust through the review of websites, outreach practices, and media strategies.

Business Retention & Expansion

Analyzes existing business ecosystems, outreach methods, and capacity for supporting local entrepreneurs and key employers.

Program Value

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Value of $12,500, Awarded to 6 Communities!

Participation in this initiative represents a unique opportunity for selected municipalities to receive expert analysis, strategic planning, and actionable recommendations—fully subsidized through the generous support of Compeer Financial and Hometown Consulting, LLC.

Compeer Financial is investing in this initiative to award six Illinois communities, while Hometown Consulting provides professional time and expertise to help each community achieve measurable, on-the-ground improvements.

Selected communities are not asked to contribute any financial resources— only their commitment of time, engagement, and collaboration to ensure successful completion of the program and meaningful local outcomes.

Program Phases (16 Weeks)

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Phase I: Diagnostic Assessment – (Weeks 1-6)

Document review, staff interviews, and data analysis across the five readiness categories to establish baseline conditions.

Phase II: Readiness Analysis & Reporting – (Weeks 7-12)

Preparation of a customized Community Readiness Report and Strategic Roadmap outlining actionable recommendations.

Phase III: Final Report Delivered to Council/Board – Workshop & Collaboration – (Weeks 13-16)

We will present a final report for each community in Phase III, followed by a regional event uniting all SCI participants, HTC clients, Compeer, and other partners to share outcomes, success stories, and collective strategies.

Deliverables & Outcomes

Each participating community will receive a comprehensive deliverable package, including:

• A Customized Community Readiness Report
• Five-Category Current Conditions Report
• Strategic Action Roadmap
• Shared Best Practices & Peer-to-Peer Networking
• Inclusion in the SCI Event