I thought I’d give everyone a sneak peak at the education sessions selected for the Small Communities Track for the 2015 ICMA Annual Conference in Seattle. We also hope to recruit a number of small community representatives to help with other education sessions, but these three sessions will be focused exclusively on the needs of small community managers. And by small, I mean communities with a population of 25,000 or under.

Place-making for Small Communities
Monday, September 28, 12:45-2:00 pm
What is needed to create a must-see community event? This session will explore how small towns can give people a reason to come explore. Learn about getting the right partners on board, using available resources , and creating events that can turn your community into a vibrant fun place to be.

Collective Impact and Delivering Services Differently
Monday, September 28, 2:30-3:40 pm
The way local governments do business is changing dramatically. This session will introduce the concept of collective impact for addressing community needs and how working with other municipalities, counties, nonprofit groups, and business organizations can deliver services differently.

New Tools to Lead Community Change: Engaging Community Institutions and Individuals
Tuesday, September 29, 3:30-4:40pm
Participants will hear about new approaches to help a community identify a road map to directing community change. Case studies will show how engagement can not only be used during the creation of vision but also during implementation through shared accountability and collective impact.