Here at DRF, we enjoy learning; learning about new ideas, new projects, new opportunities but also we like learning lessons from past successes, failures and those “what if” moments.

We started thinking, how can we bring more people into these conversations that we’re having?

How can we share information to help others learn about collaboration, trust building, and economic and workforce development?

How can we share podcasts, articles, books and ideas that we think warrant community conversation?

How do we invite people to problem solve alongside us and think strategically about our future?

With these questions, the DRF blog was born. Over the next year or two, we’re going to use this space to share what we’re learning and we invite you to walk alongside us and learn with us. We’ll be posting panel conversations, blogs, podcasts, speaker events and much more as we work to think about five BIG ideas:

• Building a Culture of “We”
• Community Development 101
• Building Civic Capacity & Community Engagement
• Collaboration & Collaborative Leadership
• Reducing Polarization & Building Unity
   

We’ll focus on one topic at a time but continue building on all of these ideas as we go.

We are going to ask some hard questions and we’ll be upfront with the fact that we have no idea what the answers are. But hopefully, one post at a time, you’ll join us in the  conversation as we work to find the solutions – together.

As a bonus,  be on the lookout for some pieces that our friend Ted Abernathy helped us compile that look at post-pandemic recovery in places like ours. We tackled this in a conversation with Stephen Moret and Anita Brown-Graham as well as a local panel back in March.

We’re excited about what’s next and we hope you are too.