Hometown Pride Community Resources
Photographer: Justin Rogers of West Des Moines, IA
The resources below are provided as a “guidebook” for our designated Hometown Pride communities. We hope that this information will help you reach your goals! (If you are not yet a Hometown Pride community and would like to be, please click here.)
Getting Started
- Hometown Pride General Flyer
- Quick-Start Guide for new Hometown Pride communities
- What Hometown Pride Does – Example Projects
- Forming Your Hometown Pride Committee (Includes fill-in-the-blank committee guidelines)
- Creating a Vision and Action Plan for Your Hometown Pride Committee
- The Role of the Community Coach
Running Your Hometown Pride Committee
- Committee Finances – Expectations for Security and Transparency
- 9 Tips for Running an Effective Meeting
- Succession Planning – Starting From Day One
- 10 Ways to Boost Volunteer Retention
- 8 Common Pitfalls (and how to avoid them!) – Secrets to Success for committees [temporarily offline – check back soon!]
- Volunteer Recruitment: Examples of volunteer position descriptions [temporarily offline – check back soon!]
Funding: Grant Writing and Fundraising
- Basic Grant Writing FAQs
- 10 Grant Writing Tips From a Pro
- The Iowa Grants Guide – Grant Search Engine
- 40 Fundraiser Ideas for your Community
- Establishing an Non-Profit in Iowa and Filing for Tax-Exempt Status With the IRS
Publicity
- Publicity Materials for New Hometown Pride Communities
- Branding and Publicity for Hometown Pride Committees
- 9 Tips to Boost Your Hometown Pride Facebook Presence
- Download the Hometown Pride logo:
“How To” – Common Betterment Projects and How to Do Them
- How To Host a Community Clean Up
- How To Create a Mural in Your Community
- Public Art Ideas for Your Community [temporarily offline – check back soon!]
- How To Get Trails Built in Your Community
Outside Programs & Educational opportunities
Downtown Assessment or Downtown Walk-Around
These cost-effective services, provided by the State of Iowa’s Downtown Resource Center, offer expert insight into the state of your downtown and potential actions you can take to strengthen it.
Iowa’s Living Roadways Community Visioning Program
A program that “provides small Iowa communities with the planning and design resources needed to make meaningful transportation improvements to the local landscape.”
“Save Your Town” Webinar Series
“Save Your Town” webinars ($20/webinar) address some of the most talked-about topics for small towns, including attracting youth, empty buildings, revitalizing your downtown, the future of retail, and more!
Build a Better Block
“Build a Better Block”, a video from speaker Jason Roberts, advises organizations and volunteers about the best ways to transform their communities.
FAQ
Hometown Pride Frequently Asked Questions (click to expand)
We are brand new to Hometown Pride – where should we start?
Use our “quick start guide” above for an overview of how to get started!
How do we get funding for our committee projects?
Hometown Pride does not provide direct project funding, so one of your biggest jobs as a Hometown Pride committee is to find funding and resources to support your work. Our committees write grants, seek sponsorships from local businesses, and hold fundraisers. You coach can advise you on strategies for all of these.
I’m not sure what my committee should work on. Where do we start?
Figure out what needs are unmet in your community (see “creating a vision and action plan” above), then look at what passions and strengths you have among your committee members. What community improvement projects could address community needs by drawing on the strengths and interests of your volunteers? Look above at “What Hometown Pride Does – Example Projects” and our list of “7 quick, low-cost project ideas” for inspiration.
Does my Hometown Pride committee need to form a 501(c)3 nonprofit?
No it’s not required, but you may decide you want to. Read “Forming your Hometown Pride committee” above for guidance.
Should we open our own bank account?
Most committees do, though some committees have the City or another organization handle their money. Read “Committee Finances” and “Forming your Hometown Pride committee” above for more guidance.
