LINCOLN, NEB. (August 22, 2008)— Register now for the November 14 inaugural Governor’s Conference on Rural Development to be held at the Kearney Holiday Inn.  The Nebraska Community Improvement Program (NCIP) and the Partnership for Rural Nebraska (PRN) have joined forces to create this exciting event.  The conference will focus on building leadership, and community and economic development capacity in rural Nebraska to create a more sustainable state. 

This year’s conference theme is: “Renewable Nebraska.”   Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines renewable as: “capable of being replaced by natural ecological cycles or sound management practices.” The goal of the conference is to create renewable community development efforts whereby participants share valuable information with community leaders, resulting in the ongoing development of future leaders and economic development statewide. Communities must systematically plan for the future and implement sound management practices, taking advantage of all available resources to create a renewable environment.

The conference’s five “resource” tracks – technical, financial, human, natural, and youth—will each provide information about renewable community resources.  Youth are either encouraged to participate in the all-day youth session track, or attend any of the other tracks of interest to their community’s youth leaders. 

Rich Karlgaard, publisher of Forbes business and financial magazine, will deliver the keynote address focused on America’s Coming Heartland Boom and why the Heartland cities and regions will prosper in a balanced, technology-enabled lifestyle of today’s workers.  He also will share eight secrets about thriving small- and medium-sized cities, and why states and cities should develop entrepreneurs and not chase jobs.  Karlgaard is author of the book Life 2.0 How People Across America Are Transforming Their Lives by Finding the Where of Their Happiness, which was an Amazon and Wall Street Journal business best-seller.

Luncheon speaker Matt Deighton of Greensburg, Kan., will talk about how volunteers and residents are rebuilding an “all green” community following a devastating EF5 tornado that destroyed 95 percent of homes and businesses on May 4, 2007.  Deighton helped recruit and coordinate volunteer brigades in the rebuilding efforts.

The conference will feature local tours, networking opportunities, resource booths, and a variety of workshops, including:

Rejuvenating America’s Downtowns and Main Streets
Assessing Your Community’s Technological Capabilities
Innovation with Organics and Agri-Business
Development Districts: What Can They Do for You?
Alternative Energy and Conservation Techniques
Funders Roundtable and Utilizing Funders for Projects
Engaging Newcomers in the Community
Utilizing the Many Generations in Community Development
Leveraging Fundraising Through Foundations, Tax Credits, and Creative Fundraising Ideas
Public and Small Business Assistance in Dealing with Brownfields and Environmental Issues
Activating and Motivating Volunteers

The annual NCIP Awards Banquet will be held following the conference and networking reception. 
 
For information, or to register for the event, visit: http://cariregistration.unl.edu/CourseStatus.awp?~~08GOVNKR1113, or contact Lindsay Papenhausen at 402-471-6587, or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Patty Wood at 800-426-6505, 402-471-1559, or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it