Uncommon Communities was a leadership, community, and economic development program created by the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute and grounded in the research and methodology of Dr. Vaughn Grisham, Emeritus Director of the University of Mississippi’s McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement.
2020 Cohort
The program equipped community leaders to collaborate on initiatives related to leadership, economic development, education, workforce development, and quality of life. Cohort 2020 included leaders from Beebe, Cabot, Heber Springs, and Sherwood. Major funding for the program was provided by the Presenting Partner, First Electric Cooperative, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
First Cohort
The pilot phase focused on five counties near the Institute: Conway, Perry, Pope, Van Buren, and Yell. These largely rural counties had poverty rates of 17-23 percent, lost 1,249 jobs between 2007 and 2013, and experienced unemployment rates above the state average.
The Institute supported participants through a series of bi‑monthly development and training sessions that began on August 28, 2015. Throughout the program, participants connected with statewide and national experts, as well as resource partners from the Institute and Breakthrough Solutions Partners. These partners provided guidance and support to help communities advance their on‑the‑ground goals between sessions.
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