How does a community step up to challenges? How does a city or region shift into gear when it is clear that the old ways of doing things are no longer working? Community visioning is a powerful answer - if you get it right. It requires a big effort to engage citizens and organizations in thinking through the community's values, opportunities and challenges, then giving voice to what they want most. But the payoff can be just as big. 

Whenever a new technology promises to change our lives for the better, you can be sure that big cities will be first in line. That's where the customers are, so private-sector providers are eager to invest. Smaller cities and rural counties can't offer the same density that makes markets profitable. That's why many places are challenged to provide reliable, affordable high-speed broadband to businesses and residents.