The Launching a Regional Residential Recruitment Effort Cohort is for rural community leaders who want to do a better job of seeing, reaching, inviting, and welcoming new residents. This cohort will explore how communities across a region can work together to share a stronger story, connect with people who are looking for what small towns have to offer, and welcome those new residents who have already made the move.

This four-session learning cohort is designed to help rural communities build an effective regional resident recruitment effort. Through expert guidance from Ben Winchester, a nationally recognized rural sociologist, participants will:

Learn about migration trends using demographic data,
Map shared assets that attract newcomers,
Gather insights from new residents,
Develop regional collaboration strategies, and
Host an actual community welcoming event sometime in 2026.

Sessions will take place from 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CT on August 5, August 19, September 2, and September 14. All sessions will be hosted on Zoom.

How each session works:

Welcome
Debrief
Topic presented
Facilitated discussion
Cohort engagement
Work together
Recap
Action to take before the next event

Contact the host of Thriverr Learn: Launching a Resident Recruitment Effort