What We Offer

Project Management

We bring decades of experience managing projects from initial concept to successful delivery- on time and on budget. We've managed large, multi-person/firm teams, as well as targeted smaller projects all the while, keeping communications flowing and collaboration at a premium.

Inclusive & Collaborative Facilitation

We have experience working in communities of diverse age, race, and economic backgrounds. 

Every project we engage in involves people which means developing thoughtful processes on how to best listen, learn, include and engage them. 

We are very aware of the issue of who is, and who is not at the "table." We continually seek to understand who is and who is not benefiting from actions communities might take, or the consequences of our actions. 

Local Food Systems

Local food systems and healthy, equitable food access are specialty knowledge areas that intersect with our planning expertise. 

Since 2012 we have served the EPA's Local Foods, Local Places technical assistance program, helping scores of communities develop action plans that help them improve their local food production, access, education, and economices.  

Recreation Economies

Recreation and natural assets present nearby communities with numerous economic and health opportunities that can strengthen and improve rural downtowns and main streets, the gateways to these amenities.

We've worked to help many communities think through the steps they need to take to grow jobs, consider access, think about branding and promotion, and how to become a destination.

We've served on the US EPA's consultant team for the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities planning assistance program. 

Process Improvement
a part of Lean methodolgy

Lean is term used to describe the foundations, principals, tools and concepts that when applied, allows everyone in an organization to design and improve all processes,

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Central to Process Improvement are the Lean foundations of Respect for People (across all levels), and Continuous Improvement. Process Improvement is also a way to increase value by identifying and eliminating waste.

We use collaborative process mapping to identify areas of value and waste, to analyze your existing process and help you develop an improved process.

Community Planning

We help communities plan for the future.  Core planning services include comprehensive plans, master plans, small area or corridor plans, housing and market studies, feasibility studies, and impact fee studies. Many of these plans require identifying core values and visioning, goal setting, and creating a clear and achievable path to implementation.  

Change Management 

Change management is an enabling, flexible framework that prepares, equips and supports individuals moving through changes, so they successfully adopt the changes.

Change management is done to improve project outcomes and helps people to understand why the change is needed, provides them with the time and tools to get on board, and feel heard and supported. It also speeds up the adoption of the change and helps to sustain implementation. Learn more at: https://www.prosci.com/change-management

Rural and Small Town Revitalization

Main streets and small-town downtowns are the hearts of rural America.  Through his work with the EPA and Appalachian Regional Commission, Jason has helped scores of rural small towns develop plans around economic transition and revitalization, building on assets and strengths of people and partnership. Read about some of the communities here.

Research, Analysis and GIS

Jason possesses advanced geospatial GIS skills and has led several tasks for regional and local scenario planning projects. He is a silver-level CommunityViz specialist and has years of experience building and running land use models.  In addition, both Betsy and Jason have extensive research and reporting skills, including demographic and socio-economic data assembly and analysis that support and inform the planning efforts.