Rural Placemaking
Supporting the people and places at the heart of rural Mississippi.
Rural communities are full of people with a deep commitment to the places they call home.
But too often, small towns are asked to move big ideas forward with limited resources and fewer funding opportunities. CFM’s rural placemaking work speaks to the unique needs of small towns and rural communities across its 22-county service area, recognizing that many of the tools and examples for placemaking are designed for much larger cities.
CFM serves its small and rural communities by hosting events such as the Mississippi Rural Placemaking Summit and regularly convening change-makers across the state.
By offering grants, resources, and toolkits specifically tailored to the needs of small towns, CFM is investing in its entire footprint and helping local projects move forward.
RURAL PLACEMAKING IS NOT ABOUT BRINGING IN ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL SOLUTIONS.
It is about listening to communities, supporting the people already doing the work, and helping them find practical next steps that fit their place.
In the News
Rural Dreams, Urban Dollars — A Solution From Mississippi
The Chronicle of Philanthropy explores CFM’s approach to investing in rural communities often overlooked by traditional philanthropy.
Mississippi Rural Placemaking Summit
In 2024, CFM launched its annual Rural Placemaking Summit to bring together people working to strengthen small towns and rural communities across the state.
The annual gathering offers practical tools, peer learning and low-cost ideas that can work in Mississippi. Sessions have covered topics such as tackling blight, activating vacant spaces, using public art, building community pride, and addressing brain drain.
The Summit also gives local leaders, nonprofit partners, business owners, pastors, educators, and residents a place to connect with others facing similar challenges and opportunities.
“The Rural Placemaking Summit is really important because it allows the people who inhabit small towns in Mississippi to understand that it's possible to make these things happen in their small towns.”
— Leah Kemp
Director, Fred Carl Jr. Small Town Center at Mississippi State University
Grants That Support Rural Placemaking
CFM offers grant opportunities that help communities move strong ideas into action.
Rural Leveraging Matching Grants
Rural Leveraging Matching Grants help bridge funding gaps for projects that have already shown community support but need additional resources to move forward. These grants are available to eligible organizations and municipalities based in or serving counties within CFM’s rural footprint with populations under 50,000.
About the grantCommunity Impact Project Grants
Community Impact Project Grants provide up to $5,000 for projects that support CFM’s focus areas: children and families, community partnerships and placemaking. These grants are made possible through the Community Trust Fund and are available to 501(c)(3) nonprofits directly serving one or more of the 22 counties supported by CFM.
About the Grant
Placemaking Spotlight
Leake County Roadmap to Revitalization
With support from CFM’s Rural Leveraging Matching Grants, communities in Leake County were able to develop a clearer path for bringing new life to their downtowns.
The Leake County Roadmap to Revitalization gives Carthage, Lena, and Walnut Grove practical priorities for improving public spaces, reimagining vacant properties, and building on the character of each town. Created in partnership with the Main Street Mississippi Association and the Main Street Chamber of Leake County, the roadmap reflects input from residents, local leaders, and community stakeholders.
Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all plan, the roadmap gives each town a locally rooted vision and clear next steps for turning community ideas into visible progress.
Keep up with the work.
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