What is Community Heart & Soul?
Community Heart & Soul is a resident-driven process that engages the entire population of a town in identifying what they love most about their community, what future they want for it, and how to achieve it.
Developed and field-tested over a decade in partnership with over 100 small cities and towns across America, Community Heart & Soul is a proven process for engaging a community in shaping its future.
How it Works
Community Heart & Soul is an ongoing practice that provides municipal officials with a clear understanding of what matters most to their constituents–all the residents–and forges a partnership that builds on the first thing everyone has in common: they all live here. It’s not a report that sits on a shelf; it’s a way of coming together to make your town a better place to live in and visit.
Community Heart & Soul begins with a four-phase, step-by-step process that brings residents together to identify and honor the unique character of their town and the emotional connection of the people who live there.
“The Community Heart & Soul model has been the perfect fit for my organization as we work to strengthen rural Iowa communities. I’ve learned so much about community engagement, helping emerging leaders, and developing authentic relationships with people in our small towns.”
— Jason Neises, Certified Coach Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
Phase 1: Imagine
Heart & Soul teams are formed to build awareness, interest, and commitment in all segments of the community.
Phase 2: Connect
Stories are gathered from residents, leading to the development of Heart & Soul Statements that identify what matters most and reflect what they love about their towns.
Phase 3: Plan
Residents develop action plans to guide future town planning based on their Heart & Soul Statements.
Phase 4: Act
Heart & Soul Statements are officially adopted by town and city councils, incorporated into comprehensive and other plans, and are used to guide future policies and decisions.
The real work of Community Heart & Soul gets underway upon completion of the 4 phases. That’s when Heart & Soul teams put into action the plans they developed based on their Heart & Soul Statements.
Latest News
Growing the Community Heart & Soul Movement in 2023
Our President, Mark Sherman, takes a moment to reflect on the many accomplishments Community Heart & Soul achieved over the past year, from welcoming several new states into the Heart & Soul network to adding 15 new certified Heart & Soul Coaches.
Read More
Rebuilding Confidence, Restoring Pride in Armada
Community members in Armada, Michigan are coming together to launch Community Heart & Soul with the help of a $10,000 seed grant. They hope the process will help residents build confidence and restore pride.
Read More
“How America’s Towns Are Writing The Future Of The Country”
Residents, coaches, reporters discuss Community Heart & Soul at the Jefferson Educational Society Global Summit event.
Learn MoreLearn our history and mission from Community Heart & Soul founder, Lyman Orton, proprietor of The Vermont Country Store.
Upson County is about 90 minutes southeast of Atlanta and is the first Heart & Soul community in the state of Georgia. The county seat is Thomaston, which serves as a hub for the area. The Thomaston-Upson County School District serves the entire county. Georgia EMC provided coaching services on behalf of the local electric cooperative Upson EMC. Both city and county government and local organizations, supported Thomaston-Upson’s Community Heart & Soul initiative. The Project Coordinator retained her office at the County Clerk’s office, which reinforced the collaboration that was essential for this countywide effort.
Thomaston-Upson Heart & Soul, GeorgiaCommendation from state legislature
with a resolution designating Thomaston-Upson Community Heart & Soul Day at the State Capitol.
Thomaston Chamber of Commerce
recognized the Heart & Soul team with a “Unity in Community” Award (2018).
“Because we intentionally gathered their stories, connections were made between people who would otherwise have never met. Those connections led to action items that matter most to everyone.”
— Jenny Robbins, Community Heart & Soul Coach
Community Heart & Soul Towns
From Downeast Maine to the Heartlands to the Pacific Northwest, towns and residents are making change in their communities. Click on the map to see where it’s happening and hear their stories. Let us give you a guided tour through the transformation with Community Heart & Soul.
