Research and Consulting Services
Community Ingenuity network associates offer research and consulting services related to program and services review and strategic planning relevant to rural and small-town contexts. Our approach revolves around building upon the exiting review and planning capacity of an organization’s staff. Our services include assisting with an examination of current processes to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement, or may involve new research reports or briefing notes. Through an integration of staff reports and relevant research and data, Community Ingenuity consultants assist staff to develop action plans that can produce demonstrable progress for the clients and communities they serve.
Community Ingenuity research and consulting services are oriented towards grass-roots research. For example, in a recent project to examine emergency communication systems for a rural county, we initially interviewed volunteer firefighters and related staff about the user experience with communication systems, rather than focusing immediately on expensive and complex communication technologies. The major findings revealed that many emergency communication problems could be resolved through improved policies and training that could then inform an incremental adoption of appropriate technologies.
Recent Community Ingenuity research and consulting projects have included:
Municipal and community-based organizations have expressed the need for:
- Analysis of rural transportation issues and options,
- Rural broadband and mobile communication access,
- Emergency communications systems,
- Rural labour market trends and training needs,
- Other issues related to community wellbeing and prosperity.
Our associates have extensive experience in digital literacy, financial literacy, project management, research related to rural community development, program review and planning, rural broadband, local health care planning and the diffusion of innovation.
To learn more about how our Research and Consulting services can help your community to understand and take action on improving community well-being and prosperity, complete the Contact Us form and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you!