Creating Community Consulting

Creating Stronger Communities

Rural leaders are doing some of the hardest work in America with the thinnest resources, the fewest staff, and funders who don't always understand what it takes to build something lasting in a small community.

Creating Community Consulting has more than 30 years of experience embedded in Greater Minnesota and North Dakota. Since launching in 2022 we've helped organizations like yours leverage more than $14 million for transformational community change. Our approach to developing communities or organizations has proven successful through authentic community engagement, needs assessments, strategic planning, capital campaigns and grant writing.

We live out our values the same way you do, being rooted in the communities, in authentic relationship with the people most impacted, and committed to solutions that last long after we're gone.

And when your team is stretched thin our tools and trainings, leveraging AI to the best of it's ability and built specifically for rural nonprofits, help you operate with the capacity of a fully-staffed organization, without losing your voice.

Book a Free 30 Minute Discovery Call. We Listen First.Click Here to Schedule Your Call Today

You're probably wearing five hats right now.

Executive director. Grant writer. Board manager. Community connector. Evaluator. And the person who stays late to make sure nothing falls through the cracks and the floor is mopped.

CCC works alongside counties, cities, nonprofits, schools, and community coalitions across the Midwest as a true partner, not a vendor.

We bring deep expertise so your team doesn't have to do everything from scratch.

Whether you need someone to design with you how to create change, conduct a community needs assessment, fund your ideas, train your team,

or help your board find its footing, we show up with the tools you need to be able to do the work.

Interested in Trainings to "Ignite-ify" your Organization? We have you covered.

Ignite-ify Your Organization Click Here to See Offerings

Our Approach to Developing Stronger Communities

Our approach creates lasting change by addressing the root causes while engaging people most impacted to work with community leaders to develop solutions.

Youth Wellbeing & Leadership

Increasing youth leadership in designing local community while reducing "brain drain"

Economic Development

Completing assessments and comprehensive plans, cultivating relationships, providing tools, referrals, and access to support systems to ensure businesses can thrive

Community Engagement & Assessments

Exploring and Assessing communities to develop Family Resource Centers, parks and public outdoor amenities, or to develop community amenities that serve the public

Public Health

Guiding public health agencies through frameworks and designing systems that improve health outcomes. Our processes engage people most impacted by health disparities to create solutions that work

Fundraising & Grant Writing

Once you identify priorities and solutions, the next step is funding them. We lead organizations in capital campaigns, fundraising and grant writing. Check out our Ignite-ify tools for DIY trainings

OUR IMPACT IN 4 YEARS

$14+ Million

In resources leveraged in less than 4 years

20+

Counties served

4.9/5.0

Client satisfaction rating

96% of Clients

Agree they have improved knowledge, skills and ability to transform community

Family Resource Centers

11 Counties launched or are in the "Explore & Assess" phase of developing a Family Resource Center in 11 Counties

3 Public Health

Agencies

Improved their health impact strategies

8 Youth Initiatives

Communities launched initiatives where youth led development of community solutions

100% of Clients

Completing the survey rated our "Grant Writing with AI" as a

5 Star Training

Regional Facility Development

Developing Regional Parks, Nonprofit Facilities, Community Infrastructure, Public Art & Murals, Childcare Facilities and More

Featured Speaker

2026 National Community Development Society Annual Conference

& Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Fundraising Conference

280+ People Trained

Community Engagement & Development, Grant Writing with AI, Nonprofit Marketing with AI, Standards of Quality: National Family Strengthening, Community Mapping, Capital Campaigning, Nonprofit Governance, Nonprofit Evaluation

You already know what's broken. You need a partner who knows how to fix it.

The traditional approach to rural development treats symptoms with bandaids.

We get to the root of the issue and help communities develop solutions that are transformational and sustainable.

I'm Wearing 5 Hats and am Never an Expert on One Thing

You shouldn't have to AI ask your way through a problem. Small communities lack access to expert community developers, grant writers, fundraisers, public health experts & economic drivers. This leaves rural communities without the resources or capacity they truly need to transform community.

Mental Health & Substance Use Crisis

As mental health crisis and substance use is at an all time high, especially for youth, communities continue to react to the problem instead of addressing the root causes. This is costly, and not effective.

Economic Stagnation & Funding Cuts

Rural communities watch millions of funds go to urban areas while they struggle to navigate complex grant applications, legislative appropriations, and watch large cities recruit business owners. Local communities lose their economic foundations.

Siloed Approaches

Communities try to solve youth problems, economic problems and social problems separately, but they are all connected, which is why isolated approaches fail.

Not Enough Volunteers

It's not that people don't care . It's that nobody has the capacity to channel that care into something sustainable. Organizations are fighting for enough volunteers as they often have, "the same 10 people" problem. The truth is that there are enough volunteers, there just isn't capacity in rural communities to pay someone to recruit, organize and retain them.

Polarizing Views

Let's face it... it's difficult for people to work together across opposing views to accomplish the things we all care about the most such as healthy children and families and financial stability. Our approach bridges the divide and brings people together by celebrating diversity.

Real World Example of Focused Impact

Frazee, MN.

Population 1,300 people

Outcomes (During COVID)

$8+ Million Leveraged.

13% Youth Mental Health Improvement. 4% Decrease in Substance Use.

9 New Businesses.

2 x the Community Events and 4x the Community Volunteers.

4x Youth Leadership in Community.

Young people are now leading community change and returning to the community

to re-invest in its future!

Curious If We Can Help You?Book a Call Today

Testimonials

Don't take our word for it.

Real Impact, real change. Hear from those who have worked with Creating Community Consulting and

experienced our data-driven, inclusive, and results-focused approach to community development.

Polly Andersen, Board Chair FCDC

"CCC has been right by our side for several years as our organization and our park have established themselves. Without their senior leadership and strategic understanding on everything from grants to board management to capital campaigns, we would not be where we are today.

I've seen our key partners, including county and city staff, say, 'We really like working on this project. It's fulfilling. It's rewarding. We're seeing results.!

That is definitely because of CCC's leadership."

Ian Carlstrom, Regional Director

West Central SBDC

"CCC is honestly doing the best work of any small-town community development organization in the region, possibly beyond.

Their approach is on point because they understand the work, creating sustainable solutions, and are doing it with the end impact in mind."

Ryan Stockstrom, Pastor and Nonprofit Board Member

"Nothing in recent years has created more catalyst for change in Frazee than Creating Community Consulting.  CCC brought people together to have faith for a better future.  With their expertise in community visioning and grant writing support, they were exactly what Frazee needed to help create the spark for people to take steps of action.  The results are obvious, the community is being cared for by community and much needed funding has come into our town.  We are truly blessed as they have been the stimulus we needed!"