Lessons from Monte Vista: Rural Governments Can Be a Hub for Community-Led Solutions

Monte Vista’s recreation director, Dervin Taylor, visited the grocery store earlier this year for a few essentials, but—and this has become an increasingly frequent occurrence in the town of about 4,200 residents—a local coach flagged him down. They alerted him to a problem: Monte Vista had few opportunities for young people to learn and play volleyball. They also offered a solution: Could the city help launch no-cost clinics and coaching training for high school players, while also acquiring new balls and nets? Taylor liked the idea, and he knew the city could support it if funding was available. So he offered to work with the resident—and reached out to the LOR Foundation. By March, LOR had funded new volleyball equipment and stipends to put on free volleyball clinics.

The scenario is not uncommon in Monte Vista, where community members routinely bring ideas forward and trust that the city will work with them to bring their solutions to life. In turn, public officials trust philanthropic organizations like LOR to help them push the projects across the finish line. Since 2022, the city of Monte Vista has launched 28 community projects—many of which have begun with community members—with LOR’s support. Those projects include new cafeteria tables for an after-school program, an internship program for Monte Vista students, an emergency center for natural disasters, and a cultural event series.

To learn how the city has cultivated collaboration and championed residents’ ideas, we spoke with Taylor as well as Monte Vista’s city manager, Gigi Dennis, who has advanced many resident-led solutions.

The following Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.

LOR Foundation: Why have you and the city worked with residents to launch their ideas and community projects?

Dervin Taylor: We need input from the community to know what we need to do. When the community gets involved, it’s more successful because they’re backing it, they’re promoting it, they’re talking it up in the community. Our residents don’t just bring problems. They bring solutions.

Gigi Dennis: At its core, local government is there for the basic services like water, sewer, safe streets, and public safety. But there are other components that help make a community feel comfortable and liveable. That’s why we help sponsor recreation programs, keep parks and playgrounds accessible, and support things like the after-school program. Local government has to find that balance of what the constituency pays into and how we can leverage community voices.

LOR: How have you been able to inspire residents to bring their community solutions to the city? And what difference do you think it has made?

DT: We recently formed a committee where community members can offer their ideas for new cultural events—like an upcoming concert series and Halloween events. All of the ideas we’re implementing came from the community. The input we get from them really helps us create new opportunities.

GD: That’s probably the hardest part. It requires us to go beyond what happens at city council meetings. It’s listening to what people are saying at the coffee shop. It’s taking time to interact with the community outside of regular business hours. We need to ask people what their vision is for the community. When I see someone who appears to be a stranger to me, I’ll ask them: Who are you? What brought you here? I introduce myself as the city manager and tell them I’m so happy they chose Monte Vista.

LOR: Why is it important for local governments to collaborate with philanthropic organizations like LOR, especially in rural areas?

DT: I don’t know what we would have done in the recreation program without the outside funding we’ve received. What it looks like is: You go from having uniforms that are 20 years old to having brand-new equipment. But it’s more than that. It’s school programs, it’s book fairs, it’s community events.

GD: The one thing the city has been able to do is to demonstrate that by leveraging someone else, an organization like the LOR Foundation, we can make our community’s resources last longer and grow stronger. I want people to see that a minor investment can grow into something that is much bigger and more beneficial for the community as a whole.

LOR: Is there anything in particular that has made community collaboration easier? And what do rural communities need from philanthropic groups to make this kind of work happen?

DT: LOR has built a great relationship with the city and with residents. Part of that is because LOR hires local, which allows the foundation to take advantage of existing relationships and break the ice. LOR’s process is clear, residents know how it works, and it’s been really great for the city.

GD: I understand that not every big foundation can take time to visit the community, but it’s important for funders to understand at the local level what’s happening. Show your presence. Come and learn with the community. Have a frank, honest conversation with us. By building those bonds together, we all grow stronger.