ABOUT US

Thrive Noble County launched a framework for rural community prosperity in Noble County in 2008. In the beginning, Thrive fleshed out a consensus of thought by bringing together leaders from multiple sectors of the community. Influenced by concepts developed in Nebraska by the founders of Hometown Competitiveness (HTC), introduced locally by the Dekko Foundation, Thrive defined the “5 Pillars of Thrive” and selected the 20 Clues to Rural Community Survival, developed by the Heartland Center for Leadership Development, as a tool by which they would measure the vitality and success of Noble County.

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Over the years, Thrive has acted as a leadership collaborative to educate and to influence intentionality in economic and community development in support of one or more of the 5 Pillars. Early programs of Thrive included 5 to Thrive, a leadership development course that introduced new and emerging leaders in the community to the 5 Pillars framework and highlighted the many resources available in Noble County. The Thrive 101 Bus Tour was a one-day community tour developed to help people learn more about different population centers in Noble County, and the assets within reach. Essentially, Thrive Noble County has been doing asset-based community development for 17 years, encouraging leaders to recognize the assets already available, build upon them, collaborate, and reduce redundancy of services. 
 

The outcomes Thrive seeks are:

• The defragmentation of resources

• Collaborations to consolidate efforts and build strong assets

• Create a thriving Noble County

• Grow the economy

 

Thrive is further spurred to continue investing in Noble County by the Road to One Million, a successful application to the Regional Cities Initiative submitted in 2016. The pitch resulted in Northeast Indiana being awarded $42 million in state funds and, as a result, leveraging $258 million in private capital. Transformative quality of life projects in Noble County included the Strawberry Valley Cultural Trail, Kendallville Outdoor Recreation Complex, and Noble Trails. One key outcome of the Road to One Million that Thrive remains focused on is to grow Noble County’s population from under 48,000 to just over 60,000 by 2030. Noble County has a long way to go - and Thrive remains committed to providing leadership, support, and tools that help guide the way.

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The 5 Pillars of Thrive

The 5 Pillars of Thrive are the critical focus areas for development necessary for Noble County to thrive:
 

• Community Investment – to fulfill community development needs and wants.
   

• Entrepreneurial Growth – to increase the growth and retention of locally-owned businesses.
   

• Youth Engagement – to increase the number of meaningful opportunities for youth to be engaged in their community.
   

• Cultural Enhancement – to increase local participation in and appreciation of cultural attractions and activities.
   

• Leadership Development – to increase the number of, and enhance the effectiveness of, citizens engaged in leadership within the community