2026 Building Better Places Training

Application Closed for the February 2026 Building Better Places Training

Community Builders’ Building Better Places (BBP) trainings bring together teams of local leaders from small cities, towns, and rural areas to understand and address key community challenges. This year’s training dives into innovative approaches to community economic development that respond to existing and emerging challenges. Each team will explore practical ways to use place-based economic strategies that fit their community.

BBP trainings blend shared learning with facilitated action planning that supports leadership teams to move forward to address key economic transitions and needs in their communities, enhance civic leadership ability, and shape more livable and sustainable places. Over three days, Community Builders (CB) will guide community teams to identify actionable steps for identifying local assets, leveraging resources, and investing in place-based economic solutions.

When: February 10-12, 2026
Where: Grand Junction Convention Center
Application window: August 1 – October 15, 2025 (closed)

APPLICATION

 

Who Can Apply

BBP 2026 is open to cities, towns, counties, and tribal governments and counties across Colorado. It is designed for smaller cities (up to ~100K), towns and rural areas, and particularly targets areas with higher needs and limited resources and capacity. Teams may have a local or regional focus. The training is well suited for communities working on economic diversification, community placemaking and revitalization, strengthening local businesses, or sustaining the workforce.

Participants in CB trainings are selected through a competitive application process. Applicants will assemble a multi-sector team and complete a simple online application form. The application window opened on August 1st. As a first step, please reach out to talk with us about your ideas and questions!

Email marissa@communitybuilders.org to set up a time to talk!

What You Can Expect

An expert facilitator will guide your community team through strategic exercises to:

  • Develop shared understanding of key needs and challenges
  • Build commitment around shared goals and strategies
  • Learn from case studies of successful strategies in similar communities
  • Clarify key barriers to progress and opportunities to overcome them
  • Connect goals and strategies to sustainable funding
  • Develop effective outreach and engagement strategies to build community capacity, support, and political will
  • Create a practical action plan to take home

Training Agenda

1

Day 1: Direction and Priorities

Half day. Teams will gain alignment around key challenges and opportunities, and build direction on shared priorities to focus on moving forward.

2

Day 2: Strategies

Full day. Teams will develop strategies to advance their priorities, including learning from case studies, addressing barriers to progress, and positioning for funding, implementation, or assistance.

3

Day 3: Action Planning

Half day. Teams will work together to develop a detailed action plan outlining key next steps, roles, and resources to advance the strategies identified in BBP.

What’s a Community Builders Training Like?