The concept of Neighborhood Labs was created by the Hopeful Neighborhood Project (HNP)  located in St. Louis, Missouri. Like MU Extension, HNP promotes asset-based community development (ABCD). MU Extension is proud to partner with HNP to offer neighborhood labs across the state or to train others to conduct a lab where they live. Why Neighborhood Labs Matter A strong neighborhood is built on relationships, shared resources, and a common goal of making life better for everyone. A Neighborhood Lab is an event where people come together to learn about their community, share skills, and make positive changes. It’s a chance to discover what makes your neighborhood special and find ways to improve it. This guide will walk you through how to plan and run a Neighborhood Lab in your community. Follow these steps to make the event easy, fun, and effective! Step 1: Define Your Neighborhood Before you start, take time to define what you mean by “neighborhood.” A neighborhood ...

Kirk Wester‑Rivera makes a compelling case, in his essay  “The Neighborhood Is the Unit of Change: Rethinking Scale in Philanthropy”  that the neighborhood—not citywide or program-based funding—is the ideal scale for driving lasting social change . He argues that despite decades of well‑meaning philanthropic investment, improvements in poverty, education, and health equity have remained elusive. Wester‑Rivera calls for a strategic pivot: organizing around specific neighborhoods with deeper, long‑term commitments rather than fragmented, short‑term city-level initiatives. Four Key Lessons from the Article 1. Place-Based Investment Over Programmatic Structure Traditional philanthropy tends to categorize giving by issue: health, education, workforce development. Wester‑Rivera argues this often bypasses local realities. A neighborhood-centric approach flips the script: resources align to place, resident-defined needs, and lived experience , rather than abstract categories. Funding ...

  National Do Something Good for Your Neighbor Day is celebrated every year on May 16. This special day encourages people to be kind and helpful to those living nearby. Whether it's mowing a neighbor's lawn, sharing a meal, or simply saying hello, small acts of kindness can make a big difference in building stronger communities. This holiday was created in 2009 by Starr Valentino, who believed that good things happen when people come together and help each other. Since then, many towns and cities across the United States have recognized this day, encouraging residents to connect with their neighbors through acts of kindness. Valentino says over 800 communities have signed proclamations for the day. Another important day is National Good Neighbor Day , observed on September 28. This holiday was created in the early 1970s by Becky Mattson of Lakeside, Montana. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter officially proclaimed it as National Good Neighbor Day to encourage people to build st...

  Last year, I traveled across Missouri, meeting with community leaders and residents, working to strengthen neighborhoods and encourage civic engagement. But in nearly every town, I heard the same concern: civic bullies. You see them on Facebook pages like [Insert Community Name] News and Events. They tear down every idea, drown progress in negativity, and discourage others from getting involved. Whether through toxic social media posts, obstructionist politics, or relentless pessimism, they do more than frustrate—they hold communities back. When I brought up negative Facebook comments in my talks, people immediately nodded, laughed, or sighed in frustration. They had stories of how these pages discourage business owners, stop people from running for office, and stir up drama over small issues. I understand because I’ve seen it happen in my hometown of Republic, Missouri. Weeds in the Garden Civic bullies remind me of something David Engwicht once said about weeds in a field. Weed...

  ​ In his article " Counting the Cost of Bowling Alone ," Andy Haldane discusses how the weakening of social connections, known as "social capital," affects our lives. ​ Social capital refers to the trust and relationships among people in a community. Haldane notes that over the past 50 years, this social fabric has weakened, leading to more isolation and less community involvement. This trend was first highlighted by Robert Putnam in his book "Bowling Alone," where he observed that activities like bowling leagues, which once brought people together, have declined. ​ The decline in social capital has significant consequences: ​ Economic Growth : Communities with strong social bonds tend to have better economic performance. Trust among people makes business transactions smoother and reduces costs. Haldane points out that a 10% increase in trust can boost a country's economic output by over 1%. ​ Social Mobility : Social connections can open up o...