NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Entrepreneurship and improved economic resilience

Description: This project created a toolkit to grow local tourism along the Main-to-Main Trail. The trail winds across North Carolina, connecting more than 60 Main Street communities to showcase public art and murals, local food and cultural history and experiences. North Carolina Main Street hoped to build capacity among participating communities, helping them identify their assets and create an economic development strategy. To do this, they created a template for a tourism itinerary, which visitors can follow to find local attractions. They also developed a playbook for affective social media marketing. Since publishing the toolkit, the Rural Planning center has provided guidance on photography, videography and destination writing. Additionally, they are helping local small businessowners to better serve tourists.

Greenville, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety

Description: Greenville lacked a safe space for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists to learn traffic rules, leaving older adults without options to practice essential skills. BikeWalkNC addressed this by creating the Greenville/Winterville Traffic Garden, a permanent painted street layout for hands-on safety education. The project included signage, a dedication event and integration into a statewide transportation summit. This lasting resource supports Vision Zero goals and offers older adults a protected space to refresh driving and cycling skills. As one leader said, "We want to improve the community so that everyone can be safe and live a higher-quality life in a place that is safe and accessible."