5 Myths & Misconceptions About Boards & Councils

Serving on a board or town council is a great way to get involved with your community. But there are some common myths and misconceptions about what boards and councils do — and being a member of one. Midwest Assistance Program staff identified five including:

Myth #1: All that board/council does is talk and drink coffee.
Mythbuster: The majority of boards/councils are hardworking groups, volunteering more time than they expected to help solve a problem for their community and contribute to its survival.

Read the rest of MAP’s myths about boards and councils by clicking here.

You also can learn how serving on a board or council benefits you and your community, tips for better board/council meetings and what makes a good board/council member in the Spring issue of MAP’s Source newsletter.

Economic Development

Economic development can hinge on restoring or stabilizing a community’s infrastructure. MAP helps the community or tribe analyze its needs and plan for business expansion and housing availability using a variety of tools. MAP also can guide consideration of remediation, redevelopment and reuse of contaminated sites and properties including brownfields and superfund sites.

MAP also works in conjunction with an independent, revolving community loan organization that helps provide funds for projects across MAP’s scope, including enterprise development, housing and infrastructure stabilization.

success stories hereExamples of how MAP has helped communities and tribal nations address their economic development issues include: Visioning Workshop (pdf, 1.1mb) and Standing Rock Reservation (pdf, 1.45mb).