Community Assistance
Headwaters Economics works directly with communities across the United States to help them become more resilient to economic transitions and the threats of floods and wildfires.
We provide strategic guidance, technical resources, financing assistance and other expertise that can make resilience projects a reality, especially for rural and underserved communities.
Recent research
Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire
Our Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire (CPAW) program provides communities with land-use planning solutions, and customized research to better manage wildfire risks. Our priority is to listen, engage and strategize with local partners to ensure communities’ long term wildfire resilience.
CPAW has worked with communities large and small across the U.S. that are working to reduce wildfire risk, such as Chelan County, Washington, Baker County, Florida, and Taos County, New Mexico.
Doug Green leads community engagement efforts for CPAW.
Dr. Kimi Barrett leads research and policy analysis for CPAW.
Recent research
FloodWise Community Assistance
Our FloodWise Community Assistance program provides communities with strategic planning assistance, capacity building, and customized research that helps decrease flood risk. FloodWise seeks to improve communities’ technical capabilities, discover project funding sources, and bring together regional networks that can improve flood resilience as well as develop economic benefits.
FloodWise has assisted rural communities, as well regional collaborations that are navigating complex projects. Recent examples include Three Forks, Montana, Williston, North Dakota, and Manhattan, Kansas.
Bridget Mitchell leads community engagement efforts for FloodWise.
Dr. Kris Smith leads research and policy analysis for FloodWise.
Recent research
Outdoor Recreation
Headwaters Economics’ outdoor recreation program produces original research and data analysis that helps communities leverage their natural amenities to diversify their economies.
Our team of experts helps community leaders make the case for improved public lands access, bring advanced data methods into land management decisions, and balance the growing pains that many communities face as they attract new visitors and residents. Recent examples include Mariposa County, California; Taos, New Mexico; and the State of Wisconsin.
Dr. Megan Lawson leads research for Outdoor Recreation.
Tara Preston leads data analysis for Outdoor Recreation.
We’ve worked with more than 100 communities across the country.