A two-year initiative aimed at fostering collaboration, civic engagement, and community-led problem-solving is well underway in Owensboro, led by the Greater Owensboro Leadership Institute in partnership with the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation.
Founded by Rich Harwood nearly four decades ago, the Harwood Institute works with communities across all 50 states and in 40 countries to help bridge divides and build what Harwood calls a culture of shared responsibility. Owensboro is one of only a handful of U.S. communities chosen for the organization’s “intensive multi-year engagement program.”
“In a time when the country seems to be coming apart, we’re focused on how to bring communities together, how to strengthen civic culture and help people work toward a shared purpose,” Harwood said. “Owensboro was already starting from a position of strength. The question is how to build on that — how to work better together, be more inclusive, and make sure young people want to stay and raise their families here.”
The effort began with more than 50 in-depth interviews conducted by the Harwood team with local leaders and residents, aimed at understanding how people view life in Owensboro-Daviess County and what issues matter most. The findings were compiled in a report titled Building a Better Owensboro: A New Path Forward for Owensboro-Daviess County, released in partnership with the Greater Owensboro Leadership Institute.
That report identified key challenges such as housing and homelessness, drug addiction and recovery, and limited opportunities for youth — as well as an overarching theme that, while Owensboro has strong organizations, those groups don’t always work effectively together.
“What people said is, too often we’re putting Band-Aids on problems instead of getting to the root of them,” Harwood said. “This initiative is about addressing what really matters to people — and strengthening the way we work together in the process.”
To tackle the issues identified in the report, four action teams were formed focusing on housing and homelessness, youth, the arts, and health. Each group includes representatives from different sectors, organizations, and neighborhoods who are working collaboratively to create small, meaningful actions that can spark broader change.
“These teams are not just creating plans — they’re already taking action,” Harwood said. “The arts team, for instance, started arts mixers to build stronger networks among local artists, and they’re launching a portrait initiative that celebrates people from all walks of life in Owensboro. None of that costs money — it just requires people working together differently.”
Harwood said many communities mistakenly assume major change always requires new funding. In reality, he said, success often depends more on collaboration and coordination among existing organizations.
“Owensboro Health and RiverValley Behavioral Health both had mobile units that served different purposes,” he said. “They realized if they went to the same part of the community at the same time, they could provide better care — and it didn’t cost a dime. That’s what we mean by working differently.”
According to Harwood, the Owensboro effort is progressing even faster than expected. Attendance at recent sessions has grown, and more community members are joining by word of mouth.
“The initiative is going exceedingly well,” he said. “People are taking this approach and embedding it in their organizations. It’s spreading, which is the whole point.”
Stacey Edds-Ellis, executive director of the Greater Owensboro Leadership Institute, said the partnership with Harwood’s team has provided a valuable framework for advancing leadership and engagement locally.
“Our network keeps growing, which is a good sign that people want to come together and move the community forward,” Edds-Ellis said. “People are using this practice not only in the Harwood teams but also on the boards and organizations they serve with — that’s how the ripple effects start.”
The Leadership Institute, established in 2022, was initially inspired by Chamber of Commerce leaders who saw a need to cultivate more engaged local leadership. It operates independently as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization funded primarily through local foundations, including the Lawrence & Augusta Hager Educational Foundation, which also underwrites the Harwood partnership.
Harwood said the next year will focus on expanding those community-led actions and deepening collaboration among organizations. The initiative continues through 2026, with coaching, workshops, and storytelling designed to help local leaders sustain the approach beyond the formal partnership.
“We’re not consultants — this is the community’s work,” Harwood said. “When we started, some people wondered if this would amount to anything. My message now is: it’s working, and it’s going to produce a lot more moving into the future.”
Edds-Ellis emphasized that anyone can still get involved.
“The tent is always open,” she said. “If someone wants to be part of the effort or start a team around a new issue, all they have to do is reach out. This work is about people coming together to make Owensboro stronger, and there’s room for everyone in that.”
By: John Kirkpatrick The Owensboro Times