Uncategorized 
This summer the IC² Institute distributed a survey to community members in 80 Texas and Louisiana communities. The goal of the survey research is to identify key assets and challenges in small cities and rural communities across the region. Survey questions addressed both the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the respondents’ satisfaction and concern with a large number of community variables. Over 7000 people responded.
This extensive research work is part of the institute’s Regional Economic Recovery Initiative—investigations and programs designed to help communities rethink and redesign inclusive and resilient communities in the current economic context. IC² launched the initiative in March in response to the growing global health, social, and economic impact of the pandemic.
IC² student researchers promoted the online survey by reaching out to local news outlets, posting the link on social media, and making calls and sending emails to members of each community. To encourage high participation in each of the cities, an incentive was offered: The city with the highest participation rate—determined by number of survey points divided by population—would receive $1,000 toward the purchase of computer equipment for the local school district.
Bandera, Texas, has won the incentive! Coming in a close second, Wheeler, Texas, also has a high participation rate of 11% of the population.
The IC² Institute would like to thank everyone who responded to the survey questions. Your input has provided the foundation for essential and timely research and analysis.
Updated October 6, 2020
The IC2 Institute was established at The University of Texas at Austin in 1977, as a think-and-do tank to explore the broad economic, technological, and human factors that drive economic development in regions. Our mission is to better understand and catalyze communities outside major urban corridors to become more collaborative and resilient through a human-centered approach.