Book excerpt: A prosperous future for your community is in your hands! Make your community a better place to live, work and play! Why do some communities thrive and grow while others struggle and decline? Smart communities know how to attract and nurture the kinds of businesses and organizations they want to create a vibrant economy and higher quality of life. The more that elected officials and all residents know about community and economic development the more the community will prosper. How to Build Prosperous Communities is a practical guide to help communities reach their goals for prosperity. Numerous examples throughout the book show how communities and regions of all sizes have attained and maintained prosperity in a constantly changing environment. The book is based on the authors’ years of experience helping communities and regions across the country and around the world create their roadmaps to prosperity with better jobs, improved public services, and enhanced amenities.