The Heartland Center for Leadership Development is an independent, nonprofit organization developing local leadership that responds to the challenges of the future. The Center's work focuses on four core areas:

• Research and Evaluation of small towns and rural communities. Past projects have included on-site participation evaluations of the Center's workshops to year-long evaluations of the impacts of a major foundation-funded initiative.
• Training through interactive workshops and webinars. Training opportunities range from one-hour keynote presentations at international conferences to several-day learning experiences.
• Facilitation of community planning processes. Facilitation opportunities range from half-day retreats for a Board of Directors group to several-week strategic planning sessions for small towns and rural communities.
• Compiling Information into useful and practical publications for widespread use. Publications include practical booklets such as Six Myths about the Future of Small Towns to a three-ring binder The Entrepreneurial Community: A Strategic Leadership Approach to Community Survival.