At home in the Colorado Rockies for 75 Years
Facilitating Meaningful Connection among Community Leaders
across the Roaring Fork & Colorado River Valleys
We believe we're all better when we work together.
Here at Aspen Institute, we drive change through
dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the greatest challenges of our time in service of a more free, just, and equitable society.
From Parachute to Aspen, Colorado, the Hurst Community Initiative works with elected officials, non-elected
community leaders, nonprofits, educational institutions, immigrants, businesses, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, state agencies, community organizers, and industry innovators.
In our second three years (2023-2025), we are busy getting to know our regional needs and the professionals already working to support the community. The HCI project portfolio represents a wide range of ongoing community initiatives in various stages of concept to implementation. In some cases, HCI is taking the lead to facilitate projects and in other cases, we are simply contributing members of a much broader community effort. In this way, we're strengthening relationships, building trust, identifying gaps, and leveraging a collaborative approach to regional solutions. This helps position the Hurst Community Initiative to take the lead on future initiatives as we continue to develop HCI's long-term commitment to the region.
The Hurst Community Initiative 3-Part Mission:
ECONOMIC VITALITY
"The Hurst Community Initiative has been instrumental in bringing the Colorado River Valley Economic Development Partnership to life, fostering collaboration and innovation across our community. HCI's leadership and unwavering commitment has laid the foundation for a brighter and more prosperous future for our region.
We are eternally grateful for the guidance and support."
— Alicia Gresley, Director
Colorado River Valley Economic Development Partnership (CRVEDP)
"The Hurst Community Initiative was the primary catalyst for the Colorado River Valley Economic Development Partnership (CRVEDP). As the founding board chair, I experienced HCI expertly navigate challenging issues, convene the right people, ask hard questions, and bring effective resources to bear — creating an environment of trust and encouragement for community leaders across West Garfield County."
— Carolyn Tucker, Board Chair
Colorado River Valley Economic Development Partnership (CRVEDP)
HOUSING STABILITY
"The Hurst Community Initiative worked quietly behind the scenes to support our team from the beginning. From technical assistance and communications strategy to regional networking —
HCI continues to be a proven reliable community partner."
— April Long, Executive Director
West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition (WMRHC)
"The Hurst Community Initiative reached out to support the emerging organization just as the Coalition was coming together. With a strategic eye on community outreach and equitable representation across the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys, HCI has helped us navigate the dynamic complexity of building trust across the region."
— Betsy Crum, Board Chair
West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition (WMRHC)
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELLNESS
Socially emotionally resilient communities benefit from fair access to food & housing stability, social services that support physical and mental health, vibrant natural ecosystems, educational enrichment, professional development, and community connectivity.
With support from the Colorado Health Foundation, HCI is the site lead for a year-long regional Project Play Initiative focused on assessing barriers & opportunities for youth and young adults participating in play, sports, and outdoor recreation.
DISASTER PREP & RESPONSE
In small communities, when something goes wrong, everyone shows up to help. Partnering with a wide range of public and private agencies we're helping to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from any & all disasters in the tri-county area.
Working closely with inter-agency emergency management operations and inter-governmental agencies from Pitkin, Eagle, and Garfield Counties, we're committed to responding quickly, effectively and equitably to any scenario that impacts the region.
We drive change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the greatest challenges of our time.