About Ozark Vitality
Ozark Vitality is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015. From the start, we have used regional partnership and creative placemaking to help small Ozarks communities thrive. Creative placemaking means using art, culture, and creativity to spark positive change and economic growth.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to increase interest in The Ozarks and awareness of our shared history, to expand nature-positive tourism, and to support the cultural practitioners and local leaders building vitality in their communities.
Focus Areas
Reparative History: recognizing the proud and painful histories we inherit, so communities can come together, heal, and grow stronger.
Regenerative Tourism: helping small towns attract visitors who support local people, protect the land, and leave the place better than they found it.
Restorative Agriculture: helping farmers and growers feed their communities, earn a living, and develop the next generation of farmers.
Why It Matters
Many small Ozarks towns are losing their history and culture as the people who remember it pass on. Many also face persistent poverty. People with options often leave for opportunities elsewhere, and those with the fewest options are left behind. We work to change that. When people outside the region discover The Ozarks, it helps bridge rural and urban divides and brings visitors and film projects to the area. When people who left see what’s possible back home, some return and reinvest. Our goal is for anyone who wants to live, raise a family, or retire in The Ozarks to be able to thrive here, financially, socially, and creatively.
How We Work
We start with the people already doing the work in their communities. They lead, and we support them. We build long-term partnerships instead of one-time projects. We support our partners in three ways:
Collaboration
We build relationships with local leaders and connect them with others across the region who share similar histories, challenges, and goals. We also connect them with scholars and cultural advisors who can strengthen their work. This work can be isolating, and finding peers who understand it gives leaders new energy and inspiration to keep going.Capacity Building
Small towns have limited resources. The same few people often serve on every committee and run every project, usually on top of their jobs and families. Over time, that wears them down. We help with fundraising, grant writing, project management, and administrative support, so leaders can focus on the work that matters most to them without burning out.Storytelling
We have been making films in The Ozarks for 10 years. We have made 19 short films with people in 13 communities across Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. These films help people outside the area understand and care about what’s happening in The Ozarks. They help local people see their own communities with fresh eyes and new hope. They also reach people who grew up here and left for opportunities elsewhere, and show them what’s possible back home.