Across the state, the task of helping communities thrive financially, socially, architecturally and culturally is passing to a new generation. And if the five women under 40 profiled here are representative of that next wave, Pennsylvania is in good hands.
This Mon River Valley town is hoping affordability, natural beauty and historic charm can lure a generation of young creatives to a nascent arts collective.
In areas like Strawberry Mansion, a complex patchwork of challenges -- including tangled titles, aging homes and long waits for programs -- can make it hard for residents to maintain and repair their historic properties. A local CDC is working to change all that.
With a population of only 43,000 in a compact five square miles, York has an entrepreneurial ecosystem that rivals many of its big-city counterparts. Now a growing slate of incubators and development programs is boosting local food, tech and manufacturing startups.
From throwing parties to incubating companies, Bobby Zappala is working to build a better Pittsburgh. The organization's annual innovation and music festival is happening September 20-24.
Thanks to the Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) program, Southside Bethlehem has become a hotbed for upstart companies, thriving incubators and young urbanites.
Sanctuary is a place of refuge or safety. In urban neighborhoods throughout America, sanctuary is a luxury that can be almost impossible to find. Michael O'Bryan is working to bring that sense of security to North Philadelphia.
This Schuylkill County community has seen its share of hard times. But rather than surrender, local organizations have banded together to revive downtown through entrepreneurship, historical preservation and the arts -- and female business owners are leading the way.
Philly is poised to become a leader both in the humane treatment of shelter animals and the prevention of stray and abandoned pets. We take a look at several organizations working hard to make the city friendlier for its furriest citizens.
The president and CEO of the Manchester Bidwell Corporation is a MacArthur Fellowship winner, published author and community activist who has helped transform Pittsburgh through integrated workforce development and arts education for public school students.