An in-depth study of five successful rural Nebraska communities with populations ranging from 450 to 6,000 was undertaken to determine why some rural communities are coping with fundamental restructuring while others seem to have surrendered to the current agricultural economic crisis. Background information was gathered on each community, and community leaders were asked a series of questions related to quality of life, the economy, leadership, and future planning. The information gathered was analyzed for characteristics in common across all communities and used to write community profiles. A synthesis of insights into community success led to development of a series of 20 possible clues to rural community survival. The clues include points such as evidence of community pride, emphasis on quality in business and community life, careful use of fiscal resources, sophisticated use of information resources, willingness to seek help from the outside, and strong belief in and support for education. This report includes case studies of the five successful Nebraska communities (Broken Bow, Chadron, Eustis, Geneva, and Wausa) and an annotated list of the 20 clues to rural community survival. (JHZ)