The article is devoted to the analysis of key actors in the development of small territories: the authorities, business representatives, non-profi t organizations and population. In this case, the authorities, business and the third sector of the economy are considered as the main drivers, not only actively participating in the development of the urban environment, but also able to create conditions for increasing the inclusion of the population in the life of the city. The paper presents the results of a part of the sociological research, the purpose of which was to assess the positions of the key actors in the development of small territories, to identify the factors and grounds that influence the increase of civic activity and inhibit the inclusion of the population in its life. The town of Gorodets, Nizhny Novgorod region, was chosen as the object of the study as a typical representative of a small town, which at the same time has its own socio-economic and cultural specifi cs. For a long time, using the case-study method, the author has been studying the socio-economic factors and grounds for the development of this small territory, the transformation of which continues up to this day. The present article is one of a series of publications by the author, based on the author’s research of the small territory, using the methods of expert interviews and questionnaires with a sample of more than 1500 people.