The America’s Rural Opportunity Speaker Series

America’s Rural Opportunity is a series of panel conversations that invites policymakers, economic and community development practitioners, and business and philanthropic leaders to engage in real dialogue around advancing a rural opportunity agenda. These events are a collaboration between the Rural Development Innovation Group and the Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group.

Support for the America’s Rural Opportunity series has been generously provided by: the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Incourage Community Foundation, LOR Foundation, Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Northwest Area Foundation, U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities, Northern Forest Center, and Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group (CSG).

The series helps:

• Uncover the complex reality and diversity of America’s rural places, economies, businesses, development intermediaries – and people.
• Raise understanding about what works in Rural America by exploring enterprising economic development approaches that tap a range of opportunities to build wider and more enduring prosperity – and strengthen productive rural/urban connections.
• Identify what the private, public and philanthropic sectors can do differently to improve rural prospects.