rural development

For more towns and communities across America to share in the benefits of recovery and take advantage of the opportunities offered by the modern economy to thrive, we must revamp federal rural policy.

The Rural Development Innovation Group has identified and highlighted what’s working in rural community and economic development, and championed thoughtful policy and investment recommendations, all with the goal of moving rural America forward.

The Rural Development Innovation Group has identified and highlighted what’s working in rural community and economic development, and championed thoughtful policy and investment recommendations, all with the goal of moving rural America forward.

Good data, fair media practices, and an understanding of organizational needs and assets are fundamental to progress.

Small but mighty, rural-serving organizations work in concert with local people, firms and governments to
fill gaps and adapt to do whatever it is communities need done.

Knowing what is true about rural places and people is a challenge. Too often, people lump all of rural America into one “flyover-country” stereotype. But saying that all of rural America is the same is like saying Detroit and San Francisco are the same, or Birmingham and Boston. This brief shares a few truths worth knowing about rural America.

Data drives policy development. But many datasets fall short in representing rural realities. Given the increasing attention to rural areas in public policy and popular discourse, along with notable trends disadvantaging rural places—persistent poverty and global economic shifts—this search for “good” rural data is timely.