Scott McReynolds is the executive director of the Housing Development Alliance (HDA) in Hazard, Ky. The HDA’s programs have helped more than 2,900 low-income people in rural southeastern Kentucky become new homeowners, make home-improving repairs, and break free of debt. The organization builds homes, provides housing counseling to prepare people for homeownership, offers … [Read more...]
Episode 43: Rural Marketing
Meredith Gernigin is an independent lead generation strategist focused on building small and mid-cap businesses into legacy assets. How? She creates demand with curated, done-for-you marketing tailored to each client’s geographical needs. Her goal? To make businesses worth selling (or passing down) by increasing project leads so they can book and charge more. In the … [Read more...]
USDA invests $1 billion in rural community facilities
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Dr. Jewel Bronaugh announced on Jan. 26 that USDA is investing $1 billion to build and improve critical community facilities in 48 states, Puerto Rico and Guam (PDF, 449 KB). This infrastructure funding will increase access to health care, education and public safety while spurring community development and … [Read more...]
Upcoming conference to showcase entrepreneurship in Tennessee
A four-day event in Nashville, Tenn. is being billed as "the first major gathering of Tennessee's entrepreneurial ecosystem following the pandemic." LanchTN's Innovation Week will include exhibitions of startups, special keynotes, breakout sessions, investor meetings, and legislative meetings. The gathering will be held from March 21st through the 24th and registration is … [Read more...]
Webinar to tackle grocery succession planning
When a rural grocery store owner is ready to move on from the business, finding the right person to take over can often be a challenge. This puts grocery stores, which are often anchor businesses in rural communities, at risk of closing. The Rural Grocery Initiative out of Kansas State Research and Extension is hosting a webinar to discuss this common problem and provide … [Read more...]