Kalee Olson is a policy associate for the Center for Rural Affairs and joins Ben Rowley in this episode of the Rural Business Show to discuss some of the Center’s top priorities for the 2023 farm bill and how it will impact rural communities. The Farm Bill comes up in Congress every five years for renewal and is a comprehensive package of laws that provides funding for … [Read more...]
Episode 45: Rural Strategies for Utilizing Federal Funding
The American Rescue Plan set aside $7.5 Billion in relief funds for rural healthcare providers. Even as the money was made available, however, many towns across the U.S. were rejecting this and other Federal Relief Funds, "because they couldn’t think of a way to spend it." Others knew how they wanted to spend it, but had to give it back because they didn't have the resources … [Read more...]
Episode 44: Housing Development Alliance
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...]
Episode 42: Radically Rural
The Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship provides the space, tools and connections that innovative entrepreneurs need to build strong businesses, thriving local economies and vibrant communities. Julianna Dodson is the organization’s Radically Rural Director, and she has gained a wide array of knowledge in some of the struggles that exist in rural communities as well as … [Read more...]