Housing continues to be a difficult challenge for rural communities. Often, jobs are unfilled because of a lack of adequate and affordable housing. Attracting builders is a challenge as is an increasing number of units being used as vacation properties. Community Rebuilds based in Moab, Utah addresses these challenges by building energy-efficient, affordable homes. The … [Read more...]
Capturing America’s Rural Voice: Town Hall Series Empowers Rural Communities
With the loss of local news media, rural perspectives are at risk of fading away. Several groups in Minnesota are banding together to change that. The United States has lost more than two newspapers per week since 2005, according to Northwestern University’s “State of Local News 2023.” Over 200 counties around the country do not have a single news source, and most of those … [Read more...]
Bridging the Gap: Connecting Rural Business Owners to Opportunity
A community-based organization called the Arkansas Human Development Corporation (AHDC) is bridging resource gaps in rural communities to help small business owners access resources, grow and innovate. AHDC was founded 52 years ago to provide workforce development services to farm workers displaced by industrialization. Over the years, the organization has expanded into … [Read more...]
Episode 50: Rural Voice
The Rural Voice series, hosted by Minnesota Public Radio’s Kerri Miller, captures imaginative and illuminating town hall conversations about the rewards and challenges of making a home in rural America. The town hall meetings are lively, engaging and enlightening as the host nudges rural Minnesotans to open up on important issues including entrepreneurship, housing, … [Read more...]
Rural Economic Development Expert Identifies What Makes for a Vibrant Small Town
Rural North Carolina is home to the second largest rural population in the country. Residents here often appreciate the strong sense of place rural living provides. And while these residents have weathered their fair share of hardships over the past couple decades, current economic forces have presented new opportunities to build a more vibrant future, according to Patrick … [Read more...]