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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Community and economic development

Advancing Prosperity in Rural Indiana: Seven Priorities for Creating Thriving Rural Places, Businesses, and Families
Outlines the priorities for supporting rural Indiana such as providing citizens with essential goods and services, employment opportunities, broadband connection, housing, access to child care, and more. Includes data on rural versus urban population changes, median income, unemployment, immigration, poverty, mental stress, commute time, housing costs, internet access, education, and county-level percentages related to volunteering, population, job automation risk, and more.
Author(s): Carl Rist, Allan Freyer
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute
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Integrated Rural Strategies Group
Project that offers resources and opportunities to bring funders together to address rural community needs, particularly related to rural organizing and justice-advancing efforts. Offers information resources, dialogues, and blog posts related to rural initiatives and partnerships.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Neighborhood Funders Group
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The Toolkit for Everyone Aligning and Measuring (The TEAM)
Toolkit for collaboratives to help measure the alignment of systems and actions across sectors to improve community health and well-being in sustainable ways.
Type: Tool
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
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Recreation Economy for Rural Communities
Offers information and resources related to the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program, which supports rural community efforts to develop outdoor recreation economies. Discusses revitalization projects through the program, including investment in broadband service and spaces for outdoor activities. Offers examples of funded projects.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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Rural Health Capital Resources Council Project
Describes the Rural Health Capital Resources Council, comprising over 30 national organizations, philanthropic organizations, regional community development finance organizations, and federal agencies. Represents finance, housing, economic development, rural health, broadband, and the many components that promote healthy communities. Includes links for Council presentations.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Rural America Placemaking Toolkit
Provides information and strategies for rural community placemaking through public spaces, community arts, downtown revitalization, and design. Discusses processes for community and cultural assessments, and covers food access initiatives and healthcare in the Cross-Sector Partnerships module. Includes directories of organizations offering technical assistance and financial assistance.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organizations: Community & Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky, USDA Rural Development
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Thrive Rural Framework
Provides information resources to support rural community prosperity through asset-based approaches and collaboration. Publications cover strategies to empower rural communities and facilitate economic development, support community equity, and rural development and health.
Additional links: Assessment Worksheet, Thrive Rural Framework Foundational Element, Thrive Rural Framework Overview, Thrive Rural Framework: Local-Level Building Blocks, Thrive Rural Framework: Systems-Level Building Blocks
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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The American Dream Prosperity Index
Assesses the economic, institutional, and social aspects of prosperity across the United States over the past decade. Features state-by-state breakdowns of prosperity increases and decreases. Examines 11 pillars of prosperity, made up of 48 different elements, measured by over 200 state-level indicators. Includes a county-level index for 12 selected states.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Legatum Institute
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A Primer for Multi-Sector Health Partnerships in Rural Areas and Small Cities
Provides an overview of community-level investments in rural communities and small cities to support healthy lives through multi-sector efforts. Discusses the roles of healthcare, rural philanthropy, and community development organizations in supporting community health. Provides a toolbox that explores key terms, offers case studies, data sources, and links to national and local partners.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Build Healthy Places Network
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READY Nonprofits
Learning track offering online training and coaching to help Appalachian nonprofits, community foundations, local governments, and Local Development Districts increase their own capacity, strengthen their organizations, and better serve their communities. Topics for instruction include board development, financial management, fundraising, recruitment and retention, marketing communications, and programs and operations.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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