This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Community and economic development

Small Towns, Big Opportunities
Report evaluating rural employment opportunities, defined as a "good job" based on income thresholds. Discusses labor force participation among men and women, as well as by race and ethnicity, educational attainment, disability, and more. Offers recommendations for rural growth through education, training opportunities, and emerging industries. Includes rural and urban comparisons in addition to county level maps for each state.
Additional links: State Maps
Author(s): Anthony P. Carnevale, Lulu Kam, Martin Van Der Werf
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce
view details
Redlining The Reservation: The Brutal Cost Of Financial Services Inaccessibility In Native Communities
Report discusses the lack of financial services for tribal communities. Explores the consequences of a lack of financial investment in tribal communities, such as a lack of small businesses, new construction, and economic growth. Provides county-level and tribe-level data for Arizona and New Mexico. Discusses the effect this has on social determinants of health.
Author(s): Dave Castillo, Bruce C. Mitchell, Jason Richardson, Jad Edlebi
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Community Reinvestment Coalition
view details
What's in it for Rural? Analyzing the Opportunities for Rural America in IIJA, CHIPS, and IRA
Evaluates the significance to rural areas of appropriations and authorizations approved by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Identifies rural-significant funding by agency and sector, and discusses economic and financial aspects of allocations and funding structure. Summarizes major appropriations in infrastructure, energy, climate resilience, broadband, environment, and more. Provides recommendations for use and reporting of funds by officials, agencies, and policymakers.
Author(s): Anthony F. Pipa, Elise Pietro
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: The Brookings Institution
view details
Guiding the Work of a Changing Field: Updated Community Development Principles of Good Practice
A recorded webinar that provides an overview of the Community Development Principles of Good Practice, which promotes community engagement and inclusion by considering the needs of disadvantaged populations. Transcription available below description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Margaret Stout, Celina Tchida, Stephen Jeanetta
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Community Development Society, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
view details
Housing Shortages Are Making Recruitment and Retention Even More Challenging for Some Rural Healthcare Providers
Provides an overview of rural housing shortages and affordability concerns. Explains the impact of housing issues on the rural healthcare workforce. Features a housing development program involving a Critical Access Hospital in Colorado and an Oregon hotel conversion that combines units for healthcare workers and supportive housing.
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Community Health Partners in Unexpected Places
Examines how health systems partner with community services such as libraries, barber shops, dollar stores, and others to improve access and reduce health disparities in minority and rural populations. Discusses strategies to increase the use of community health partners, such as co-designing with input from the community, procuring funding, building awareness of available programs, and utilizing novel means to conduct day-to-day operations.
Author(s): Michael K. Hole, Sunjay Letchuman, Allister Chang, Leonard L. Berry
Citation: Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 98(12), 1883-1841
Date: 12/2023
view details
Matchmaking for Community Benefit: The Rural Partners Network Connects Rural Leaders With Federal Resources
Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Partners Network (RPN), which aims to coordinate rural-targeted capacity-building efforts across different federal agencies. Uses place-based economic development, capacity building, and coordination principles to evaluate the program's purpose, program design, and first 15 months of implementation. Describes rural economic development challenges and historical federal capacity-building efforts in rural areas. Offers recommendations for continued assessment and reporting and expanding the geographic reach of RPN.
Author(s): Jenny Tran, Mark Haggerty
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Center for American Progress
view details
Active Iowa: Increasing Physical Activity in Iowa Communities Program - Manual of Implementation
Toolkit details the Active Iowa program and provides information and tools for implementing and evaluating similar programs aimed at promoting active lifestyles in rural communities. Presents the structure of Active Iowa and gives step-by-step guidance on planning and implementation. Features supplemental training videos and other programmatic materials on the toolkit landing page.
Additional links: Landing Page, Supplemental Training Videos
Author(s): Barbara Baquero, Natoshia M. Askelson, Edith Parker, et al.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: University of Iowa Prevention Research Center for Rural Health
view details
Failing Septic Systems in Lowndes County, Alabama: Citizen Participation, Science, and Community Knowledge
Discusses sanitation infrastructure access in predominantly Black, rural Lowndes County, Alabama. Provides data on household demographics, sewage treatment type and availability, home ownership, and more. Discusses barriers to septic system installation, health risks of sewage exposure, and the significance of health equity for underserved communities.
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Albright, Catherine Coleman Flowers, Randall A. Kramer, Erika S. Weinthal
Citation: Local Environment, 29(2), 135-142
Date: 10/2023
view details
Partnering with Faith-Based Organizations to Improve Health and Equity
Provides a discussion among faith-based leaders in Wisconsin and Minnesota regarding their work collaborating with public health partners to promote social, economic, and racial justice. Includes strategies specific to rural areas and churches that assist in bridging cultural divides and creating impactful health policy for all citizens. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Presenter Biographies, Resource Guide
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
view details