Community Vitality and Rural Healthcare – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Community Vitality and Rural Healthcare.
Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index (SVI)
Data tool that maps social vulnerability at the county-level, which indicates communities that would most likely require support during an emergency, natural disaster, or public health crisis. Data dashboard can present data by state and can be customized based on level of vulnerability according to 6 themes, including socioeconomic status, household composition and disability status, language and minority status, healthcare infrastructure, medical vulnerability, and housing type and transportation.
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health
view details
Data tool that maps social vulnerability at the county-level, which indicates communities that would most likely require support during an emergency, natural disaster, or public health crisis. Data dashboard can present data by state and can be customized based on level of vulnerability according to 6 themes, including socioeconomic status, household composition and disability status, language and minority status, healthcare infrastructure, medical vulnerability, and housing type and transportation.
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health
view details
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.
Sponsoring organization: Build Healthy Places Network
view details
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.
Sponsoring organization: Build Healthy Places Network
view details
County Data Maps from CEARH
Provides maps of the contiguous U.S. that represent data related to healthcare access at the county level, healthcare industry characteristics in rural counties, socio-demographic characteristics, and rural health characteristics. Map indicators can be adjusted to reflect specific types of data.
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
view details
Provides maps of the contiguous U.S. that represent data related to healthcare access at the county level, healthcare industry characteristics in rural counties, socio-demographic characteristics, and rural health characteristics. Map indicators can be adjusted to reflect specific types of data.
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
view details
Distressed Communities Index Interactive Map
Mapping tool that applies the Economic Innovation Group's Distressed Communities Index (DCI) to searchable areas including counties, zip codes, and congressional districts. Ranks communities according to a 5-tier system from prosperous to distressed, offering a specific distress score and data on DCI factors including poverty rate, housing information, income, and education.
Sponsoring organization: Economic Innovation Group
view details
Mapping tool that applies the Economic Innovation Group's Distressed Communities Index (DCI) to searchable areas including counties, zip codes, and congressional districts. Ranks communities according to a 5-tier system from prosperous to distressed, offering a specific distress score and data on DCI factors including poverty rate, housing information, income, and education.
Sponsoring organization: Economic Innovation Group
view details
Community Resilience Estimates
Offers state and county profiles focused on community resilience, the capacity of community members to deal with and recover from a disaster and its related health, social, and economic impacts. Identifies risk factors for households and individuals, such as poverty level, unemployment, language barriers, and health status, and shares the risk factor results by county within each state and by census tract within each county. Also provides access to a supplemental data set focused on social vulnerability and equity.
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
view details
Offers state and county profiles focused on community resilience, the capacity of community members to deal with and recover from a disaster and its related health, social, and economic impacts. Identifies risk factors for households and individuals, such as poverty level, unemployment, language barriers, and health status, and shares the risk factor results by county within each state and by census tract within each county. Also provides access to a supplemental data set focused on social vulnerability and equity.
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
view details
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Rural Health
Features rural health initiatives, articles, and other related content to demonstrate the connection between health, rural community and economic development.
Sponsoring organization: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
view details
Features rural health initiatives, articles, and other related content to demonstrate the connection between health, rural community and economic development.
Sponsoring organization: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
view details
Cooperative Extension System
Provides opportunities for collaboration, professional development, and access to resources and tools on a variety of topics including: adapting to new technology, preparing and responding to emergency situations, improving nutrition and food safety, and protecting the environment.
Sponsoring organization: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
view details
Provides opportunities for collaboration, professional development, and access to resources and tools on a variety of topics including: adapting to new technology, preparing and responding to emergency situations, improving nutrition and food safety, and protecting the environment.
Sponsoring organization: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
view details
Rural Development Innovation Center
Website providing information about the Rural Development Innovation Center, which features resources and best practices for rural communities seeking to improve quality of life through job creation, infrastructure improvements, community partnerships, and more.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
view details
Website providing information about the Rural Development Innovation Center, which features resources and best practices for rural communities seeking to improve quality of life through job creation, infrastructure improvements, community partnerships, and more.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
view details
Rural Cooperatives Magazine
Magazine focused on the challenges and successes of rural cooperatives across the country. Featured bimonthly issues published by USDA Rural Development. Ceased publication in 2018, but web editions of past issues are available.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
view details
Magazine focused on the challenges and successes of rural cooperatives across the country. Featured bimonthly issues published by USDA Rural Development. Ceased publication in 2018, but web editions of past issues are available.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
view details
Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Locator
An interactive search tool that allows people to locate community development financial institutions in their area. Includes search options by organization, state, organization type, and lending type.
Sponsoring organization: Opportunity Finance Network
view details
An interactive search tool that allows people to locate community development financial institutions in their area. Includes search options by organization, state, organization type, and lending type.
Sponsoring organization: Opportunity Finance Network
view details
Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
Last Updated: 4/25/2025