# Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group: Committed to equitable rural prosperity

> The Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group is a connecting hub for equitable rural community and economic development\.

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## Pages
- [Accurate Rural Narrative](http://www.aspencsg.org/accurate-rural-narrative/): Learn how accurate rural narratives shape public understanding, policy, and investment through research, practical guidance, and real\-world examples\.
- [Rural Development Hubs](http://www.aspencsg.org/rural-development-hubs/): Thriving rural regions are built through trusted relationships, shared leadership, and long\-term investment in people and place\.
- [Thrive Rural Resource Center](http://www.aspencsg.org/thrive-rural-resource-center/): This resource center brings together all types of rural resources with advocates \& residents telling a comprehensive story of what it takes for rural America to thrive\.
- [Thrive Rural Development Framework](http://www.aspencsg.org/thrive-rural-development/): The Thrive Rural Framework is a tool for taking stock, targeting action, and gauging progress on comprehensive rural development\.
- [About Aspen CSG](http://www.aspencsg.org/about/)

## Posts
- [Building Capacity in Rural \& Indigenous Communities](http://www.aspencsg.org/better-rural-capacity-building/): Insights and learnings from rural practitioners on how organizational capacity and technical assistance can be carefully and intentionally strengthened to grow economies, health, and livelihoods for each and every person in their regions\. 
- [A Reminder To Reporters: If You’ve Seen One Rural Place … You’ve Seen One Rural Place](http://www.aspencsg.org/a-reminder-to-reporters-if-youve-seen-one-rural-place-youve-seen-one-rural-place/): By shaping accurate narratives, we can drive fair and just investments and policies that honor the people and places at the heart of rural and Indigenous communities\. 
- [Measuring Community Capacity Building Workbook](http://www.aspencsg.org/measuring-community-capacity-building-workbook/): This is a workbook focuses on improving the ability of individuals, organizations, businesses, and government in their community to come together, learn, make well\-reasoned decisions about the community’s present and future, and work together to carry out those decisions\.
- [Ten Books for Rethinking Rural and Indigenous Development](http://www.aspencsg.org/ten-books-for-rethinking-rural-and-indigenous-development/): Stories shape how we understand people and places\. This list highlights narratives and research on the systemic forces affecting rural and Indigenous communities\.
- [How Rural Development Hubs Can Strengthen Rural Health Transformation Program Implementation](http://www.aspencsg.org/rural-development-hubs-rural-health-transformation-program-implementation/): Rural Development Hub leaders say new funding like RHTP works best when regions interpret it against existing priorities, coordinate it through existing partnerships, and adapt it to local context — rather than treating it as a distinct program\.

## Resources
- [Maximizing New Federal Investments in Broadband for Rural America](http://www.aspencsg.org/resources/maximizing-new-federal-investments-in-broadband-for-rural-america/): Congress has appropriated billions of dollars to close the digital divide, but rural areas most likely to encounter challenges to access and adoption\. How can smart policy help end the digital divide once and for all?
- [Analyzing the opportunities for rural America in IIJA, CHIPS, and IRA](http://www.aspencsg.org/resources/analyzing-the-opportunities-for-rural-america-in-iija-chips-and-ira/): Brookings Institute authors estimate \>$464 billion, or 45% of the combined appropriations in these three laws, present a significant opportunity for rural America and offer recommendations on how to maximize the benefits\. 
- [The Equity of Economic Opportunity in Rural America](http://www.aspencsg.org/resources/the-equity-of-economic-opportunity-in-rural-america/): Research on rural America’s economic opportunity from CORI highlights growing disparities due to the knowledge economy’s focus on urban areas\. It emphasizes the need for equitable policy and investment in rural regions to address systemic inequities and enable rural participation in the knowledge economy\.
- [Regional Clusters and Rural Development](http://www.aspencsg.org/resources/regional-clusters-and-rural-development-to-what-extent-does-edas-build-back-better-regional-challenge-include-rural-areas/): Implementation of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge offers an enormous opportunity to advance how regional approaches can benefit — or disadvantage — rural places\.
- [Reimagining Rural policy: Organizing Federal Assistance to Maximize Rural Prosperity](http://www.aspencsg.org/resources/reimagining-rural-policy-organizing-federal-assistance-to-maximize-rural-prosperity/): The federal programs available today to promote rural economic and community development serve as a reminder of active federal involvement in the 20th century, but they are outdated, fragmented, and incoherent\. How can federal policy more effectively support development in rural America?

## Stories
- [Healing the Menominee Reservation](http://www.aspencsg.org/stories/healing-the-menominee-reservation/): In a video from The Praxis Project, learn how Menikanaehkem uses a range of initiatives to heal their community and address social and environmental justice issues\.
- [Transforming Persistent Poverty in America \- How Community Development Financial Institutions Drive Economic Opportunity](http://www.aspencsg.org/stories/transforming-persistent-poverty-in-america-how-community-development-financial-institutions-drive-economic-opportunity/): Eight out of 10 US counties in persistent poverty are nonmetro, and the majority of people living in persistent poverty counties are people of color\. PRT examines structural exclusion that affects the nation’s most distressed communities and proposes recommendations to create conditions that advance social and economic opportunity\.
- [Building Assets: Strengthening Community in Low\-Wealth Rural Areas](http://www.aspencsg.org/stories/building-assets-strengthening-community-in-low-wealth-rural-areas/): Learning Communities offer a meaningful opportunity for practitioners to come together to better understand practices, contexts, and trends related to their work\. This report details lessons and recommendations from a six\-month Learning Community focused on strengthening community in low\-wealth rural areas\.
- [Rural America’s Tech Employment Landscape](http://www.aspencsg.org/stories/rural-americas-tech-employment-landscape/): This research highlights key aspects of rural tech employment and why they are crucial for policymakers and rural leaders alike to leverage for enhancing tech education and job opportunities\.
- [Raising the Roof: Solar on Rural and Tribal Housing](http://www.aspencsg.org/stories/raising-the-roof-solar-on-rural-and-tribal-housing/): Despite its many benefits, communities still face numerous challenges to financing and installing solar\. Hear from housing solar experts on their experience deploying solar in rural and tribal communities using a nonprofit development model, and from a Rural LISC partner on shared lessons from a recent solar feasibility study\.

## Staff
- [Bonita Robertson\-Hardy](http://www.aspencsg.org/staff/bonita-robertson-hardy/): Executive Director
- [Erin Cahill](http://www.aspencsg.org/staff/erin-cahill/): Director of Communications
- [Chris Estes](http://www.aspencsg.org/staff/chris-estes/): Departing Co\-Executive Director
- [Sarah Rodman\-Alvarez](http://www.aspencsg.org/staff/sarah-rodman-alvarez/): Bauccio Endowed Executive Director of the Randall Lewis Center for Well\-Being and Research at the University of La Verne

- [Brandy Bynum Dawson](http://www.aspencsg.org/staff/brandy-bynum-dawson/): Senior Program Director for Rural Prosperity and Investment, MDC

## Popups
- [Newsletter Sub Popup](http://www.aspencsg.org/wp_popup/test-popup-for-erin/)

## Categories
- [Report](http://www.aspencsg.org/category/publications/)
- [Tool](http://www.aspencsg.org/category/tool/)
- [Blog](http://www.aspencsg.org/category/blog-posts/)
- [Rural Development Hubs: Map](http://www.aspencsg.org/category/rural-development-hub-state/)
- [Event](http://www.aspencsg.org/category/event/)

## Tags
- [Economic Development](http://www.aspencsg.org/tag/economic-development/)
- [Community Strategies Group](http://www.aspencsg.org/tag/community-strategies-group/)
- [Rural Development Hubs: State Page](http://www.aspencsg.org/tag/rural-development-hubs-stage-page/)
- [Workforce Development](http://www.aspencsg.org/tag/workforce-development/)
- [Local and State Policy](http://www.aspencsg.org/tag/local-and-state-policy/)

## Pillars
- [Equity](http://www.aspencsg.org/pillars/equity/)
- [Infrastructure](http://www.aspencsg.org/pillars/infrastructure/)
- [Jobs \& Workforce Development](http://www.aspencsg.org/pillars/jobs-workforce-development/)
- [Health \& Wellbeing](http://www.aspencsg.org/pillars/health-wellbeing/)

## Topics
- [Policy \& Data](http://www.aspencsg.org/topics/policy-data/)
- [Infrastructure](http://www.aspencsg.org/topics/infrastructure/)
- [Community Voice](http://www.aspencsg.org/topics/community-voice/)
- [Rural Narratives](http://www.aspencsg.org/topics/rural-narratives/)
- [Climate, Energy, Water](http://www.aspencsg.org/topics/climate-environment-energy-water/)

## Optional
- [Sitemap index](http://www.aspencsg.org/sitemap_index.xml)