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This is the final report for the “Rural Economic and Community Development State Policy Academy” project, submitted by the Council of Governors’ Policy Advisors (CGPA) on November 4, 1993. The project, jointly funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Aspen Institute, aimed to translate rural research into actionable policy for state governments, build state capacity for comprehensive rural development strategies, and support states in setting policy goals and implementing programs. Key activities of the three-year project included:
- Organizing two state policy academies (in 1990 and 1992) for top-level state policymakers to develop strategic policy recommendations for rural communities. The 1990 academy included teams from Arkansas, California, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming. The 1992 academy focused on economically distressed rural areas and included teams from California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Virginia.
- Hosting a second session of the 1992 policy academy in Bellevue, Washington in August 1992.
- Organizing a team leaders meeting in December 1992.
- Writing, publishing, and disseminating a policy book titled Strategies for Rural Competitiveness: Policy Options for State Governments between Fall 1992 and Spring 1993.
The report indicates that the major objectives of the project were achieved, with participating states enacting legislation and revising programs to improve rural services and opportunities. The academies are credited with providing information, facilitating discussion, and fostering a collaborative approach to rural development. The policy book was widely distributed to rural development experts and leaders.The document also includes a final financial report for the Ford Foundation grant (January 1, 1990, to August 15, 1993), showing a total project expense of $598,046 against a total approved budget of $585,600, with the overage to be covered by grantee contributions.Appendices include session outlines for the August 1992 policy academy, staff, faculty, and participant rosters for that session, and the agenda for the December 1992 Rural Team Leaders’ meeting.
