Policy & Data
Growing Local Philanthropy: The Role and Reach of Community Foundations
This report, "Growing Local Philanthropy: The Role and Reach of Community Foundations," presents the findings of a 2004 survey conducted by the Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group on geographic component funds (GCFs) within U.S. community foundations.
Ten Essential Ingredients: Designing State Programs That Work In Rural Communities
This file, "TEN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS: DESIGNING STATE PROGRAMS THAT WORK IN RURAL COMMUNITIES," is a 1995 guidebook from the Public Sector Development Foundation. It focuses on how states can enhance local capacity for community and economic development in rural areas by using ten essential ingredients for program design, delivery, and development.
Strategies for State-supported Microenterprise Development Systems
This 1994 report, "Strategies for State-supported Microenterprise Development Systems," examines how state governments can support the growth of microenterprises, focusing on the experiences of Montana, North Carolina, and Vermont, and detailing Nebraska's emerging program.
Legalized Gambling as a Strategy for Economic Development
This study, titled “Legalized Gambling as a Strategy for Economic Development,” examines the economic, social, and legal consequences of governments...
Residents’ Perceptions and Attitudes About Limited Stakes Casino Gambling and Its Impact on Community Life.
This file is a survey titled "Residents' perceptions and attitudes about limited stakes casino gambling and its impact on community life." The survey was administered to heads of households in Deadwood, South Dakota, and Black Hawk, Central City, Cripple Creek, and Grand Lake, Colorado. It was supported by the State Policy Program of The Aspen Institute and funded by The Ford Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Unprecedented Disparities, Unparalleled Adjustment Needs: Winners and Losers on the NAFTA ‘Fast Track’
This paper, "Unprecedented Disparities, Unparalleled Adjustment Needs: Winners and Losers on the NAFTA 'Fast Track'," by Michael E. Conroy and Amy K. Glasmeier (August 15, 1992), raises concerns about the distribution of benefits and the magnitude of adjustment costs associated with the proposed North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Overview of Change in America’s New Economy
This report, "A New Vision of the Heartland: The Great Plains in Transition," prepared by the Center for the New West in March 1992, examines the economic, social, political, and cultural dynamics of the Great Plains region. Funded by The Ford Foundation and the Aspen Institute, it challenges traditional views of decline in the Great Plains, arguing that perceived decline is often a misinterpretation of turbulent change.
Who Represents Rural America? An Analysis of Rural Development Needs, Policy, and Institutions
This report, "WHO REPRESENTS RURAL AMERICA? An Analysis of Rural Development Needs, Policy, and Institutions," by Joshua Stein (November 1, 1992), evaluates the effectiveness of the Rural Economic Policy Program (REPP) of the Aspen Institute and explores the need for a new rural development organization
The Strategic Development Organization: Visionary Leadership For State Economic Development
This report from Jobs for the Future, published in August 1992, examines Strategic Development Organizations (SDOs) and their role in state economic development.
Poverty and Work: Utilization of Labor Resources Among the Rural Poor
This report, "Poverty and Work: Utilization of Labor Resources Among the Rural Poor," by Jill L. Findeis and Stephen M. Smith, was prepared for the Ford Foundation's Rural Poverty Program and the Rural Economic Policy Program of the Aspen Institute in November 1992.
Form Without Substance, Past Over Present: The Institutional Failure Of National U.S. Rural Policy
This document, titled "FORM WITHOUT SUBSTANCE, PAST OVER PRESENT: THE INSTITUTIONAL FAILURE OF NATIONAL U.S. RURAL POLICY" by William P. Browne, examines how Congress makes policy, particularly focusing on the use of information and sources of information. The central theme is that Congress is a reactive institution whose choices are limited by its rules.
Charting a New Economic Future: Building a Public Constituency for Workforce Issues
This report explores the urgent need for policymakers to involve the public in discussions about the economy and the labor market. It also suggests ways policymakers can increase public awareness of these issues. The document highlights a gap between public and policy leaders' understanding of workforce issues, citing a 1991 study by the Public Agenda Foundation.