Policy & Data
Small Towns, Big Picture: Rural Development
Report focuses on refining efforts to take advantage of changing rural economic development opportunities through grounding them in an understanding of certain related and long-term trends.
Industrial-Strength Strategies: Regional Business Clusters and Public Policy
Book explains, explores and illustrates how policymakers and practitioners, particularly in rural areas- can move toward cluster-focused economic development.
Mil Duncan’s Comments on Rural American Policy
Remarks by Mil Duncan on RSS Session "Rural America, Rural Women, and Public Policy."
Investing In People Project Curriculum
Purpose of curriculum is: (1) to outline the Investing in People (IIP) projects for states and other parties interested in replicating it; and (2) to describe the resources, products and rationale that were used with the five states involved in the project.
Ten Essential Ingredients: Designing State Programs That Work In Rural Communities
Guidebook is intended to highlight innovative and successful actions, policies and programs which states can use to help individual rural communities.
A Handbook for State Policy Teams for a Competitive Workforce
Purpose of this handbook is to describe the methodology of the Investing in People Project; describe what happened to the state teams during the project; summarize what the teams achieved; and distill lessons from other states that may wish to consider undertaking such a project.
School-to-Work: A Guide for State Policymakers
Paper focus on state-level system-building strategies related to school-to-work systems that connect traditional educational experiences to work-place learning.
Working Together for a Competitive Workforce: A Handbook for State Policy Teams
This handbook, titled “Working Together for a Competitive Workforce: A Handbook for State Policy Teams,” details the Investing in People...
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...
Raising the Floor: The Effects of the Minimum Wage on Low-Wage Workers
Paper aims to examine the real value of minimum wage declines and its impact on the American workforce, particularly paying attention to rural workers.
Selecting States: Proposal Submission & Review Process
Document provides a comprehensive list of Request for Proposals (RFP) of state legislative leaders applying for an Investing in People Project (IIP) designed to formulate, refine, and implement integrated systems for workforce preparation and economic development.