Policy & Data
Designing Development Strategies in Small Towns
Paper highlights need for competent assessment of community resources and opportunities alongside more effective local planning and action.
Coming Out of the Shadows: The Changing Face of Rural Development in the South
Report examines general trends in Southern economic development policy over the last five years in order to establish the context within rural development policies and programs are taking place.
Emerging Themes In State Rural Development
Report summarizes data collected through four interrelated analytic strategies under the State Policy Program (SPP) at the Aspen Institute
Economic Development Strategies of the Great Plains
Paper seeks to examine how state government in Great Plains states see their role in economic development.
A Case Study of Brush, Colorado
This document contains a case study of Brush, Colorado, wherein researchers examined local community health through field research and qualitative surveys.
The Changing Great Plains Economy: New Directions for Economic Policy
Paper examines the economic changes at work in the Great Plains.
Overview of Change in America’s New Economy
Document serves an interim report of Phase 1 of the Great Plains Project.
Rural Strategies & State Development Budget
Paper provides insights from 50 collected interviews with rural development administrators and practitioners in Texas.
Survey of the Future of the Plains
This report examines challenges facing Great Plains communities and presents strategies for success, based on interviews with local leaders and practitioners.
Rural Development Councils: Preliminary Findings and Conclusions
Report reflects the experience of the eight Rural Development Councils initiated as part of the Federal Rural Initiative that provides a baseline of information on the organization and early development of the effort.
Policy Proposals for Economic Development in the Rural South
Report produces a series of policy proposals designed to address the shortcomings and comparative disadvantages of rural Southern economic development.
The Myth of The Coming Labor Shortage in Rural Areas
This Economic Policy Institute briefing paper, "The Myth of the Coming Labor Shortage in Rural Areas," by Ruy A. Teixeira and Lawrence Mishel (March 1992), challenges the conventional wisdom that a "skills mismatch" and a "service economy" will lead to a surge in demand for highly skilled workers, particularly in rural areas.