Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Community and economic development

Loneliness and Social Isolation Are Common in Rural America. Is "Social Infrastructure" the Solution?
Discusses structural factors that contribute to social isolation in rural areas. Features programs in Minnesota, Nebraska, and Alaska that are finding ways to build connection into rural communities.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Unlocking Potential: A Call to Action: Collaborative Strategies for Rural Health and Economic Prosperities
Reports results of discussions with economic and community development practitioners in rural and Indigenous communities on the relationship between development, racial equity, and health equity. Identifies strategies related to program implementation and evaluation, cooperation, goal setting, communication, and more.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
view details
A New Philanthropic Approach to Supporting the Health and Capacity of Rural Communities
Discusses the Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation's efforts to support community development and health equity through its implementation of the Rural Development Hub (RDH) model. Discusses RDHs as facilitators of partnership, cooperation, and philanthropic investment in rural, underserved communities.
Author(s): Roque Barros, Karen Winston
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Grantmakers in Health
view details
Collaboration, Not Competition: Thrive Allen County's Capacity Building Initiatives
Features the work of a Kansas nonprofit, Thrive Allen County, that brings grant funding to the county for its own projects and also helps build the area's capacity through grant writing, technical assistance, and other services.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Promoting Rural Financial Well-Being and Inclusion: Aligning Strategies with Community Needs
Provides measures for financial well-being and defines assets across rural county types, such as high-employment agricultural areas, centers of wealth and health, recreational and cultural areas, and more, and includes economic indicators like income and home ownership rate for each county type. Discusses challenges to financial well-being, strategies to improve economies, and policy considerations.
Author(s): Yipeng Su, Anna Morgan
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
view details
The Future of Broadband Affordability
Presents a recording of a May 2, 2024, hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband. Describes federal approaches to increase broadband access and affordability. Discusses the state of broadband affordability programs, the impact of a potential lapse or end of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), and strategies to address shortfalls in broadband affordability programs.
Additional links: Blair Levin, New Street Research - Testimony, Jennifer Case Nevarez, Community Learning Network - Testimony, Kathryn de Wit, Pew Charitable Trusts - Testimony
Date: 05/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
view details
Coming to Terms with Housing and Homelessness in Rural Places with Marion Mollegen McFadden, HUD
Podcast episode discussing rural homelessness and housing security featuring Marion Mollegen McFadden, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Describes HUD's work related to rural communities. Highlights programs and funding that help rural communities meet housing and community development needs.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc.
view details
SBA's Rural Activities
Describes the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs targeting rural small businesses. Discusses how SBA coordinates with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on rural small business issues, the history of the SBA Office of Rural Affairs, and considerations for Congress.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
USDA Rural Utilities Service's Support for Tribes and Other Indigenous Entities
Provides an overview of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) programs that help offset the costs of building and repairing utility systems in rural areas. Describes the types of tribal and other Indigenous entities eligible to apply for RUS programs. Highlights two USDA Rural Development authorities that can help tribes and other Indigenous entities access RUS programs. Outlines issues Congress may consider if it chooses to constrict, maintain, or expand the laws governing these programs.
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
"Economic Development is Population Health": A New Vision for Rural Hospital Leadership
Describes the role that rural hospital investments can play in contributing to community health. Features a Wisconsin Critical Access Hospital making infrastructure investments in their downtown and a New Hampshire medical center investing in public transit and affordable housing.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details