Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Community and economic development
21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (P.L. 119-101)
Text of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (P.L. 119-101). Addresses regulatory barriers to new home construction, updates to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, and strengthening community banking operations. Outlines changes to existing programs and policies, as well as new and expanded programs, regarding housing supply, manufactured and rural housing, home ownership, veterans housing, and more.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Congress
view details
Text of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (P.L. 119-101). Addresses regulatory barriers to new home construction, updates to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, and strengthening community banking operations. Outlines changes to existing programs and policies, as well as new and expanded programs, regarding housing supply, manufactured and rural housing, home ownership, veterans housing, and more.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Congress
view details
Rural America's Funding Gap: Why Place-Based Investment Matters | Uneven Ground Webinar
Webinar presenting and discussing findings from Uneven Ground: Local Public Funding Gaps Between Rural and Nonrural America, a report on gaps in rural public investment. Discusses the impacts of public funding systems and policy on rural community development and highlights effective approaches to targeted public investment. Transcript available via video description.
Author(s): Amanda Weinstein, Matt Dunne, Tony Pipa, et al.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center on Rural Innovation
view details
Webinar presenting and discussing findings from Uneven Ground: Local Public Funding Gaps Between Rural and Nonrural America, a report on gaps in rural public investment. Discusses the impacts of public funding systems and policy on rural community development and highlights effective approaches to targeted public investment. Transcript available via video description.
Author(s): Amanda Weinstein, Matt Dunne, Tony Pipa, et al.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center on Rural Innovation
view details
Building Rural Capacity to Navigate Population and Economic Change
Discusses how rural communities and tribal nations gather and apply community resources in response to population change and economic shifts, and the role of Rural Development Hubs in facilitating capacity-building. Includes a case study from Hazard, Kentucky.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
view details
Discusses how rural communities and tribal nations gather and apply community resources in response to population change and economic shifts, and the role of Rural Development Hubs in facilitating capacity-building. Includes a case study from Hazard, Kentucky.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
view details
Average USDA, Rural Development Investment Grew in Every Rural County Type Between 2000 and 2024
Bar chart showing the amount of investment by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development in nonmetropolitan counties. Compares investment amounts between 2000-2011 and 2012-2024 for 6 industry dependency county types.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
view details
Bar chart showing the amount of investment by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development in nonmetropolitan counties. Compares investment amounts between 2000-2011 and 2012-2024 for 6 industry dependency county types.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
view details
Rural Lending and the Need for Expanded Access to Credit: Evaluating and Expanded Threshold for Defining Rurality
Explores how access to credit differs by level of rurality, and discusses how federal rural definitions influence rural lending and finance. Includes data on housing supply, distance to maternal care, access to rural school districts, and other housing and financial metrics.
Author(s): Ani Katchova, Alexander Ryan, Micah Mensing
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: The Ohio State University
view details
Explores how access to credit differs by level of rurality, and discusses how federal rural definitions influence rural lending and finance. Includes data on housing supply, distance to maternal care, access to rural school districts, and other housing and financial metrics.
Author(s): Ani Katchova, Alexander Ryan, Micah Mensing
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: The Ohio State University
view details
Nursing in the Rural West: Challenges and Opportunities for Supporting Rural Students and Communities
Provides a regional perspective on nursing workforce needs in Western rural areas, based on discussions with stakeholders from Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado. Highlights rural nursing student supports, clinical placements, faculty development, and preceptor development.
Author(s): Colleen Falkenstern
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
view details
Provides a regional perspective on nursing workforce needs in Western rural areas, based on discussions with stakeholders from Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado. Highlights rural nursing student supports, clinical placements, faculty development, and preceptor development.
Author(s): Colleen Falkenstern
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
view details
Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities (FRCAs): Health-Related Programs
Provides an overview of congressionally authorized federal regional commissions and authorities (FRCAs), state-federal partnerships that use federal funds for economic development grants and related activities. Discusses the relationship between health and economic development. Describes examples of FRCA health-related grant programs and activities, such as healthcare facility development and equipment, workforce development, business technical assistance, and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Summarizes recent legislation and policy proposals regarding FRCAs and health, as well as considerations for Congress.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
Provides an overview of congressionally authorized federal regional commissions and authorities (FRCAs), state-federal partnerships that use federal funds for economic development grants and related activities. Discusses the relationship between health and economic development. Describes examples of FRCA health-related grant programs and activities, such as healthcare facility development and equipment, workforce development, business technical assistance, and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Summarizes recent legislation and policy proposals regarding FRCAs and health, as well as considerations for Congress.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
Exploring USDA Rural Development Programs
Reports on USDA Rural Development programs and funding provided, with data for select topics by region, year, and investment type. Covers programs related to economic development, housing, community facilities, energy, infrastructure, and more.
Author(s): Anil Rupasingha, James C. Davis, Robert Dinterman
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
view details
Reports on USDA Rural Development programs and funding provided, with data for select topics by region, year, and investment type. Covers programs related to economic development, housing, community facilities, energy, infrastructure, and more.
Author(s): Anil Rupasingha, James C. Davis, Robert Dinterman
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
view details
The Economic Impact of North Carolina's Hospitals
Reports on the statewide and regional economic contributions of 113 hospitals across North Carolina. Features statistics including number of hospitals by county designation and number of beds, with breakdowns by nonmetropolitan, micropolitan, and metropolitan areas.
Additional links: Infographic, Technical Documentation
Author(s): Sara Nienow, Carly Dotson
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Healthcare Association
view details
Reports on the statewide and regional economic contributions of 113 hospitals across North Carolina. Features statistics including number of hospitals by county designation and number of beds, with breakdowns by nonmetropolitan, micropolitan, and metropolitan areas.
Additional links: Infographic, Technical Documentation
Author(s): Sara Nienow, Carly Dotson
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Healthcare Association
view details
Innovation and Collaboration Help Drive Access to Capital in Rural Communities
Discusses the role of nonprofits and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in securing capital funding to support rural communities. Highlights several capital funding resources for rural communities.
Author(s): Jennie Blizzard, Surekha Carpenter
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Fed Communities
view details
Discusses the role of nonprofits and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in securing capital funding to support rural communities. Highlights several capital funding resources for rural communities.
Author(s): Jennie Blizzard, Surekha Carpenter
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Fed Communities
view details