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Rural Health Information Hub

Community Vitality and Rural Healthcare – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Community Vitality and Rural Healthcare.

Capital Absorption Framework
Aims to help communities prepare for capital investment by outlining shared priorities, developing deals and projects that achieve the shared priorities, and developing the platforms and relationships to get the deals and projects accomplished.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Center for Community Investment
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Rural Data Gateway
An information and data portal supporting USDA Rural Development (RD) partnerships with rural communities, entrepreneurs, and government by providing access to RD's financial support in rural America. Offers Rural Investment Dashboards highlighting RD programs and investments to help people in vulnerable rural communities access needed resources for housing, infrastructure, local business, and community development. Data also assists users when analyzing RD investment trends in states, counties, and congressional districts.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
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Integrated Rural Strategies Group
Project that offers resources and opportunities to bring funders together to address rural community needs, particularly related to rural organizing and justice-advancing efforts. Offers information resources, dialogues, and blog posts related to rural initiatives and partnerships.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Neighborhood Funders Group
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Assessment for Advancing Community Transformation Tool
Provides guidance and resources to help community-based teams and individuals identify focal areas for health transformation based on 6 key themes and 22 subthemes using a score-based assessment method.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
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Recreation Economy for Rural Communities
Offers information and resources related to the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program, which supports rural community efforts to develop outdoor recreation economies. Discusses revitalization projects through the program, including investment in broadband service and spaces for outdoor activities. Offers examples of funded projects.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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Rural America Placemaking Toolkit
Provides information and strategies for rural community placemaking through public spaces, community arts, downtown revitalization, and design. Discusses processes for community and cultural assessments, and covers food access initiatives and healthcare in the Cross-Sector Partnerships module. Includes directories of organizations offering technical assistance and financial assistance.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organizations: Community & Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky, USDA Rural Development
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Thrive Rural Framework
Provides information resources to support rural community prosperity through asset-based approaches and collaboration. Publications cover strategies to empower rural communities and facilitate economic development, support community equity, and rural development and health.
Additional links: Assessment Worksheet, Thrive Rural Framework Foundational Element, Thrive Rural Framework Overview, Thrive Rural Framework: Local-Level Building Blocks, Thrive Rural Framework: Systems-Level Building Blocks
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Fixed Broadband Deployment
Mapping tool offering a visualization of fixed broadband deployment based on FCC Form 477 data collected in June and December each year. Provides census-block level estimates, county-level data, and is searchable by address or location. Offers service provider details and area comparisons.
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: Federal Communications Commission
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Broadband Data Collection
Offers broadband tools and resources, including presentations, fact sheets, data, reports, and mobile broadband maps. Aims to provide up-to-date information on the availability of mobile and fixed broadband services to inform service provider and government decisions concerning the expansion of broadband.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Federal Communications Commission
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Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index (SVI)
Data tool that maps social vulnerability at the county-level, which indicates communities that would most likely require support during an emergency, natural disaster, or public health crisis. Data dashboard can present data by state and can be customized based on level of vulnerability according to 6 themes, including socioeconomic status, household composition and disability status, language and minority status, healthcare infrastructure, medical vulnerability, and housing type and transportation.
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:


Last Updated: 5/14/2024