This guidebook presents 64 profiles of successful economic development initiatives in the small towns and rural areas of 37 states. Intended for use by rural and small town leaders and rural economic development specialists, the guide provides ideas, encouragement, and an "insider perspective" on alternative rural development strategies.…

MDC's mission is to help organizations and communities close the gaps that separate people from opportunity. The organization has been working to create positive change in disadvantaged communities for 40 years--by conducting research and demonstrating effective programs at the community level. MDC focuses on three areas: education, economic and…

Explains local development organizations (LDOs), tells how they operate, and gives examples of what they've done. Elaborates on characteristics shared by successful LDOs: flexability, strong and creative leadership, solid local support, adequate funding, and competent, dedicated staff. Recommends strategies for expanding existing industry and…

Medical schools have increasingly ignored underserved communities' needs. Descriptions of five demonstration programs show how community-driven approaches to medical education involve academic and rural communities, select students from underserved areas, and train learners in undeserved communities. The approach also supports underserved…

A bimonthly report describes a recent work to determine the use of satellite educational television in remote and isolated rural communities, especially those inhabited by native Alaskans. It is believed that educational satellite communication has its greatest potential in Alaska because of these conditions. The report describes the scope of the…

Government agencies should investigate alternative service delivery systems in rural areas in order to overcome the problems of scope and distance. In examining alternative technologies, questions of feasibility, efficiency and effectiveness should be addressed. Numerous experiments, demonstrations, random innovations, and research studies have…

This report presents the problems of rural Pennsylvania and proposes solutions to those problems. Because the news media does not systematically report on rural situations, the public lacks awareness concerning the problems in rural Pennsylvania. Rural problems include high unemployment rates, high welfare expenditures, out migration, low…

The title reflects the first and major article in an issue of this newsletter devoted entirely to communication satellites. This series of articles on the potential and applications of communication satellites in development projects is concerned with their development for commercial and public service, development in the Pacific region, SPACECOM…

Nineteen Wisconsin counties were the site of the four-year Rural Development Demonstration Project, one of five such projects in the nation. Among the project's objectives were to accelerate sound economic, social, cultural and environmental development and to provide alternatives for living in non-metropolitan areas while providing greater…

Based on the available documentation of Title V (Rural Development Act of 1972) rural development programs currently underway in the Western Region (13 states), this report summarizes project endeavors to: (1) improve income and employment; (2) enrich environmental quality; (3) enhance social and health amenities; and (4) improve the quality of…

Efforts to design and plan demonstration and/or experimental projects were stressed at this Asian adult educator workshop on literacy and family planning education. Other objectives were to share experiences in preparing, producing, and using instructional and reading materials; to work out a basis for joint planning and pooling of resources; and…

This report outlines the major rural development programs and initiatives of the Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies. Diverse economic realities make necessary differential rural development policies and programs. The federal budget deficit makes it necessary that the government use creative and efficient management techniques to…

By almost any definition, rural America has been medically underserved. This bibliography includes materials available from the National Agricultural Library's (NAL) Rural Information Center. The listed materials include approximately 36 books and monographs, 106 articles, and the names and addresses of 17 related associations. Certain local…

Devoted to data (January 1, 1968-June 30, 1969) on Office of Economic Opportunity and other Federal contracts and grants in the overall training and technical assistance field, this directory alphabetically lists recipient institutions and other organizations. Each item contains the address, length of contract, funding agency, amount granted, and…

A project for developing an effective vocationally-oriented educational program to utilize the capabilities of economically and socially handicapped rural youth was divided into five major phases: (1) an in-depth study of the characteristics of a cross section of families in which the model educational program was tried, (2) an in-depth study of…