Describes a three-phase program designed by the Anne Arundel County Community Action Agency to help the rural poor; includes development of human resources, housing, and economic resources. (JM)

Information from a two-state statistical study provides a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of community programs to attract industry, plant site development, industrial bond financing, and improved support to schools. A linear probability model is used to estimate chances of success of such efforts. (JOW)

Examines indigenous capacity for local community development. Examines new economic development initiatives by communities, nature of relationships between local and larger economies, and how relationships affect local capacity for new economic activities. Discusses benefits of spatial framework in rural development and planning. (TES)

Among nonmetro retirement counties, those with a relatively high (over 16 percent) proportion of elderly were economically much stronger than total retirement counties. Strengths of retirement counties included rapid growth in population and employment and moderate increases in income. Potential weaknesses were reduced public spending for…

Adventuresports Institute offers a two-year degree program at Garrett Community College (McHenry, Maryland) that combines courses in adventure sports with economics, marketing, environmental science, and events management. The goal is to develop an infrastructure for the adventure sport industry and promote economic development in Appalachia based…

A survey of 450 North Carolina employees indicates that jobs are better in outside-owned firms than in local firms and that, regardless of the ownership locale, urban Piedmont labor markets provide better jobs than rural labor markets. Analyses suggest that outside firms may be undermining local relations of production in rural North Carolina.…

Analysis of survey data from 539 community leaders in 120 rural Pennsylvania school districts found that, when the effects of need and socioeconomic and ecological characteristics were controlled, past community action and community solidarity had significant effects on adoption of various local economic development strategies. (TD)

Three small Colorado towns that faced a declining economy as the mining resource ran out used gambling-based tourism as a strategy for community development. Although economic benefits to the towns have far exceeded expectations, negative social, environmental, and political changes, such as crime alcoholism, traffic problems, and conflicts…

In 1994, a multiagency service team, consisting of state and federal agencies, colleges, private consultants, and nonprofit organizations, was formed to coordinate delivery of technical assistance services to small manufacturers in Maine's wood products industry. Results were generally positive but showed the need to carefully match assistance…

The rural communities of the North American Great Plains are experiencing fundamental economic and social changes that threaten their very existence. While local projects offer hope for survival, many communities lack the knowledge needed to envision and evaluate their possible futures. As a consequence, communities may pursue survival strategies…

Both the rural economy and the disability community in rural areas can benefit from a recognition that they are mutually dependent. With the decline of rural America, the economic base underpinning all aspects of disability support systems is weakening. In addition, rural disability services often are compartmentalized along functional lines with…

Home to 65 million people, rural America is no longer insulated from national and international events. Once dependent entirely upon agriculture and natural resource industries, today rural America relies upon manufacturing and service industries. Jobs and other income opportunities in rural America must respond to global business cycles and…

This report identifies those federal programs that are essentially rural and pursue economic development purposes. Using the 10 Beale population codes, 2,097 of the 3,096 U.S. counties, containing 16% of the U.S. population, were defined as rural (had urban populations of less than 20,000). The approximately 800 federal domestic assistance…

Intended for rural development practitioners and extension educators, this publication examines trends and issues in the revitalization of rural America. Chapter 1 defines community economic vitality as the capacity to ensure a flow of jobs and income over time; focuses attention on the realities of competition between communities and the…