Results are presented of a study on the economic development efforts of ten rural community action agencies (CAAs). This report describes the role played by the various CAAs in the economic development of their communities: the problems faced by the different agencies, the program approaches tried and how these approaches were developed, what the CAAs learned from these attempts, and why the program of one of these agencies appeared uniquely effective. These approaches include efforts to work with various local, state, and Federal agencies and with local business groups as well as to establish self-help enterprises for low income residents. The report then considers how "participation of the poor" in rural CAAs is affected by participation of the CAA in economic development activities and how relationships between the Office of Economic Opportunity and CAAs affect agencies' participation in such activities. Finally, the report probes the potential for CAA participation in the overall economic development of a given area. (author/ly)