Regression results reveal there are geographic determinants of poverty. Even when demographic, labor-market, institutional, and fiscal correlates of poverty are controlled for, counties bordering high-poverty counties have poverty rates 3.4-3.8 percentage points higher simply because of their location. Economic development resources should focus…

The Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI), supported by the Ford Foundation, sought to energize distressed rural communities and the local colleges that serve them. Through a structured process of guided intervention, 24 colleges and their communities learned how to build new partnerships, adapt new ideas to local needs, and implement…

The growing importance of multiple-income strategies in the changing rural Appalachian economy is discussed via a case study of a network of female home-based machine-knitters. Social networks are an important part of the knitters' recruitment and training process, promote leadership development, and help overcome some of women's economic…

This book outlines the competitive challenge facing rural America and discusses signs of hope for the rural economy. It reports some "secrets of success" in 16 rural farm belt counties that have gained employment while most rural areas are losing jobs. It also describes new state initiatives to help rural communities and lists operating…

Examines development of rural communities and regions that depend on extractive industries (involving removal of raw materials from nature). Discusses "addictive activities" in such communities characterized by rising operation costs and declining commodities' prices. Discusses community and regional characteristics contributing to…

This report is a blend or summary of six reports that dealt with rural development, especially labor adjustment, in the Ozark and Delta regions of Arkansas. The studies were initiated mainly at the request of policy makers in the Delta and Ozarks areas of Arkansas. Several writers have suggested that "culture of poverty" is a major…

Despite increased government investments in education, West Virginia continues to have one of the nation's highest high school dropout rates and is among the states with the highest unemployment rates. Human capital theory provides the conceptual basis for evaluating the relationship between investment in education and economic development. An…

An estimated 44,340 longer term resident households in rural Kentucky were studied to identify the variables that explained changes in household income status between 1974-79. In a nine-county area of south-central Kentucky, rapid employment growth between 1974 and 1979 created new job opportunities, but employment growth did not benefit all…

Examines six federal programs offering direct credit assistance to nonfarm businesses in nonmetropolitan areas, 1983-89. The Small Business Loans Program provided 72% of funds. Nonmetropolitan areas overall received federal credit assistance proportional to nonmetro percentage of national population, but assistance was disproportionately low in…

This book examines predominantly rural regions of the United States that lag behind the rest of the country in income, employment, access to services, and measures of education and health. Case studies of nine regions examine historical background; current economic and social conditions (including demography, educational attainment, and…

Describes a study that was conducted to determine the information needs of women in rural areas of Nigeria. Survey results are reported concerning age, education, occupation, economic status, and sources of useful information; and solutions to solve the information gap that center around disseminating information through radio messages are…

A study of 149 nonmetropolitan Southern counties used data for 1973 and 1983 to examine the effects of rural industrialization in the region. Variables studied were population size, number of manufacturers, rate of family poverty, and percent of high school graduates. A comparison of white (75% or more whites in the population) and nonwhite (more…

Designed as Phase I of a project directed toward the eventual establishment of multi-purpose, cooperative, local organizations concerned predominately with the socio-economic development of low income rural families in northwest Florida, this survey project was conducted in six counties which were selected according to rurality, incidence of…

Rural areas' population growth, location, level of economic activity and social well-being depend less on natural resource endowments than on such factors as transportation, communication, labor force characteristics, and urbanization. General causes of the 1970's urban-to-rural migration included fewer changes in the structure of agriculture,…