Describes rural implementation of the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities program, which combines flexible long-term financing with strategic planning and performance benchmarking to empower impoverished communities to address structural problems comprehensively. Impressive 3-year results include job creation; improved community services;…

Current Population Survey data indicate that in 1991, only 40% of rural workers had received training on current jobs. Less educated, minority, and Southern rural workers were particularly unlikely to receive training. The nonmetropolitan training rate rose modestly, 1983-91, but less rapidly than the metropolitan rate, suggesting that fewer rural…