A mini-conference on rural schools and community development brought together experts in rural community, rural education, and economic development to brainstorm ideas for collaborative projects and produce a helpful conceptual design for use both by rural communities and their schools. This document offers a synthesis and overview of the experts'…

Communities with a flexible, open leadership structure may weather energy booms better than communities with old-guard leadership cliques, according to a study of community governance in two small Texas towns. Although similar in location, ethnic composition, population, access to transportation, economic base, and importance in the county,…

This annotated bibliography is designed to assist rural leaders seeking ways to effectively structure successful job development projects in their communities. The 120 entries are listed in the main body alphabetically by author, and are grouped in the index into categories reflecting Thomas's "seven hallmarks of successful rural development": (1)…

In 1978, the U.S. Congress established the Pinelands National Reserve on a million-acre landscape of New Jersey woodlands, farms, marshes, suburbs, towns, rivers, and bays. The reserve was to protect not only the region's great natural beauty and scientific value, but also the cultural life of its people, which is largely undocumented. In 1983,…

This paper offers definitions and descriptions, and explores the dynamics, of "strategic grantseeking" as a means of supporting economic development programs. Strategic grantseeking is a natural and dynamic tool usable with any economic development program. It consists of a set of concepts, procedures, and tools which are integrated into…

This symposium investigates the condition of urban Latinos and Blacks two decades after reports by the Kerner, Eisenhower, and Katzenbach commissions recommended sweeping reforms in urban policy. Twenty-nine researchers, politicians, and policymakers analyze the condition of the urban poor and the role of minorities in forming policies. The…

In reaction to the economic risks associated with an over reliance on oil and gas exports, residents of the Midland/Odessa area of Texas began seeking diversification options for the local economy and, in 1986, formed the Midland/Odessa Health and Retirement Endeavor (MOHRE). This non-profit corporation was formed to examine the feasibility of…

This study describes the status of 34 million rural women and analyzes how they and their families will be directly affected by cuts in the 1983 federal budget in the areas of legal services, vocational education, domestic violence intervention, energy assistance and alternative energy development, public housing, unemployment compensation, social…

Presenting a base of general information that local business people and government officials involved with downtown revitalization should be familiar with in order to understand the range of options available and factors that will influence the outcomes of any revitalization program, the paper summarizes current theories, trends, studies, and…

This document provides secondary education instructional materials for teaching about selected areas of Chicago (Illinois) history. Designed to support 19th and 20th century U.S. history lessons, it features a lesson plan developed to introduce students to the history and contemporary focus of Chicago's public works. The lesson plan contains: (1)…

Numerous factors can make an area attractive to high technology industries, including: (1) local exclusionary zoning and restrictive covenants which seek to enhance the beauty of industrial park areas; (2) mutually beneficial affiliations with universities; (3) installation of special utility lines to minimize disruption of service to park areas;…

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…

This report analyzes the distribution of immigrants in Neighborhood Development Areas (NDAs) and other Community Districts of New York, New York based on the 1980 U.S. Census. A Community District is designated as an NDA by the Community Development Agency (CDA) if more than 20,000 of its residents are recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent…

Computer equity is the equal opportunity for each individual to use a computer and learn the same subjects at the same level. Every community has some aspect of computer inequity, be it based on gender, income level, race, age, academic achievement, geography, or subject matter. The community activist who wants to promote equal access to computers…

An in-depth study of five successful rural Nebraska communities with populations ranging from 450 to 6,000 was undertaken to determine why some rural communities are coping with fundamental restructuring while others seem to have surrendered to the current agricultural economic crisis. Background information was gathered on each community, and…