As part of the Richmond Fed’s focus on supporting small town and rural communities, the Investing in Rural America Conference brings rural stakeholders together to explore how to better leverage community assets and create space for rural residents and communities to thrive.
As part of the Richmond Fed’s focus on supporting small town and rural communities, we will host the sixth annual Investing in Rural America Conference on May 20‒21, 2025. This year’s conference theme is Elevating What Works, during which we will spotlight the strategies and solutions that bolster economic and social vitality in rural communities — embracing empowerment, working together and leveraging assets.
Nearly 300 community leaders gathered in Roanoke, Va. for the 2025 Investing in Rural America Conference, to learn, connect and discuss strategies for solving issues affecting our small towns and rural communities – like child care access, the skills gap, and housing shortages.
At the Richmond Fed's sixth annual Investing in Rural America Conference, child care providers and experts shared the challenges of providing affordable, quality early care and education in rural communities, as well as solutions they have developed.
At the Richmond Fed's sixth annual Investing in Rural America Conference, three communities in Virginia and North Carolina shared how they have used on-demand microtransit to address the lack of public transportation options that create barriers for residents without cars.
