Rural Spotlights

In May, our Community Conversations team visited the Winchester area to learn more about their economic strengths and opportunities.

In April, President Tom Barkin, Regional Executive Matt Martin and Regional Economist Laura Ullrich met with local community and business leaders in North Carolina's Surry and Yadkin counties to gain a fuller understanding of the economic strengths and opportunities facing the region as part of the Bank's Community Conversations program.

As our Community Conversations team learned on a recent trip to Southeastern Virginia, the pull between maintaining a rural, small town feel and embracing the potential benefits of urbanization hangs in the balance.

Matt Martin and Erika Bell share what they learned about workforce development from conversations with business and community leaders in Pickens County and Oconee County, South Carolina.

Proposal submissions are now open for the 2024 Investing in Rural America Conference poster session! Learn about the ways rural communities are addressing economic challenges in this virtual tour of posters from our 2023 conference.

The Richmond Fed Community Conversations team visited two South Carolina counties that are partnering with schools to prepare a skilled workforce.

The Richmond Fed Community Conversations team learned about the economic diversity in Virginia's Northern Neck during a recent visit.

A recent Community Conversations visit to southern West Virginia revealed efforts underway to transform the economy from coal-based to one sustained by natural resources.

The STEM East initiative aims to show students in eastern North Carolina how they can stay and thrive in their home communities.

A Community Conversations visit to two counties in rural western Virginia showcased inviting landscapes that offer opportunities for economic growth.

Bank leaders spent time with leaders in Anne Arundel County in mid-July and Caroline, Talbot and Dorchester counties in mid-August.

A unique partnership between Compass Point Preschool and Northeastern Technical College in Cheraw, South Carolina, makes affordable, high-quality child care accessible to parents entering the labor force.

The Richmond Fed's Community Conversations team discovered a similar focus on workforce development and affordable housing in two regions of South Carolina.

The Richmond Fed's Community Conversations team met with civic, manufacturing and agricultural leaders in Johnston County and Wilson, North Carolina recently.

Carroll County, Virginia, worked closely with Virginia Housing and developer Landmark Asset Services, Inc. to repurpose the county's old high school building into affordable rental housing.

President Tom Barkin shares how small towns in the Fifth District are putting their best foot forward to attract talent.

$440 million in competitive economic development grants from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act have arrived in the Fifth District where the funds are expected to have an outsized impact in rural areas.

The New River Valley Regional Commission is an example of how a regional development organization can galvanize innovative, sustainable regional and local housing strategies to serve its small towns and rural communities.

Kelly Bowers, economic development director for Hertford County, N.C., discusses the challenges and opportunities facing her community. She highlights the importance of collaboration across state lines and the need for infrastructure such as broadband and affordable housing to support growth.

Host Tim Sablik discusses his recent research on the value of entrepreneurs in the economic growth of rural places and small towns, as well as the obstacles that they face compared to more urban communities. Sablik also talks with Erika Bell and Laura Ullrich about what they have learned from their contacts in North Carolina and South Carolina about rural entrepreneurship.

Housing and transportation represent the two largest living expenses in most households, but local investment can address households' travel needs.

Intermediary organizations, including anchor institutions, rural development hubs, and collective impact backbone organizations, play an important role in rural capacity building.

Sierra Latham and Peter Dolkart discuss their work on the availability of affordable housing in small towns and rural communities.

Tressa Gardner provides an overview of the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SiMT), the business incubator and other programs that it operates, and its role in supporting economic development in northeastern South Carolina.

The GoodCare Program in Virginia helps aspiring workers complete career pathways in health care, addressing workforce shortages in a sector essential to equitable pandemic recovery.

Mary Ann Gilmer of Goodwill Industries of the Valleys discusses the nonprofit's training program for healthcare workers and the importance of this work in rural communities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Florence County, the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing Technology and its Gould Business Incubator are fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem and fueling small business development in South Carolina.

The Danville region in Virginia has moved the needle on early childhood education and now has an ecosystem in place to help address future challenges.

Angela Wells discussed how Smart Beginnings Danville Pittsylvania prepares children in Southside Virginia for success in school and in life.

President Tom Barkin shares innovative strategies and success stories from small towns around the Fifth District.

Focusing on a complete household's needs, Garrett County Community Action Committee's integrated "2Gen approach" links children to high-quality early education and their parents to services that build financial security.

Duane Yoder, executive director of the Garrett County Community Action Committee, discusses how his organization adopted a holistic model for addressing poverty in rural communities.

Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) like Woodlands Community Lenders are uniquely positioned to help rural towns address unique challenges through place-based revitalization and by attracting investment.

Dave Clark discusses the role of Woodlands Development Group and his organization's community development financial institution in driving economic development in north central West Virginia.

Vance-Granville Community College's early college high schools and workforce programs are improving education and job opportunities for area residents.

Choptank Electric Cooperative on Maryland's Eastern Shore is an example of how many electric cooperatives are providing broadband service in rural communities.

Tim McGaha of Choptank Electric Cooperative offers his perspective on the company's program to bring broadband Internet to rural communities in Maryland.

Alex Marré and Anna Read discuss how communities can maximize broadband resources.

K-12 remote learning exposes divisions in access to digital resources. A federal broadband service subsidy and new satellite technology may help bridge the gap.