Toward Racial Equity & Rural Prosperity

Legal & policy resources for rural communities

Home to one in five people in the United States, rural America is a rich mixture of people, communities, and cultures that make vital contributions to the social and economic fabric of our nation. Each rural community is unique, with specific strengths and challenges, so factoring local context into policymaking is essential. 

We have an opportunity to build on the assets of communities across the United States to advance equitable development in rural places. Increased awareness of the harms of structural racism and discrimination, the impacts of climate change, and the growing wealth gap have led many communities to consider new solutions to rural inequities. 

To support rural communities in addressing these issues, we’ve designed resources for community-based organizations, local and state policymakers, and other changemakers who want to advance racial equity and rural prosperity.
 

Advancing Rural Prosperity Strategy Brief Twitter
Rural Policymaking
Achieving rural prosperity for all means decreasing place, race, and class divides and increasing BIPOC communities’ participation in decision making. Our collection offers key policies with high potential to drive these outcomes.
Water Access Blog Image
Water Access in Rural Communities
Residents of many rural communities face significant challenges in accessing safe drinking water. Read our blog post about opportunities to improve rural water access and infrastructure.
Improved Housing Quality Blog by OZinOH via Flickr
Improving Housing Quality in Rural Places
Rural housing quality is key for both public health and economic development. Our blog post identifies policies and funding sources that can help preserve aging housing stock and improve housing quality for rural households.
Rural Broadband Blog
Broadband Connection in Rural Communities
Improving broadband connection can facilitate access to clinical care, improve educational opportunities, and stimulate economic development. This blog post details barriers and strategies to support broadband expansion in rural places.
Racial & Economic Justice in Rural Places
Identifying Equitable Policies for Rural Places
Read our blog post to learn how we identified policies with high potential to advance racial and economic justice for rural residents. We feature examples of successful local and state policies.
FY23 VES Episode 3 - Rural
Equitable Policymaking in Rural Communities
This webinar explores innovative policy strategies and solutions to help create opportunity and health equity in rural communities at local, regional, and state levels.

MORE TOOLS FOR EQUITABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT

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