Recently, the Aspen Institute based in D.C. published a report of their findings after nearly a year researching the impact of rural development hubs in rural America.
What's a rural development hub?
The institute define it as a "place-based organizations that work to improve prosperity and well-being by harnessing local and outside resources to design and deliver services and products to people, firms and organizations in their region."
The NEKC is such an organization. Our work is bringing people together across sectors to improve the quality of life for everyone in the Northeast Kingdom. Looks like there's a national movement to improve rural areas and we're proud to be leading the force here in our corner.
What's in the report?
The report discusses the history of rural development and U.S. policy and then delves into the purpose, structure and impact of community hubs.
The report addresses the challenges faced by communities developing hubs and wraps up with "10 Routes to a Stronger Rural Development Ecosystem".
We've got hubs!
A number of community hubs have sprung up in our region to meet the needs of their communities. Spark in Greensboro is a co-working space offering high-speed internet, tech equipment, and printing services in an area lacking in these resources. The Albany Town Hall is also a library and a meeting space for dinners, play groups, presentations and performances.
The NEKC envisions more hubs on the horizon, each addressing the unique needs of community residents. The Institute's report allows us to work from existing models so we have the best chance of creating hubs that are effective and sustainable.
