rural economic development

This Is What Capacity Looks Like: Building Development Muscle in Rural and Native Nation Communities

Producer
The Aspen Institute
Year

It is often said that rural and tribal communities and organizations need more capacity to fully engage or solve problems in their regions. But what, exactly, equals “capacity”? What key components of capacity need to be carefully and intentionally strengthened so that locally led organizations in rural and Native nation communities can more effectively strengthen economies, health and livelihoods for all in their regions? What does it take for rural and tribal organizations to build capacity, and what barriers stand in the way?

Watch this video by the Aspen Institute to hear answers to these questions from national technical assistance providers, Indigenous leaders, and local rural development innovators. Gain insight that can help understand and explain capacity in plain(er) terms – and contribute your perspective to the mix. This event was held in conjunction with the Housing Assistance Council’s national conference.

Event resources

Featuring:

Shonterria Charleston, Director of Training and Technical Assistance, The Housing Assistance Council

Miriam Jorgensen, Research Director, Native Nations Institute & Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development

Cheryal Lee-Hills, Executive Director, Region Five Development Commission

Linetta Gilbert, Managing Partner, Gilbert and Associates

Native Nation Building: It Helps Rural America Thrive

Year

This second paper in the Aspen Institute's Thrive Rural Field Perspectives series shows that when tribes center sovereignty, Indigenous institutions and culture in their development processes they increase the probability of reaching their development goals and can build community wealth that is more in line with tribal values and lifeways. The authors also highlight how Native nations and rural communities, working both side-by-side and together, can strengthen the potential for thriving rural regions.

Resource Type
Citation

M Jorgensen & S Gutierrez. 2021. Native nation building: It helps rural America thrive. Community Strategies Group, Aspen Institute, Washington, DC. November.

Investing in Rural Prosperity Chapter 7: Native America x Rural America: Tribal Nations as Key Players in Regional Rural Economies

Year

The seventh chapter in Investing in Rural Prosperity, "Native America x Rural America: Tribal Nations as Key Players in Regional Rural Economies", outlines the diversity of Native nations, including with respect to governmental structure and economic opportunity. It also explores the history and evolution of Native economies, the effect that European colonization and U.S. government policy have had on economic opportunity in Indian Country, and efforts by Native people to improve Native economic prosperity. The authors highlight ongoing challenges to improving Native economies, including the still small on-reservation private and nonprofit sectors, and the need for continued improvements in creating business friendly legal infrastructure and access to capital. The chapter concludes by showcasing instances in which cooperation between Native nations and nearby non-Native communities have led to improved quality of life for both and proposes that increased regional collaboration could result in substantial mutual gains for both tribal and rural communities.

Investing in Rural Prosperity, published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis in collaboration with the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, seeks to help rural individuals and communities achieve shared economic prosperity. By outlining a framework for how to approach rural development successfully and showcasing stories of progress in different communities—as well as highlighting recommendations for action by policymakers, practitioners, funders and researchers—the editors and authors hope to advance this important goal.

The book includes contributions from 79 authors in the United States and abroad, representing financial institutions, nonprofits, philanthropies, academia and government agencies. The chapters touch on a wide range of topics, including entrepreneurship support, workforce development, energy efficient manufactured housing, and digital inclusion. The book delves into the challenges of our past and the promise of our future. Ultimately, Investing in Rural Prosperity is a call to action, so we can realize that promise—together.

The views expressed in the book do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, or the Federal Reserve System.

Native Nations
Resource Type
Citation

Jorgensen, Miriam, and Joan Timeche. “Investing in Rural Prosperity Chapter 7: Native America x Rural America: Tribal Nations as Key Players in Regional Rural Economies” Saint Louis Fed Eagle, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, 23 Nov. 2021, https://www.stlouisfed.org/community-development/publications/invest-in-rural

 

 

The Best Practices in Rural Alberta Project

Producer
The Rural Alberta Project
Year

The Best Practices in Rural Alberta Project culminated in September 2012, after two and a half years of community engagement; research into the examination of leadership strengths and practices; incredible youth development; and video capture in preparation for a documentary film. This documentary profoundly captures the core essence and power of Indigenous economic development in Alberta...

Resource Type
Citation

The Rural Alberta Project. "The Best Practices in Rural Alberta Project." The Banff Centre. Banff, Alberta. September 2012. Documentary. (https://documentaryaddict.com/films/the-best-practices-in-rural-developm..., accessed September 20, 2016.)