Article on New Hampshire’s “quiet” innovation highlights NERCRD research

In this opinion piece written for the New Hampshire Business Review, Dr. Charlie French (University of New Hampshire Extension) cites NERCRD research on “latent” or hidden innovation, and provides several examples of “quiet innovation” from rural New Hampshire communities that are leading to gains in employment, income, and quality of life. Dr. French leads UNH Extension’s Community and Economic Development team.

Annual leadership meetings focus on NERCRD 2026 plan of work

November 10, 2025

Over the course of two recent meetings, members of the NERCRD’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), Board of Directors (BOD), and staff gathered virtually to review the Center’s research and outreach accomplishments during the past year and to establish programming emphases for the coming year.

Dispatch from the 2025 NETtra Conference: “Connecting Through Tourism” in Meredith, NH

November 10, 2025

In early October, tourism researchers, educators, and practitioners  from across the country gathered in Meredith, New Hampshire, for the 2025 NETtra conference — a first-time collaboration between the National Extension Tourism Network (NET) and the Northeast Travel and Tourism Research Association (NETTRA). As a longtime partner of NET, NERCRD was proud to sponsor this event, which was hosted by the University of New Hampshire Extension in Meredith, NH. NERCRD’s Stephen Alessi attended, along with Kristen Devlin, who shared this recap. 

Dispatch from the 2025 Maryland Digital Opportunity Summit

October 24, 2025

The 2025 Maryland Digital Opportunity Summit was held on October 15th in Silver Springs, MD. NERCRD Associate Director Stephen Alessi attended and shared this report.

Webinar Recording: Healthy Grandfamilies and Kinship Care

November 18th at 2:00 p.m. ET — Join us to hear how the WVSU Healthy Grandfamilies program educates, supports, and empowers grandparents raising their grandchildren, particularly in rural West Virginia communities. This one-hour webinar will highlight the Healthy Grandfamilies program, the Caring for Our Kin curriculum designed by Penn State and WVU Extension, and real-world insights from a county coordinator who is making a lasting impact on families.

Webinar Recording: Intergenerational Living — The Ridgway and Freeport Pilot Projects

October 16, 2025

October 29th at 1:00 p.m. ET — In this NERCRD webinar, we’ll hear from several members of the Penn State Extension Intergenerational Living Team, about their award-winning pilot projects in the Pennsylvania communities of Ridgway and Freeport. The initiative engaged a diverse group of professionals, worked closely with the communities, and incorporated voices from all age groups to identify local issues, brainstorm solutions, and facilitate collaborative projects aimed at bridging generational gaps.

Innovative businesses may be less likely to be approved for credit loans

October 1, 2025

Innovation helps spur rural economies, but a new study by NERCRD researchers and their collaborators found that while firms incorporating innovation into their business model had higher credit application rates, they were less successful in receiving loans, especially in rural areas.

Farewell and congratulations to NERCRD Business Manager, Kim Boonie!

August 25, 2025

Please join us in congratulating Kim Boonie, NERCRD’s Business Manager, who will be retiring from her position at the end of August. In her six years at NERCRD, she made several improvements to Center operations and helped keep the Center running smoothly through major transitions, including the adoption of a new University financial system, the shift to remote work and back, staffing changes, changes in rules governing Center grants, new grants, and more.

NDEET Strategic Planning Update: National Leaders Convene to Shape the Future of Digital Extension Efforts

August 21, 2025

In the final week of July, 27 participants from 17 states of the National Digital Extension Education Team (NDEET) gathered in Denver, Colorado, for an energizing and forward-focused convening to identify the emerging digital and broadband needs shaping the future of Cooperative Extension. Hosted by the Extension Foundation, the event served as a catalyst for strategic planning and collaboration across key issue areas. NERCRD Associate Director Stephen Alessi attended the event and is excited about the opportunities to collaborate on the program priority areas that emerged from the meeting.

Webinar Recording: The Landscape of Mental Health and Financial Support for Midwest Farmers

August 19, 2025

On Tuesday, September 30, at 1:00 p.m. ET, the Regional Rural Development Centers will host a webinar focused on the range of mental health programs that were developed in response to the challenges facing farmers amid the farm-income crisis of the late 2010s and the COVID-19 pandemic. Our presenters will share findings from the first two years of a five-year research project to understand what the landscape of support in the Midwest looks like and how farmers engage with it. Programmatic and policy implications, along with the project’s next steps, will also be shared.

Upcoming Event

Penn State Land Use Webinar Series continues in August with focus on small farms and green infrastructure

July 11, 2025

The Penn State Land Use Webinar Series is offering five monthly sessions from August through November focused on important community planning topics.