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.

Recordings available for impact-evaluation webinar series by CRD Indicators Team

December 6, 2018

If you missed one of the webinars organized this year by the National Community and Economic Resource Development (CRD) Indicators Team team, fear not — recordings are available online for viewing anytime. The team collaborates to share compelling stories about the collective impacts of community and economic development work, at local, state, regional and national levels.

UNH’s Molly Donovan receives APLU’s Northeast Excellence in Extension Award

December 6, 2018

Molly Donovan, a University of New Hampshire Extension community and economic development state specialist, received the Northeast Regional Award for Excellence in Extension from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU) last month. The APLU awards committee praised Donovan’s work with “citizen volunteers and leaders to build resilient communities and a strong economy” in New Hampshire cities and towns. UNH Extension Dean and Director Ken La Valley accepted the award on Donovan’s behalf at APLU’s annual meeting in New Orleans. Congratulations, Molly!

NACDEP call for presentation proposals is now open

December 5, 2018

The National Association for Community Development Professionals (NACDEP) is now accepting proposals for presentations, workshops, and posters for its 2019 conference. The conference, which has the theme of “Homegrown to New Heights,” will be held in Asheville, NC, June 9-13.

Study of Northeast food system advances understanding of regional potential

October 23, 2018

After seven years of analyzing a number of consumption, distribution, production, and other aspects of the Northeast U.S. food system, researchers from Penn State and 10 other universities and organizations have made significant gains in understanding the extent to which the region can increase production of certain foods, and potentially better meet the food needs of low-income populations in the locations they studied. Findings and outputs from the project, which concluded earlier this year, will be useful to food system planners, policy makers, researchers and advocates interested in advancing regional food systems.

R&D-heavy firms thrive in diverse economies

October 22, 2018

Companies that invest heavily in research and development are more likely to benefit from locating near dissimilar businesses, while companies that invest less in technology are better off near businesses in their own industry, according to new research by a team of economists. The findings can help business owners and policy makers design better business strategies and economic policies.

Rural and urban communities need different policies to boost economic mobility

October 21, 2018

The farther away from a city a person is raised, the more likely they are to climb the economic ladder, according to economists, who also found that community characteristics associated with upward mobility actually have different effects in rural and urban locations.

Poor mental health days may cost the economy billions of dollars

October 20, 2018

Poor mental health ranks as one of the costliest forms of sickness for U.S. workers and may sap billions of dollars from the country’s income growth, according to a team of researchers including Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development staff.

Northeast Center welcomes two new members to its Board of Directors

October 19, 2018

There were some new faces at the Northeast Center’s in-person meeting of its Board of Directors (BOD) and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) this year. Richard Rhodes III, Executive Director of the Northeastern Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (NERA), and Bernadette (Bunny) Reichle, Northeast CARET Chair, each joined the Board of Directors for a three-year term.

University of New Hampshire (UNH) Cooperative Extension’s Community and Economic Development program launches newsletter

October 17, 2018

The UNH Community and Economic Development Update is a quarterly newsletter that includes stories about local community and economic development programs, information about upcoming workshops and events, and resources for new community and economic development topics.

Report: Residents of rural U.S. largely optimistic about the future and like where they live

October 16, 2018

A poll conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, National Public Radio, and Harvard University shows that rural residents like their jobs and say they are doing better than their parents—but worry about drug abuse and their local economies.