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.

2025 NETtra Tourism Conference Proceedings extends the reach of conference and tourism research

January 7, 2026

In a first-time collaboration between the National Extension Tourism (NET) Network and the Northeast Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (NETTRA), the NETtra Tourism Conference was hosted by the University of New Hampshire in October 2025. The two groups just released proceedings from the conference to extend the reach of the research and […]

Penn State Spring 2026 Land-Use Webinar Series announced

January 7, 2026

The Penn State Extension Land Use Webinar Series, organized in partnership with the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association (PA-APA) and the NERCRD, offers five monthly webinars beginning January 21 on land use topics affecting the communities of Pennsylvania.

Groundbreaking data initiative now encompasses all four U.S. regions

December 17, 2025

Earlier this year, the Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDCs) released open-access data from household surveys conducted in three U.S. regions. This month, with the release of data from the Western region, the Baseline Survey 2024 now encompasses all four regions of the U.S.

NERCRD welcomes new business manager, Carol DeArmitt!

December 17, 2025

NERCRD is pleased to welcome Carol DeArmitt as our new Business Manager! Carol brings a wealth of experience in fiscal management and administrative support, and is a graduate of the Penn State ACES program, which is designed to give research administrators the necessary skills and expertise to support faculty in research.

NERCRD faculty receive award for high-impact research

November 21, 2025

NERCRD Faculty Affiliate Claudia Schmidt and Director Stephan Goetz co-authored a paper (with Steven Deller, University of Wisconsin-Madison) that was recognized as a high-impact research publication by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences during its fourth annual Research Awards Ceremony held Oct. 28 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.

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.