News and Events

Stay up-to-date on all our news and announcements — subscribe to our occasional email newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.

“The Economic Status of Rural America in the Trump Era” featured in Daily Yonder

July 7, 2017

The Daily Yonder is featuring a piece that offers suggestions for improving federal rural development policy without “breaking the bank.” It is an excerpt of a longer paper co-authored by Center Director Stephan Goetz; West Virginia University’s Heather Stephens (who also serves on our Technical Advisory Committee); and Ohio State University’s Mark Partidge.

Curriculum available for communities facing emerging behavioral health issues

July 6, 2017

One in five Americans experience behavioral health issues in any given year, and yet the signs and symptoms of behavioral health challenges are not always clear. Recently, Community Assessment and Education to Promote Behavioral Health Planning and Evaluation (CAPE) developed and administered a series of trainings designed to help communities address emerging behavioral health problems. The curriculum, which is available upon request, provides a valuable framework for community development and other extension professionals who want to play a leading role in helping communities address a broad range of behavioral health challenges.

America’s “mental health literacy” measured in recent survey

July 6, 2017

The CAPE team, led by the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, recently conducted a nationally representative web-based survey to evaluate mental health literacy along four dimensions: depression; anxiety; alcohol abuse; and, prescription drug misuse. Their findings are summarized in four infographics.

A community of practice for data analysis

July 6, 2017

Do you assist communities in using socio-economic data for decision making? Are you looking for better ways of delivering data to community leaders? Are you willing to share your best practices and resources with others, potentially influencing programming in other states? As access to data is becoming ubiquitous for communities, the role of many Extension and Community Development (CD) professionals has shifted towards helping communities interpret data for use in decision-making. A group of such individuals has formed, and they invite you to join their informal listserv.

Congratulations to our Northeast colleagues honored by NACDEP and CDS!

July 6, 2017

Several community development Extension professionals from the Northeast were honored by National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) and/or the Community Development Society (CDS) at their joint 2017 conference held last month in Big Sky, MT, and we’d like to congratulate them on the well-deserved recognition!

Congratulations to Dr. Minghao Li!

July 6, 2017

Congratulations to Minghao Li, a Northeast Center research assistant and Penn State doctoral candidate who successfully defended his dissertation in Agricultural, Environmental and Regional Economics on June 1, 2017. Li’s dissertation research focused on intergenerational mobility and resulted in three essays.

“Placemaking as an Economic Development Tool” kicks off webinar series offered by Penn State Extension

July 6, 2017

How local municipalities can use an economic development strategy known as “placemaking” will be the topic of a web-based seminar offered by Penn State Extension on Wednesday, July 19.
Presenting the 75-minute webinar from noon to 1:15 p.m. will be Brad Neumann, a senior educator with Michigan State University Extension. This webinar is the first in Penn State Extension’s summer-fall webinar series.

Call for papers on local entrepreneurship and tourism

July 6, 2017

The journal Regional Science Policy and Practice is seeking paper proposals for an upcoming special issue titled “Local Entrepreneurship and Tourism: Policies and Practices in Peripheral Areas.” The issue will explore the linkages between local entrepreneurship and tourism in order to provide an intriguing starting point for a wider reflection on the role of existing policies and of emerging practices in fostering local development in peripheral areas.

Small Business Innovation Research Program now accepting applications

July 5, 2017

The USDA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is accepting grant applications through Thursday, October 5, 2017. Funds may be awarded up to $100,000 for a Phase I project. Proposed Phase I projects should prove the scientific or technical feasibility of the approach or concept. Projects dealing with agriculturally related manufacturing and alternative and renewable energy technologies are encouraged across all SBIR topic areas. USDA SBIR’s flexible research areas ensure innovative projects consistent with USDA’s vision of a healthy and productive nation in harmony with the land, air, and water.

USDA accepting rural community development grant proposals

July 5, 2017

Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) grants are awarded to help non-profit housing and community development organizations, low-income rural communities and federally recognized tribes support housing, community facilities and community and economic development projects in rural areas. Applications will be accepted through July 25, 2017.

Older posts

Newer posts