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.

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.

Congrats to the Northeast Extension professionals honored with community development awards!

July 10, 2025

In June, several members of the National Association for Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) were recognized with awards. The awards were presented at the 2025 NACDEP meeting, which took place in Charleston, WV, and was hosted by West Virginia State University Extension. Among this year’s awardees were several Northeast NACDEP members – please join us in congratulating them on the well-deserved honor!

New research brief examines rural-suburban-urban differences among Northeast caregivers

June 24, 2025

The latest publication in NERCRD’s caregiving research brief series describes the caregiving experience for rural, suburban, and urban caregivers in the Northeast region of the U.S., as reported by households as part of the “NER-Stat: Caregiving Survey.”

Strategic design approach boosts rural innovation, researchers find

June 18, 2025

Businesses that take a strategic approach to design are up to eight times more likely to develop innovative products than those that don’t, according to a study by NERCRD researchers.

New report shares insights from 2024 National Agritourism Producer Survey

April 30, 2025

A new report by Claudia Schmidt (Penn State and NERCRD), Jason Entsminger (University of Maine), Sarah Cornelisse and Jackie Schweichler (Penn State) presents findings from the 2024 National Agritourism Producer Survey, which is part of a larger project aimed at defining and enhancing the agritourism support system in the U.S. The primary objective of conducting this survey […]

Groundbreaking survey conducted across three major US regions sheds light on household and community well-being

April 29, 2025

A new data initiative by the Regional Rural Development Centers has produced an open access dataset available to all researchers nationally. Collected in a groundbreaking, multi-region Baseline Survey 2024, the household-level dataset establishes a baseline to inform policy decisions, community development strategies, and targeted interventions related to regional challenges and opportunities. A webinar on May 9, 2025, at 3:00 pm (ET) will explore key preliminary findings from the survey data.