WVU Extension leads efforts to enhance sustainability of tourism in rural communities

July 8, 2026

This article by Hannah Booth (West Virginia University Division for Land-Grant Engagement) highlights the Tourism, Resiliency and Indicators for Post-Pandemic Planning (TRIP) project and a recently published study by the TRIP project team. NERCRD Director Stephan Goetz, Associate Director Stephen Alessi, and Faculty Affiliate Luyi Han are members of the project team. The TRIP project is led by WVU’s Doug Arbogast, who is also a member of the NERCRD Technical Advisory Committee.

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.

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!