Discussion Paper
Jump-Starting Rural Community Development Projects: Lessons Learned
Smith, Jason W.; Cook, Carrie (2025-06-09)
In an effort to address both the supply- and demand-side barriers of rural project development, the Richmond Fed partnered with rural-facing organizations to launch the Rural Investment Collaborative™ (RIC). A core strategy of the RIC is the Community Investment Training, which helps rural leaders jump-start development projects for their communities.Cohort members, after graduating from the four-month training program, become part of an alumni network with opportunities to apply for additional resources. To date, the program has trained 42 leaders, and external partners have awarded ...
Regional Matters

Discussion Paper
Increasing Rural Capacity: Ways Intermediaries Can Contribute
Smith, Jason W. (2022-03-17)
Intermediary organizations provide a wide range of services that can help rural and small-town communities (no matter how we define rural or small town) to improve regional outcomes. Intermediaries are place-based, which means that they focus on a specific community or geography. They can operate at a local, regional, state, or multistate level and act as conveners of other organizations. In addition, they can serve as a link between local organizations and state or national resources.
Regional Matters