Community capacity can be thought of as the collection of knowledge, skills, and resources that community members possess and use to work together to identify, pursue, and achieve shared goals.
Quick Links to Popular Content
- Social Capital Resources
- NERCRD-sponsored funding opportunities
- CRD impact indicators work
- A Biography of Ken Wilkinson
The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development works with land grant and other key partners across the region and nationally to pursue cutting-edge research, develop educational resources and provide training designed to help residents of the Northeast work together, within communities and regions, to identify, pursue, and achieve their goals.
Resources for Practitioners
- NERCRD's Small Grant Program Aimed at Building Capacity in the Region
- Community First Impressions program in the Northeast
This site contains training resources for the First Impressions program, along with information about First Impressions programming being carried out in the region. - Resources for Addressing "Brain Drain" from Rural Communities
Information on rural youth migration and retention, with thanks to Steve Deller, Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Wisconsin, for highlighting the need for such information to be compiled in one place. - Building Community Capacity - University of New Hampshire resources
UNH Cooperative Extension's community development program helps communities achieve long-term well being by building human, economic, social and environmental capacity. To build community capacity, Extension Educators provide a variety of educational services to residents, organizations and local governments. - Community Capitals Framework (CCF)
Cornelia and Jan Flora (2008) developed the Community Capitals Framework as an approach to analyze how communities work. - The Community Tool Box
A service of the Work Group for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas - Professional Development Opportunities in Community Development
An inventory of degree programs, extension programs, and other Northeast community development organizations that offer professional development opportunities. - Penn State Center for Economic and Community Development
The Center for Economic and Community Development helps create new opportunities for people living throughout Pennsylvania. Check out their Community Engagement Toolbox.
Resources for Researchers
- Social Capital Tools
Here you will find data on the estimated stock of social capital in each US county for the years 1990, 1997, 2005, and 2009. Please note that the data are presented "as is" without any implied guarantees for accuracy, and that there are slight differences between 1990/1997 and 2005 as a result of the switch from the SIC to the NAICS codes. - Latent Innovation Data: A measure of latent (or hidden) innovation in local economies based on spillovers among industries in terms of inter-industry sales and purchases as well as spatial proximity. Here, latent innovation originates within supply chains from both a firm's customers (buyers) as well as suppliers, where the former contribute to product innovation and the latter to process innovation.
- Economic Resilience Tools Here you will find data on the economic resilience of US counties during the Great Recession.
- The Carsey School of Public Policy (UNH)
The Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire conducts policy research on vulnerable children, youth, and families and on sustainable community development. - Community Development Publications
A collection of articles and research papers authored or co-authored by Northeast Center staff and/or partners
Webinars, Presentations, and Conference Proceedings
- The Northeast Center staff and partners regularly deliver presentations on community development topics. See a collection of these presentation files.
Graduate Programs
- Penn State's Community and Economic Development Graduate Program
The Community and Economic Development (CEDEV) Graduate Program provides individuals with the knowledge and skills to work with citizens and leaders to establish and maintain viable communities and community organizations.
