Beginning in fall 2021, the four RRDCs collaborated to carry out a year-long national listening sessions initiative aimed at identifying key priorities and critical investments for rural communities’ post-COVID recovery and growth. Their findings are distilled into a report published in February 2023.
Investing in Rural Capacity: Comprehensive Summary of the National Rural Development Stakeholder Listening Sessions (February 2023)
This report summarizes results from the initiative's eight virtual listening sessions, which convened stakeholders to identify investments needed to fill the gaps between rural communities’ assets and opportunities. These facilitated dialogues included four sessions conducted at the regional level focusing on issues of regional importance, and four national sessions on topics of widespread importance.
- Get the complete report (2.3 MB PDF)
- Get the Executive Summary (.2 MB PDF)
- Get a topic-specific report:
- Broadband and the Digital Divide (1.3 MB PDF)
- Workforce Development, Training and Education (1.1 MB PDF)
- Community Planning, Leadership and Governance (1.1 MB PDF)
- Rural Innovation and Entrepreneurship (1.1 MB PDF)
- Get a region-specific report:
- Northeast (1.4 MB PDF)
- Southern (1.5 MB PDF)
- Western (1.4 MB PDF)
- North Central (1.1 MB PDF)
- Download supplementary materials - 2.8MB zipped file, which includes Breakout Room Jamboard Template, Sample Process Agenda, Survey Instrument Questionnaire, and sample presentation given during Listening Session
To learn more about the Listening Sessions or the Regional Rural Development Centers, visit: https://www.usu.edu/rrdc/listening-sessions
