Rural Links
Rural-Related Websites and Resources
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- Rural Sociological Society (RSS): "The Rural Sociological Society (RSS) is a professional association that promotes the generation, application and dissemination of social scientific knowledge. The Society seeks to enhance the quality of rural life, communities, and the environment, both in North America and elsewhere in the world."
- Southern Rural Sociological Association (SRSA): "The Southern Rural Sociological Association (SRSA) provides productive forums through annual meetings and its refereed journal, The Journal of Rural Social Sciences, for individuals interested in studying and understanding rural social change."
- International Rural Sociological Association (IRSA): "The objectives of the Association are to: foster the development of rural sociology; further the application of sociological inquiry to the improvement of the quality of rural life; and provide a mechanism whereby rural sociologists can generate dialogue and useful exchange."
- Southern Rural Development Center: "The Southern Rural Development Center seeks to strengthen the capacity of the region's 29 land-grant institutions to address critical contemporary rural development issues impacting the well-being of people and communities in the rural South."
- The Rural Blog: “A digest of events, trends, issues, ideas and journalism from and about rural America, from the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, based at the University of Kentucky.”
- Daily Yonder – Keep it Rural: "We're your daily multi-media source of news, commentary, research, and features.... Check us throughout the day for breaking news, commentary, reports from our rural correspondents, updates from the best rural bloggers, and eye-opening photography from across the rural U.S. ... The Daily Yonder has been published on the web since 2007 by the Center for Rural Strategies, a non-profit media organization based in Whitesburg, Kentucky, and Knoxville, Tennessee."
- Economic Research Service (USDA)
- Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues: "The Institute’s focus is to help sustain journalism in rural communities, through information, expertise, training, outreach and other programs. The Institute helps non-metropolitan journalists define the public agenda for their communities and grasp the local impact of broader issues. We interpret rural issues for metro news media, conduct seminars and publish research and good examples of rural journalism. We help journalists all over America learn about rural issues, trends and events in areas they’ve never seen but have much in common with their own. We help rural journalists to understand how to exercise editorial leadership in small markets. The Institute is based at the University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media, though our mission is national and transcends state and regional borders.
- RUPRI (Rural Policy Research Institute): "The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) provides unbiased analysis and information on the challenges, needs, and opportunities facing rural America. RUPRI’s aim is to spur public dialogue and help policymakers understand the rural impacts of public policies and programs."
- Center for Rural Affairs: "We are unapologetically rural. We stand up for rural America—the small family farmer and rancher, new business owner, and rural communities. Since 1973, we've been a leading force engaging people to build a better rural future. Our policy work spans the nation and is focused in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Our on-the-ground work with communities and farmers takes place in Iowa and Nebraska. We lend to small businesses and homeowners in Nebraska. As long as rural advocates are needed for sustainable agriculture, clean energy, and community development, you can bet we’ll be in the front lines, building a bright rural future. The Center for Rural Affairs is a nonprofit, mission-driven lender focusing on underserved communities, primarily to rural, Latino, Native, and other communities that mainstream finance doesn’t traditionally reach. We are a Community Development Financial Institute, certified by the U.S. Treasury. What is a CDFI?
- Rural Grocery Initiative: "The Rural Grocery Initiative (RGI) provides resources to help establish and sustain independently-owned rural grocery stores. RGI works to serve as the national source of evidence-based information for rural grocery questions, identify and respond to the significant challenges that rural grocery stores face, highlight and promote sustainable models of rural grocery operation, and strengthen access to healthy foods."
- Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs: "The Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) builds the capacity of community leaders and policymakers by providing technical support, applied research, policy evaluation, and training across the state. IIRA is a clearinghouse for information on rural issues, coordinates rural research, and works with state agencies on issues of importance to rural communities."
- Center for Rural Studies: "The Center for Rural Studies at the University of Vermont is a nonprofit, fee-for-service research and resource center that works with people and communities to address social, economic, and resource-based challenges... CRS works with people and communities to address social, economic, and resource-based challenges through applied research, community outreach, program evaluation, and consulting."
- Agricultural History Society: "The Agricultural History Society was founded in Washington, DC in 1919 "to promote the interest, study and research in the history of agriculture." Incorporated in 1924, the Society began publishing a journal, Agricultural History, in 1927. The term "agricultural history" has always been interpreted broadly, and the Society encourages research and publishes articles from all countries and in all periods of history. Initially affiliated with the American Historical Association, the Agricultural History Society is the third oldest, discipline-based professional organization in the United States."