Creating Vibrant Communities & Economies in Rural America-Abstract
August 2002

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This article seeks to paint a realistic picture of what is happening in rural America today and attempts to offer some options for contributing to its economic and social advancement in the years ahead. We argue that a vibrant rural America will depend, in part, on four major elements: (1) expanding the quality of its human capital resources; (2) building an entrepreneurial spirit that supports internal economic development opportunities; (3) enhancing the digital capacity of rural places so they can be players in an increasingly technology-dependent economy; and (4) promoting broad-based involvement of local individuals in the civic life of their communities.