NEW GOVERNANCE FOR A NEW RURAL ECONOMY:
REINVENTING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUIONS

Cooperation among public entities and private institutions will play a crucial role in helping regions throughout rural America pursue new economic opportunities, according to attendees at the Center for the Study of Rural America’s fifth annual conference: “New Governance for a New Rural Economy: Reinventing Public and Private Institutions.”

More than 150 rural policy experts from across the U.S. gathered in Kansas City for the conference that featured presentations on successful regional partnerships involving government, higher education and the private sector including both business and nonprofit communities.

A summary of the conference proceedings appears in the fourth quarter edition of The Economic Review, published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. The Center is based at the Bank.

Conference participants agreed that new models of governance are long overdue in rural America. While rural communities value cooperation, all too often city limits and county lines paralyze new economic development strategies. Participants were encouraged, however, by a number of innovative partnerships now being forged in rural regions. These partnerships are often sparked by higher education and philanthropic institutions, but governments and businesses are also participating

The article, as well as the full conference proceedings and other research from the Center for the Study of Rural America, is available on the Bank’s web site at www.kansascityfed.org.

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