Investing to Revitalize Rural America: Practical ways to tackle the growing urban/rural divide

• Over the past few years, the public has become more aware of the widening gap in economic opportunities that rural Americans have experienced versus their urban counterparts. Obstacles to growth facing rural America include lack of access to capital to create jobs and poor infrastructure such as a lack of broadband Internet, quality healthcare, and local banking services. These challenges are exacerbated by the opioid epidemic.
• This economic divide could weigh on the U.S. economy and exacerbate divisions within American society.
• To analyze this issue, we have researched economic, government and academic reports on the topic and had relevant discussions with managers of rural foundations, CDFIs and asset management firms which invest in rural America.
• In this report, we highlight approaches to rural revitalization that have proven effective, particularly asset-based community development, which often involves a combination of philanthropic, public and private capital. We also highlight investment strategies that support this theme, as shown below.

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