Rural Communities

Nearly 20 percent of Americans live outside urban areas. Addressing the needs of rural and frontier communities is a top priority for Governors. These populations face unique difficulties, including limited access to health care, insufficient broadband internet availability, distinct economic and workforce shortages, and transportation and infrastructure challenges. Governors are uniquely poised to create solutions cutting across policy areas to support these communities. The NGA Center for Best Practices supports Governors by sharing best practices and providing technical assistance to address these challenges and help rural communities thrive.

NGA Resources

NGA Workshop in Des Moines Focuses on Ensuring That Rural America Shares in Prosperity

NGA Workshop in Des Moines Focuses on Ensuring That Rural America Shares in Prosperity

‘Hard’ and ‘soft’ infrastructure are key to empowering rural communities, participants in National Governors Association forum agree Governors came together in Iowa’s capital city to redouble their commitment to providing ...

NGA/U.S. DOT Webinar on the Build America Bureau’s New Rural Projects Initiative

The webinar, hosted in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), introduced the U.S. DOT’s Build America Bureau and shared how states can finance transportation projects through the new ...

Rural Health Learning Collaborative: Improving Heart Health in Rural America

March 6-7, 2018 | Washington, DC The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) Health Division hosted a multi-state convening as part of the Rural Health Learning Collaborative ...

States Focus on Improving Health Care in Rural America

The National Governors Association has selected six states—Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri and Oregon—to participate in a project called Improving Health in Rural America: Addressing the Leading Causes of Death. Specifically, states will develop and implement ...
State Strategies for Venture Capital and Rural Development

State Strategies for Venture Capital and Rural Development

This webinar featured model rural programs from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative. It was open to all governors’ economic policy advisors, commerce directors, and ...
Developing Talent in Rural America through Work-based Learning Experiences

Developing Talent in Rural America through Work-based Learning Experiences

As rural communities struggle to grow their economies and retain skilled labor, work-based learning experiences such as internships and apprenticeships offer a promising strategy to address workforce talent shortages and ...

Rural Health Learning Collaborative: Improving Access to Behavioral Health Care in Rural Areas

August 9–10, 2017 | Washington, DC The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) Health Division hosted a multi-state convening as part of the Rural Health Learning Collaborative ...

Governors to Congress: Restore Rural Funding in Continuing Resolution

WASHINGTON—The National Governors Association (NGA) today released a statement regarding reduced federal payments to states and counties under the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program: “Governors call on members of Congress ...

States Improve Access to High-Quality Health Care in Rural America

The National Governors Association (NGA) today announced that seven states—Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota and Pennsylvania—will participate in a learning collaborative through which they will identify and implement ...

States Improve Rural Access to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

The National Governors Association (NGA) today announced that three states, Minnesota, South Dakota and Virginia, will participate in an NGA learning lab to help combat the opioid epidemic. The project ...