Contacts:
Mark Edelman, Economics, (515) 294-6144
Brian Meyer, Agriculture Information, (515) 294-0706

RUPRI RECEIVES KELLOGG GRANT TO ENSURE RURAL VOICES HEARD

AMES, Iowa ‹ The Rural Policy Research Institute has received a $146,000 planning grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to develop new ways for rural community leaders to assess the impacts of national policy and be heard in national policy debates.

The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) analyzes the implications of national public policy issues on rural areas. Directing RUPRI's activities are researchers at Iowa State University, the University of Missouri and the University of Nebraska.

"The Rural Community Empowerment Project will develop new tools to analyze how specific programs and proposed legislation may affect rural communities," said Mark Edelman, professor of economics and RUPRI coordinator at ISU.

"The project will provide systematic approaches to presenting the information and collecting local leaders' reactions, "Edelman said. "Results will be used to inform policy-makers as they shape programs and policies that affect rural people."

Lou Swanson, a nationally recognized rural sociologist at the University of Kentucky, will direct the project. Goals will include:

€ Developing simulation models to estimate the impacts of national policies on a network of representative rural communities around the country. Leaders from the communities will then react to the projected impacts, providing insights into policy alternatives and offering local responses if policies are adopted.

€ Organizing panels of rural community leaders from around the nation to discuss current topics in policy debates, the first being health care.

€ Organizing regional and national satellite town meetings with rural leaders and policy-makers.

€ Using the Internet to provide information and education on rural policy and to encourage interactive discussions among rural communities.

€ Assembling a national advisory committee of rural leaders, policy-makers and providers of rural development assistance to help guide the project.

"We hope the project will increase communication and understanding of the rural impacts of national policy among rural citizens and policy-makers at all levels of government," said Edelman. "The better the communication and understanding, the more effective government policies affecting rural areas will be."

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