Rural areas : concerns and potential / Norman Walzer and Christopher D. Merrett -- Regional economic trends across the rural-urban divide / Steven C. Deller and Tessa Conroy -- Rural America can have a prosperous future / Donald W. Macke -- Rural federal policy in transition / Tony Pipa and Natalie Geismar -- Economic contributions of hospitals to rural areas : are they necessary? / Ernest Goss and Taylr Bahr -- The role of rural nonprofits : innovation, opportunities, and threats / Jayme Walters -- Social enterprises as a revitalization strategy for rural communities / Peter Musinguzi, Nicolette Larder, and Derek Baker -- Building a rural entrepreneurial ecosystem / Kimber Lanning -- Rewriting the rural narrative / Ryan Allen and Ben Winchester -- Towards citizens’ enablement : examples of academics empowering resident to cost effectively solve community issues / James Powell -- Transitioning businesses to the next generation in new ways / Jennifer Hawkins, Norman Walzer, and John Bennett -- Acquiring, building, and investing in private businesses : a new approach / Dawn McGee, Kiah Hochstetler, and Michael Braun -- Opportunities in rural areas : what have we learned? / Norman Walzer and Christopher D. Merrett

"This volume explores new opportunities to reshape local economies in rural areas during the next decade by exploring successful efforts already underway. While reported population declines can paint a bleak picture for rural areas, a different story can be told in looking at numbers of households, employment, and housing markets. In fact, many rural areas have had steady employment and healthy housing markets. Rural attractions often include proximity to natural recreation areas, personal safety, social interaction, less expensive housing, and high-quality education. This book shows that rural areas are in a major long-term transition and that local leaders who take advantage of these opportunities in their community and economic development strategies can create a very positive future for residents. Students and policymakers in local economic development, sociology of population change, business finance, political economy, and geography will find this a useful resource"--