Rural Policy Forum - Background

Thanks to the over 190 folks who have logged on to the ruralpolicyforum.org all over Minnesota and 35 other states as well as 8 countries; Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Israel, Italy, Northern Ireland and Peru. Your insights were used to shape a survey completed by participants at the Joint International Summit on Community and Rural Development.

What Is the Rural Policy Forum?
One of the goals of the Joint International Summit on Community and Rural Development in Duluth is to significantly advance the conversation, in the United States and worldwide, regarding rural policy. What we want to generate by the end of the summit is a grass roots consensus on the key issues facing rural America. This rural policy forum will do two things for policy makers and practitioners who want to reform rural policy:

provide them with a road map of issues and priorities; and
offer political support for their position of reform.

Our hope for this forum is that it will set the foundation for a new way of thinking
about and setting rural policy.

Who Is Participating in the Rural Policy Forum?
Anyone interested in Rural Policy.

How Does the Rural Policy Forum Work?
BEFORE THE SUMMIT (June 8 to July 8, 2001): over 190 individuals logged-on to the Rural Policy Forum web board. This web board included a discussion forum with nine questions about rural policy. Participants were able to see other responses and engage in dialogue. This forum continues to be active and welcomes additional responses. (For more information on how this online discussion functions, or to access the online forum click here.)

DURING THE SUMMIT (July 22-25, 2001): The online discussion was summarized and shaped the questions for the survey. The online survey was available for summit participants and others to complete. The surveys were compiled electronically on-site, and some preliminary data was presented at the completion of the summit.

AFTER THE SUMMIT: Results will be compiled and released (click here for survey results). While the survey cannot be considered representative of the wider public, it will be a reasonably accurate statement of the consensus of those who work in and with rural areas to develop those communities. Return to this web site for survey results and a follow-up to our discussions.

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The development of this online presence is a collaborative effort between
Minnesota State Colleges & Universities (MnSCU) and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

A special thanks to MnSCU's Targeted Industry Partnership (TIP) for hosting this website.