Resources & Research

Aspen Community Strategies Group’s new report, features based on deep conversations with 46 seasoned rural practitioners and highlights six principles for measuring rural development progress

Economic disparities are preventing our economic growth from reaching its full potential, especially in communities of color and rural places

As extreme weather and climate disasters—from hurricanes to tornadoes to wildfires to winter storms—become more frequent, the nation’s basic infrastructure (such as its water systems) is increasingly vulnerable to service disruptions and failure

Economic disparities are preventing our economic growth from reaching its full potential, especially in communities of color and rural places

A proposal currently before Congress is a $4 billion opportunity for advancing prosperity in rural communities, and to do so rooted in the local leadership of people who live there.

Biden Admin. Pumps $1.25 Billion into Rural Lending. Community development financial institution experts say CDFIs can help alleviate rural poverty and racial inequities where previous pandemic relief failed.

A diverse group of community finance organizations today announced the Southern Opportunity and Resilience (SOAR) Fund, which aims to raise $150 million to provide affordable capital and free business support to small businesses and nonprofits in 15 southern and southeastern states to help them navigate and rebuild from the Covid-19 health and economic crisis.

Communities Unlimited announced a $300,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation, which will enable the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) to provide micro small business loans to rural small businesses that will provide the capital they need to pivot or reopen their businesses closed because of COVID-19.

Across the board, 2020 has been challenging. Between the health and economic challenges placed on communities around the world by COVID-19, it can sometimes be hard to find a silver lining.

Communities Unlimited is one of six CDFI's leading the Partners for Rural Transformation (PRT). For more information about the Partners for Rural Transformation go to www.ruraltransformation.org. 

Despite the justified fear that COVID-19 would render the newly energized ballot initiative strategy moot, progressives secured a big win in red state Missouri on Tuesday, overriding the legislature’s and the governor’s persistent refusal to expand Medicaid.

RSF Social Finance has issued a $100,000 loan guaranty to Communities Unlimited Inc., enabling the Fayetteville, Arkansas-based community development financial institution to make more loans to Black women entrepreneurs in Mississippi through a partnership with Higher Purpose Co.

A health pandemic, an economic pandemic and a pandemic of racism. All three are leading to a mass awakening to the race-based ideas of supremacy that have impacted so many lives for so many years, including many of the lives of our staff members, board, clients, partners and community leaders.

Ines Polonius, CEO of Communities Unlimited, testified on the House Small Business Committee Subcommittee for Rural Development, Agriculture, Trade, and Entrepreneurship Bipartisan Virtual Forum: The Effects of COVID-19 on Rural Economies.

As you know, the CARES Act includes a provision for supplying relief monies to qualifying individuals and families. Most recipients will secure their payments electronically from the IRS, which will use the bank account information on file from the recipient’s last tax return.

Many child care centers and family child care homes in Arkansas may have to close their doors if they do not receive support.