Regional Competitiveness:
Southern Minnesota
Find out more about this new 38-county economic development initiative
Now available:
Rural Minnesota Journal
"A Letter to the Next Governor of Minnesota"
Center for
Rural Policy
and Development
Welcome
CRPD at the Capitol
Members of the State Legislature get an overview of the state of rural Minnesota. For more information and a pdf of the Powerpoint presentation, click here.
Broadband Use Explodes Statewide, But Adoption in Rural Minnesota Still Inconsistent
Center for Rural Policy and Development Minnesota Internet Survey Measures Broadband Adoption and Use
SAINT PETER, Minn. -- Comprehensive research conducted by the Center for Rural Policy and Development has found that broadband adoption and use has exploded throughout Minnesota since the organization first began studying the technology in 2001. Click here for the full news release and other publications.
Center for Rural Policy and Development Releases Latest Issue of Rural Minnesota Journal
"A Letter to the Next Governor of Minnesota" is introduced at Farmfest 2010 in Redwood County
ST. PETER, Minn. -- The Center for Rural Policy and Development is pleased to announce the latest issue of Rural Minnesota Journal is now available for download at www.RuralMN.org. Click here for the full news release and other publications.
Early Results of Partnership for Regional Competitiveness Energize Southern Minnesota
Impact of 38-county Southern Minnesota initiative in its first year were highlighted at Minnesota State University-Mankato event on June 21
MANKATO, Minn. -- The Partnership for Regional Competitiveness-Southern Minnesota hosted an event at Minnesota State University-Mankato on Monday, June 21 to showcase the results of its work over the past 12 months and discuss plans for the future. Click here for the full news release.
Broadband Speeds in Minnesota School Districts Vary Considerably
Center for Rural Policy and Development research shows cost is biggest barrier to getting more bandwidth in rural areas, but telecommunications access clusters may help.
Research conducted by the Center for Rural Policy and Development has found that school district broadband speed—which is critical as schools are becoming more dependent on the Internet and related online services—varies considerably from district to district in Minnesota, with speeds in rural areas usually slower than in the Twin Cities. Cost is the biggest barrier to getting more bandwidth in rural areas, the research found, but telecommunications access clusters—in which school districts share bandwidth—may help make faster broadband more affordable to rural schools. Click here for the full report and other publications.
The Agriculture and Forestry Issue:
Looking to the Future
The Center for Rural Policy and Development is pleased to announce the release of the latest issue of the award-winning Rural Minnesota Journal. In this issue, authors and experts from around the state discuss the future of two of Minnesota's significant industries, farming and forestry. Click here to view and download articles.
Research shows high gas prices hurt rural Minnesotans more
Research conducted for the Center for Rural Policy and Development found that rural Minnesota families spend on average 20 percent more on gasoline than Twin Cities families, regardless of the cost of gas. Click here for the full report and other publications.
Center designated coordinator of Southern Minnesota Regional Competitiveness Project
The Center for Rural Policy & Development is pleased to be acting as the coordinator for the Southern Minnesota Regional Competitiveness Project and its Opportunity Roundtable, and exciting new economic development project bringing together private, public and non-profit to capitalize on the region's strengths to develop new economic opportunities. For more information, click here.
Download major new study on K-12 education
Our latest report on K-12 education in rural Minnesota is the culmination of nine months of work by researchers from the Wilder Foundation, the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. These teams looked at what sets rural districts apart and the strategies available to help them maintain their quality of education in these tough times. To find out more, click here.