Purpose of the Center for Rural Development

The Center for Rural Development is established to: (1) foster and support economic development programs and activities for the benefit of rural counties and communities; (2) foster and support community, county, and resource management planning programs and activities for the benefit of rural counties and communities; (3) foster and support leadership training programs and activities for the benefit of: (a) rural leaders in both the public and private sectors; (b) economic development and planning personnel; and (c) rural government officials; (4) foster and support efforts to coordinate and focus the technical and other resources of appropriate institutions of higher education, local governments, private sector interests, associations, nonprofit organizations, federal agencies, and others, in ways that address the economic development, planning, and leadership challenges; (5) work to enhance the capacity of GOED to address rural economic development, planning, and leadership training challenges and opportunities by establishing partnerships and positive working relationships with appropriate public and private sector entities, individuals, and institutions; and (6) foster government-to-government collaboration and good working relations between state and rural government regarding economic development and planning issues.