IATP Rural Communities Projects

We strengthen the link between rural economic policy and local, democratic decision-making. Within the bioeconomy sector, Rural Communities is working to "green" the entire value chain and to assure that local communities and citizens benefit from this system.

Rural Community Connection - Working with rural communities to promote dialogue, information sharing, planning and civic engagement to support sustainable community-based development.

Strengthening the Rural Commons - Rural communities have shared natural, cultural and infrastructure resources that are an essential foundation for sustainable community-based development.

Sustainable Bioindustrial Systems - Establishing sustainable systems, including standards, for the production and harvesting of biomass crops for energy, fuels and products.

Rural African Organizing - The rapidly changing landscape of the rural United States includes a significant change in the demographics of who is living and working in rural communities. Thousands of African refugees, fleeing civil war and internment camps have settled in the Midwest. IATP has launched one of the first comprehensive efforts to survey the needs of rural African communities in an effort to find ways to ensure their successful long-term integration into rural Minnesota and the Midwest.

Rural Young Adults Program - IATP is helping to cultivate and engage the next generation of rural leaders so they can more effectively improve the social and economic conditions they face.