Wealth Creation in Rural America is based on the premise that low-wealth rural communities can
increase wealth, broadly defined, through the use of a triple bottom line approach to development.
Experience suggests that development focused solely on economic outcomes often results in
depreciation of both environmental and social assets. A balanced approach to development—
what we are calling triple bottom line development - benefits the economy, the environment and
social inclusion simultaneously.
Practitioners engaged in cluster-based strategies, value chains, entrepreneurship development,
and triple bottom line community development financing were selected to undertake this work
because they each offer a proven contrast to more conventional and less systemic approaches to
rural economic development.We understood from the start that these practitioners represent
approaches that are necessary, but are not sufficient to achieve our goal.
We have completed the first two phases of this work. Phase One was an assessment of existing
practice. Phase Two was a place-based regional learning experience.While we still have a long
way to go and many unanswered questions, we believe there is value in sharing what we have
learned from the very first phases of our work.We welcome your feedback!
The following reports are now available:
Overview Papers |
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A New Way Forward for Rural America
Wealth Creation Working Group, September 2009
In a changing global environment, the potential contributions of rural America are significant. Rural leaders need new ways of thinking about economic development. This brief introductory paper outlines seven guiding principles for a wealth creation approach to rural development. |
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Formulating a Sustainable Economic Development Process for Rural America
Interim Report
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc., February 2009
A balanced approach to development takes account of the triple bottom line, benefiting the economy, the environment, and social inclusion simultaneously. This Interim Report on the progress of the project assesses lessons learned so far. |
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Formulating a Sustainable Economic Development Process for Rural America
Second Interim Report
Yellow Wood Associates, Inc., June 2010
A balanced approach to development takes account of the triple bottom line, benefiting the economy, the environment, and social inclusion simultaneously, while considering the impacts on seven forms of wealth (individual, social, intellectual, natural, built, financial and political). This Second Interim Report on the progress of the project assesses lessons learned in the second year of this work. |
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Keeping Wealth Local: Shared Ownership and Wealth Control for Rural Communities.
Marjorie Kelly, Tellus Institute and
Shanna Ratner, Yellow Wood Associates, November 2009
Resources do not represent community wealth unless communities own and control them. This report introduces the concept of shared ownership, then describes and explores various models, looking at strengths, weaknesses, the range of applications, expertise required, and sources of assistance. |
Rural Clusters |
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A Compendium of Clusters in Less Populated Places: Circumstances,
Interventions and Outcomes.
Regional Technology Strategies, February 2009
Why and to what extent do companies clustering in rural areas pursue – intentionally or unintentionally – triple-bottom-line outcomes? This document discusses the kinds of interventions, cluster strategies, and local policies that can most effectively create triple bottom line outcomes, and what conditions are necessary. |
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Generating Local Wealth,Opportunity, and Sustainability Through Rural Clusters.
Regional Technology Strategies, March 2009
As a companion paper to the more theoretical paper above, this second clusters report – over 100 pages in length – offers a series of 50 case studies of rural clusters, in areas such as agriculture, the creative economy, tourism, energy, wood products, technology, textiles, and transportation equipment. |
Forests, Financing, and Value Chains |
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The Forests and the Wood Products Sector in Appalachian Kentucky:
What We Heard and What We Learned
Summary Report on Regional Learning Project for The Ford Foundation, MACED, February 2009
What are the opportunities and challenges for sustainable rural development in the forests and wood products sector of Appalachian Kentucky? The participants in the Ford Foundation Regional Learning Project Team engaged in a discovery project, interviewing landowners, foresters, wood product producers, and others. This paper shares the insights learned. |
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Assessment of Triple Bottom Line Financing Interventions
Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED)
On behalf of the Triple Bottom Line Collaborative (TBLC), July 2008
Ten financing interventions are profiled in this paper, which looks at how capital investment in combination with other strategies is used to achieve triple-bottom-line outcomes. |
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Value Chain Best Practices: Building Knowledge for Value Chains that Contribute to the Health of
Source Communities
Sustainable Food Lab, July 2008
This paper aims to contribute to a tool box of best practices for using value chain strategies, which represent an emerging field in rural development. The objectives of healthy value chains are to better balance risk, responsibilities, and benefits along a supply chain, while improving the quality of production and security of long-term supply. |
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The Role of Equity Capital in Rural Communities
Patricia Scruggs, March 2010
This research focuses on the impact that venture or patient capital has on rural economies, how patient capital funds can promote a triple bottom line (TBL) in their rural investments, and how practices with positive impact can be scaled and or replicated in other regions.
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Rural Entrepreneurship Development |
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Rural Entrepreneurship Development I:
Examples of Effective Practices
CFED & RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, July 2008
Entrepreneurship development is a key part of a sustainable economic development process for rural America that benefits the economy, the environment, and social inclusion. This paper begins an exploration of what makes this approach particularly effective by offering 17 effective rural entrepreneurship case examples. |
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Rural Entrepreneurship Development II: Measuring Impact on the Triple Bottom Line
CFED & RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, July 2008
To gain greater insight into how entrepreneurship development practitioners are measuring the impacts of their work, this analysis began by looking closely at six interventions, ranging from a youth entrepreneurship program to a multi-county entrepreneur development system. |
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Rural Entrepreneurship Development III: Insights for Moving Forward.
CFED & RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, February 2009
Based on a year-long exploration of many effective interventions in rural entrepreneurship development, this report shares insights on what is needed to move forward in working for greater triple-bottom-line impacts. |
Rural-Urban Linkages |
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How Rural is Central Appalachia?
Rural Policy Research Institute, March 2010
Before we can measure rural economic activity in an area, we need a clear picture and understanding of how geographic areas are defined as rural. This paper explores several methods for measuring the rural character of a region and uses each method to assess the rural character of Central Appalachia. |
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Case Studies: Prosperous Counties in Appalachia
Rural Policy Research Institute, March 2010
This paper identifies rural counties in Appalachia which have sustained or attained relatively strong levels of prosperity over the course of the decades from 1980-2000. Statistical analysis of these counties lays the groundwork for future detailed case studies. |
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Rural-Urban
Interdependence in Central Appalachia
Discussion Paper
Rural Policy Research Institute, November 2009
To better understand the potential for wealth development in the Central Appalachia region, this paper reviews regional approaches to assessing and developing wealth; examines the ways and extents to which rural and urban economies are interconnected; and assesses rural-urban and cross-region linkages in the economies of the Central Appalachian region. |
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Wealth and Prosperity in Central Appalachia
Rural Policy Research Institute, March 2010
This paper assesses the prosperity of Central Appalachian counties. The assessment compares the prosperity levels of Central Appalachian counties to each other, to themselves over time, and to the region and the country as a whole, using measures that include poverty rate, unemployment rate, high school dropout rate, housing conditions, homeownership, entrepreneurship, access to health care, and educational attainment. |
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Wealth Creation and Regional Innovation
Rural Policy Research Institute, University of Missouri, and Oregon State University, March 2010
This paper identifies the place- and history-based context for a regional approach to wealth creation; assesses varying prosperity rates across the counties of Central Appalachia; analyzes the trade flows between Economic Areas in Central Appalachia; and explores relationships between trade flows in the region and the potential for wealth creation. |
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Wealth Creation and Rural-Urban Linkages in Central Appalachia Briefing Paper
Rural Policy Research Institute, February 2010
This briefing paper summarizes the research work conducted by RUPRI in analyzing areas of the Central Appalachia region, assessing the prosperity levels of the Central Appalachia region, analyzing trade flows between rural and urban parts of Central Appalachia, and in creating a comparative economic analysis of activity in Oregon and Central Appalachia. |
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Wealth Creation and Rural-Urban Linkages Final Composite Report
Rural Policy Research Institute, March 2010
This process report summarizes the wealth development research work undertaken by RUPRI on behalf of the Ford Foundation during the 2009-2010 year. |
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Wealth Creation and Rural-Urban Linkages An Exploratory Study of Economic Flows in Two Natural Resource-Rich Regions
Oregon State University, March 2010
How does the flow of money from trade, dividends and interest, rent, and taxes affect the potential for wealth creation? By examining the economic activity of areas in two resource rich regions, one in Oregon and one in Appalachia, this paper paints a picture of the economic resources currently available in those areas to contribute to wealth creation. |
The following tools are now available:
Project Summary and Wealth Matrix
This paper provides a project overview and planning resources for the Ford Foundation’s place-based projects. Applications are by invitation only.
Wealth Creation Handouts and Worksheets
These handouts and worksheets provide information and exercises to better understand the wealth creation approach.
The following presentations and articles are now available:
A Different Kind of Ownership Society
This article by Marjorie Kelly and Shanna Ratner was posted to the Yes! Magazine website on August 3, 2010
Wealth Creation Webinar Presentation
Project Summary and Application Guidelines
Formulating a Sustainable Economic Development Process for Rural America.
Presented to: Exploring Innovation: A Conference on Community Development, Sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
April 23, 2009
Expanding Livelihood Opportunities for Low-income and Poor Households.
Presented to: The 2010 Northeast Rural Summit in Burlington, Vermont.
April 12-13, 2010.
Local and Regional Wealth-Building Strategies.
Presented to: The 8th Annual BALLE Business Conference and Member Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina.
May 21-23, 2010.
For questions or further information regarding this project,
please contact any one of the following:
Shanna Ratner, Yellow Wood Associates, www.yellowwood.org
Barbara Wyckoff, Dynamica, www.dynamica-online.com
Nancy Stark, CFED, www.CFED.org
Deborah Markley, RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, www.energizingentrepreneurs.org
Stuart Rosenfeld, Regional Technology Strategies, www.rtsinc.org
Jason Bailey or Justin Maxson, MACED, www.maced.org
John Berdes, ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia, www.sbpac.com
Hal Hamilton or Susan Sweitzer, Sustainable Food Lab, www.sustainablefoodlab.org
Wayne Fawbush, Ford Foundation,www.fordfound.org