Reimagine Rural

In Hardwick, Vermont, art, dinner, and disaster response all share the same table

After devastating floods hit Hardwick, Vermont, The Civic Standard, a self-described community cultural center, stepped in to organize cleanups, meals, and aid while resi

America's Rural Future: On the Olympic Peninsula with Commission members Derek Kilmer and Benji Backer

In this special edition of Reimagine Rural, Tony Pipa interviews Derek Kilmer, senior vice president, U.S. Program & Policy at The Rockefeller Foundation and former membe

America's Rural Future: In Eastern Kentucky with Commission member Phil English

In this special edition of Reimagine Rural, Tony Pipa interviews Phil English, co-chairman of the Government Relations Practice Group at ArentFox Schiff, LLP and former m

America's Rural Future: In the Mississippi Delta with Commission Members Bill Bynum and Charlie Cotherman

This special edition of Reimagine Rural features Tony Pipa interviewing Bill Bynum, CEO of Hope Enterprise Corporation and Hope Credit Union, and Charlie Cotherman, execu

S3E10: Progress reports: Revisiting people and places from Reimagine Rural

The season three finale of Reimagine Rural has Tony checking in with leaders in places he previously visited to see how the towns are faring. From stalled industrial deve

S3E9: Will a data center be good for Thomas and Davis in Tucker County, West Virginia?

When a permit application for a proposed power plant heralded the possibility of a large data center being located near the towns of Davis and Thomas in West Virginia, lo

S3E8: America's Rural Future, Interview with Tom Halverson, CEO, CoBank

This special edition of Reimagine Rural features Tony Pipa interviewing Tom Halverson, CEO of CoBank and a member of America's Rural Future: The Brookings-AEI Commission

S3E7: Skowhegan, Maine, is making waves as it builds a vibrant future along the Kennebec River

A former mill town once defined by economic decline, Skowhegan, Maine, is thriving again through creativity and collaboration. From a growing regional food hub and a majo

S3E6: How immigration is reshaping and revitalizing rural Beardstown, Illinois

Since the 1990s, Beardstown, Illinois — official population 5,800 — has experienced steady immigration due to the meatpacking industry, breathing new life into this once

S3E5 How Ord, Nebraska's hospital injects vitality into this rural town on the edge of the Sandhills

Through community-driven investments in health care, economic development, and civic leadership, the town of Ord, Nebraska, stands as a model for rural renewal. A modern

S3E4 The Morris Model is helping a Minnesota prairie town go green and avoid partisan divides

Morris, Minnesota, a rural place on the edge of the prairie, is at the forefront of environmental sustainability. In this episode, Tony Pipa visits Morris to discover how

S3E3 Hazard, Kentucky's civic renaissance is changing the narrative about Appalachia

Hazard, Kentucky, is overcoming the decline of its coal industry and the impact of the opioid epidemic, creating a vibrant downtown business district and renewed civic sp

S3E2 How Canton, North Carolina, is maintaining its identity and resilience after multiple disasters

A single natural disaster can change a community for generations. In the span of five years, Canton, North Carolina, experienced Tropical Storm Fred, Hurricane Helene, an

S3E1 Restoring outdoor recreation in Old Fort, North Carolina, after Hurricane Helene

Over the past several years, a set of partners in Old Fort, North Carolina, has been developing a network of elite mountain bike and hiking trails that was starting to pu

Announcing season three of Reimagine Rural podcast

Season three of Reimagine Rural podcast launches soon with new episodes. Once again, host Tony Pipa is visiting small towns from coast to coast, talking to local people,

What US rural policy could look like in the Trump administration

As the Trump administration prepares to take power in Washington, Senior Fellow Tony Pipa, host of the Reimagine Rural podcast, looks at what has happened in rural policy

S2E9: Policy innovations that strengthen rural capacity to access investment

The importance of public investment, and the difficulty rural places have in accessing it, are recurring themes in the stories we gather for the podcast. Communities ofte

S2E8: Innovation is part of rural America's DNA (part 2)

Innovation and entrepreneurship are fundamental to America's national identity, yet they are commonly associated with big cities and areas like Silicon Valley. As we've e

S2E7: Innovation is part of rural America's DNA (part 1)

Innovation and entrepreneurship are fundamental to America's national identity, yet they are commonly associated with big cities and areas like Silicon Valley. As we've e

S2E6: The audacious goal of building 10,000 affordable homes in California's Coachella Valley

Rural America is facing a national affordable housing crisis, and nearly half of rural renters are rent-burdened. With the unique characteristics and challenges of housin