Summary
March 2023 — Using the latest research and data specific to Wisconsin’s rural communities and regions, this summit focuses on the Wisconsin rural economy. The summit includes an overview of the latest economic and demographic trends across rural communities, an examination of entrepreneurship, and a discussion of what rural communities can do to foster economic growth and development.
Webinar Recording
Agenda
State of the Wisconsin Rural Economy
Steve Deller, Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics and Community Economic Development Specialist, UW-Madison
Status of the Rural Wisconsin Labor Market
Matt Kures, Community Economic Development Specialist, UW-Madison, Division of Extension
Rural Wisconsin Entrepreneurship
Tessa Conroy, Associate Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics and Community Economic Development Specialist, UW-Madison
Stories of Success in Rural Communities: Panel of State Partners
Beth Haskovec, Director of the Office of Rural Prosperity, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Marie Barry, Director of Community Economic Development, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative
Melissa Meschke, Economic Development Outreach Manager, Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship
Additional Resources
USDA Rural Development Wisconsin Emails
USDA Resources
USDA Business Programs
USDA Energy Programs
USDA Community Programs
USDA Rural Development
Wisconsin Department of Children & Families
Wisconsin Early Childhood Association
Childcare Resource
Recreation Economy
USDA Rural Development Placemaking Toolkit
Create Wisconsin
Iowa Small Towns Project
Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program
Ethnic & Diverse Business Coalition
KEYNOTE: Making Rural Challenges Opportunities: Innovative Practices in Rural Communities
Norman Walzer, Director Emeritus, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, Western Illinois University
Resources
Austin, J.C, Weinstein, A., Hicks, M., & Wornell, E.I. (2021) Improving Quality of Life—Not Just Business—Is the best way to Midwest Rejuvenation. Washington, DC. Brookings Institution.
Conway, T. & Lowe, S.A. (2021). Entrepreneurship, Broadband, and Gender: Evidence from Establishment Births in Rural America. International Regional Science Review. V. 45: no. 1.
Deller, S. (2021). Are We in the 4th Wave of Economic Development? The Review of Regional Studies, 51: 233-245.
Plunkett Foundation: Community Shops: A Better Form of Business Report 2022
Plunkett Foundation: Community Pubs: A Better Form of Business 2022
Saad, L. (2021) Country Living Enjoys Renewed Appeal in U.S.
Walzer, N. (2023). Rural Areas in Transition: Meeting Challenges and Making Opportunities. Routledge Publications.
Walzer, N. (2022) Community Owned Businesses Around the World: International Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Economic Development. Routledge Publications.
Walzer, N. (2019). Guidebook and Resources for Starting a Community Supported Enterprise. East Lansing, MI: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development.
Walzer, N. & Blanke, A. (2018). Modernizing Local Service Delivery Systems: Local Efficiency Assessment Program (LEAP). Springfield, IL: Governor’s Rural Affairs Council.
Winchester, B. (2021). Rewriting the Rural Narrative. Univ. of MN Extension
Emergence and Growth of Community Supported Enterprises
This summit is co-sponsored by:
This webinar was made possible, in part, by a grant from the United States Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration in support of the Economic Development Administration University Center at the Division of Extension, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations are those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.
Unlocking the Potential: Exploring Rural Recruitment & Welcoming Strategies
What Makes For A Resilient Community?
WIndicators Volume 5, Number 5: Understanding and Mobilizing the Potential of Entrepreneurs of Color in Wisconsin 
COVID-19 and the Economy: U.S. Resident Experiences in the Late Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic
