Rural Economic Development (RED)
Fundamentals of Rural Economic Development (RED)
Practical Strategies for Building Stronger Rural Communities
Rural communities face unique opportunities and challenges that require a different approach to economic development. Limited capacity, volunteer-driven initiatives, geographic distance, workforce pressures, and changing demographics mean that strategies successful in urban centres do not always translate to rural settings.
Fundamentals of Rural Economic Development (RED) is designed for economic development practitioners, municipal leaders, volunteers, and community champions working in rural, small-town, county, and regional contexts. Building on the foundations introduced in ETF, this course explores how economic development tools, strategies, and planning processes can be adapted to fit rural realities. Participants will learn how to assess community strengths and needs, build on local assets, work within capacity constraints, and turn ideas into action through practical, collaborative approaches.
The course introduces Strategic Doing as a practical framework for moving from analysis to implementation, while helping participants identify realistic priorities, secure resources, build partnerships, support local businesses, and strengthen community resilience. Topics include business retention and succession, agri-food development, tourism, broadband, housing, workforce attraction, immigration, renewable energy opportunities, funding strategies, and regional collaboration.
Whether your goal is to strengthen existing businesses, attract new investment, address workforce challenges, or build long-term community resilience, this course provides practical tools and strategies tailored to the realities of rural economic development.
This is an optional course within the Community Economic Development Certificate Program.
COURSE OUTCOMES
- Explain how rural economic development differs from urban practice and why those differences matter.
- Identify key challenges and emerging opportunities affecting rural communities.
- Apply community analysis tools, including needs assessment, asset mapping, capacity assessment, gap analysis, and SWOT analysis through a rural lens.
- Assess organizational, volunteer, leadership, and partnership capacity to support realistic strategy selection.
- Use Strategic Doing to move from ideas to action through collaborative, asset-based planning.
- Apply the Logic Model and performance measurement principles to rural initiatives.
- Select economic development strategies that align with local assets, capacity, and community priorities.
- Support business retention, succession planning, entrepreneurship, workforce development, tourism, agri-food, broadband, housing, and community revitalization efforts.
- Identify funding sources, partnerships, and community-based financing opportunities to advance local priorities.
- Understand the role of economic development in addressing workforce-related issues such as housing, healthcare access, and newcomer attraction.
- Integrate resilience thinking into economic development planning and decision-making.
- Develop practical, action-oriented approaches that strengthen long-term rural prosperity and community sustainability
Delivery Option & Cost
Individual
Online, self-directed learning. Available 24-7.
$195 Members $295 Non-Members
Group
Hybrid- Online:
Self-directed, augmented with live instructor sessions
$325 Members $435 Non-Members
In person:
Group session in your community. One day instructor-led online workshop.
$2950 Members $3450 Non-Members