Rural Matters 2012 Issue 3 - New study describes challenges and ways to strengthen rural communities in Appalachia

RCAP’s experience in the region shows solutions that worked there can apply elsewhere

A groundbreaking study conducted by the University of Tennessee (UT), Knoxville, sheds light on the strengths and weaknesses of communities in Appalachia. Its findings show that a strong community is like a computer. It needs good “hardware”—transportation, housing and infrastructure—and “software”—education, health care, and workforce development.

The report, “Strategies for Economic Improvement in Appalachia’s Distressed Rural Counties,” was conducted for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), a regional economic-development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state, and local government.

The report provides an understanding of the challenges confronting economic and community-development efforts in ten rural counties and explains ways local governments, agencies, and community organizations plan and respond to challenging issues. It details how five formerly distressed communities improved their local economies and illustrates the issues confronting counties still classified as distressed.

“We hope this report will be useful to community leaders in comparable areas who can draw upon what others have done and upon our recommendations to form their own successful strategies,” said Tim Ezzell, research scientist and lead author of the study.

RCAP’s work in economic development

RCAP has several decades of experience supporting economic development in small, rural communities across the country, including Appalachia. RCAP believes there is a direct connection between improving the operations and services of utilities in communities and the strength of their economies.

RCAP works to help drinking water and wastewater systems in small communities be sustainable. The goal is to lay the foundation in a community’s infrastructure and vital services, as well as in its leaders’ abilities, that will support other parts of the community—both the “hardware” and “software.” A reliable and stable water system in a community means that new businesses can open, a school can function normally, or residents who were previously not served by a system have more convenient water services. The work of RCAP’s regional affiliates in other areas outside water and wastewater services, such as housing or green services, further support the health of a community’s economy.

RCAP’s work in Appalachia

One point raised in the UT study is that in some communities, improvements in physical infrastructure and community facilities have led to improvements in both income and the local quality of life but that infrastructure alone cannot address the issues confronting rural Appalachian communities. “As these physical ‘hardware’ improvements reach completion, they should be accompanied by ‘software’ reforms in education, leadership development, and entrepreneurial initiatives to help address [these] persistent and significant cultural issues,” the report urged.

Kimberly Padgett, the State Director for Kentucky RCAP, a program of Community Action Kentucky, Inc., cited two small towns—Evarts and Hyden—in the southeast corner of Kentucky and deep in the state’s eastern coal fields. Residents in these and many other corners of Appalachia have suffered through the economic ups and downs that communities dependent on coal mining have been through over the decades.

Several years ago, Kentucky RCAP worked with the City of Hyden on a wastewater project and the City of Evarts on a drinking water project to extend services to both areas. Padgett described how ways opened up during the construction of these projects for possible community and economic growth in these towns. An entrepreneurial spirit motivated some to promote the area’s basic camping and RV sites, and tourists started coming to the area to rent cabins owned by private businesses. Around this expanding economic activity, restaurants and grocery stores expanded to accommodate the growth. And related businesses, such as repair shops, parts stores, and welders saw an increase in business.

The water services that RCAP helped Evarts with were vital to the development of another outdoor-adventure project. With additional help from RCAP, Evarts was able to form an off-road adventure park to take advantage of the thousands of acres of mountain trails in its area left by years of surface mining.

An outside grant was obtained to help with the project. “Had the [water] infrastructure not been in place, the funding would have gone to other entities,” said Padgett.

Padgett described the connection between “hardware” and “software” improvements in a broader sense. She explained that, in the past, many educated young people were forced to leave the area to pursue better professional opportunities. “Successful leaders of rural communities are well-aware of this and realize that the ‘hardware’ components, such as safe highways, potable drinking water, and reliable broadband internet, are requirements to attract and keep this population subset,” she said. “This infrastructure is the foundation of a sustainable community.”

Padgett added that schools and institutions of higher education also need to play a role in developing leadership skills and encouraging entrepreneurial efforts among young people.

The UT study also identified a role for education. Improvements in local schools and the expansion of community colleges have played an essential role in boosting local economies. The study also found partnerships with colleges and universities bring important benefits to Appalachian communities.

“These institutions bring skills and new ideas that help energize local efforts,” Ezzell, the study’s author, said. “Interestingly, the size of the institution doesn’t always matter. Small local colleges can, in their own way, be as beneficial as a major research university.”

Other challenges identified

Local attitudes may also play a role in a community’s success. The study cited officials in Avery County, N.C., who worked with nonprofits and local colleges to promote entrepreneurship, spurring business development. Residents of Lawrence County, Ala., credited pride associated with local contributions to the moon landings in helping change local perceptions about education and cooperation.

Kentucky RCAP’s Padgett said a community’s growth or sustenance requires individuals in leadership positions to rise above personal agendas and work effectively with others to ensure a high quality of life. It is important to get a diversity of groups involved and to draw in other institutions. “No one person or group possesses all of the necessary knowledge, skills, or experiences to lead successfully,” she said.

Padgett explained that when RCAP works in communities, it sometimes needs to help in shifting the mindset of elected officials from relying on a small group of traditional leaders to accepting the responsibility of leading together to bring about positive change for the next generation.

Same principles, different places

Many of the principles applied by RCAP in Kentucky and cited by the study apply outside Appalachia. Some of the report’s recommendations for communities and agencies at all levels of government to make rural broadband access a priority are relevant in many states. The report also said small counties should consider shared government services and combined marketing and development programs.

“These recommendations are based on the case study findings and observations by local leaders and stakeholders,” Ezzell said. “It is our hope that they will be taken under consideration by ARC and leaders of rural Appalachian counties and other rural counties in America, because these findings can be applicable to them. These findings are important—albeit daunting—changes to turn the tide in these communities.”

Get the full report at www.arc.gov/research/researchreportdetails.asp?REPORT_ID=98 [1]

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