Center on Rural Innovation

Center on Rural Innovation Through a comprehensive approach to tech-based economic development, we help these leaders prove what’s possible in rural America.

The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) believes in the potential of rural communities, and that rural people should have the same access to opportunities in the tech economy. This involves building a nationwide network of local economic change agents; using mapping, data, and storytelling to highlight rural opportunities and success stories; making direct investments in underserved rural entreprene

urs; and closing the digital divide so all Americans can participate in the 21st-century tech economy.

Rural America is ready to build.Our research shows that rural workers are 10 percentage points more likely than their no...
06/25/2026

Rural America is ready to build.

Our research shows that rural workers are 10 percentage points more likely than their nonrural peers to say they want to own their own business in the future — 51% compared to 41%.

And that entrepreneurial spirit is not limited to one generation. We see it across rural Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X.

When rural people have the tools, networks, capital, and support to turn ideas into businesses, they do more than launch companies. They create jobs, solve local challenges, strengthen communities, and build the future of their local economies.

Rural America is full of people who are ready to lead, create, and grow. The opportunity in front of us is to make sure they have the ecosystems and pathways to do it.

Our shared future depends on whether every community has the tools to create lasting opportunity.For 250 years, rural Am...
06/24/2026

Our shared future depends on whether every community has the tools to create lasting opportunity.

For 250 years, rural America has fed, fueled, and powered this country. Rural regions have anchored our economy, stewarded critical resources, and strengthened the systems Americans rely on every day.

As the AI-powered economy takes shape, rural communities must have the resources needed to help lead it.

That means access to capital. Broadband that reaches every home. Skills training that connects people to real opportunity. Strong entrepreneurship ecosystems. And the infrastructure to turn local ideas into lasting local wealth.

At CORI, we see what happens when rural leaders have the resources to match their ambition: new businesses start and grow, tech career pathways open, innovation ecosystems strengthen, and more people can build their future in the place they call home.

That is not just good for rural America. It makes the entire country stronger.

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, we believe the next era must be built with rural communities — recognizing their unique needs, respecting their resources, and investing in the local capacity that makes long-term resilience possible.

America’s economic security can not rely on a few coastal hubs. It depends on equal opportunity regardless of zip code.

As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, it is time to invest like we believe that.

Grateful to be part of this shared campaign alongside The Aspen Institute, Rural Assembly, Resource Rural, and many others.

▶ Missed CORI’s webinar on the Rural Entrepreneurship Index? The recording is now available to watch anytime on our webs...
06/23/2026

▶ Missed CORI’s webinar on the Rural Entrepreneurship Index? The recording is now available to watch anytime on our website!

The conversation was packed with insights on what the data reveals about entrepreneurship in rural America, what it takes to build strong local ecosystems, and how rural founders are growing companies from the communities they call home.

Featuring:
Amanda Weinstein, CORI Director of Research
Rhonda Ladig, CORI Director of Entrepreneurship
Jay Bockhaus, CORI Chief Investment Officer
Dusty Birge, Fast Forward
Eric Harry, Wachholz Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center at FVCC
Rose Reza, UNM-Taos HIVE
Monica Bilak, Sprocket Paducah
Emily Wells, Greenlight & Gig East

Rural entrepreneurs are already building what’s next. Watch the recording and hear from the leaders helping make that momentum visible, supported, and investable.

Watch here: ruralinnovation.us/resources/webinar/webinar-rural-america-entrepreneurship/

On the road again — this time in Vernon County, Missouri.Last week, the CORI team members Nick Poels, Mike Gutman, and T...
06/22/2026

On the road again — this time in Vernon County, Missouri.

Last week, the CORI team members Nick Poels, Mike Gutman, and Trish Thibodo were joined Patterson Family Foundation CEO and President, Maria Flynn in Vernon County. And what we saw was clear: this community is ready to move.

From a community meet-and-greet at the brand-new Precision Coffee Company to visits with leaders at Cottey College, Crowder College, Nevada Regional Technical Center, Agzaga and 3M's Nevada plant, one theme came through again and again: Vernon County has the people, partnerships, and practical know-how to build a local innovation economy.

We heard candid conversations about workforce recruitment and retention. We saw strong cross-sector collaboration already taking shape through Build Vernon County and the local Economic Development Advisory Council. And during the strategy workshop, leaders from education, government, industry, entrepreneurship, and community organizations came together with a shared commitment to turning momentum into action.

That is what rural innovation looks like. It is not one organization, one program, or one big announcement. It is local leaders, employers, educators, entrepreneurs, and partners working together to build a stronger future on their own terms.

Thank you to Tina Cochran and the Build Vernon County team for helping us see the community from so many angles. And thank you to New Growth Women's Business Center, the Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce, Nevada MO Main Street Alliance, and to everyone who shared their time, insight, and vision with us.

Vernon County is ready. We’re grateful to be part of the work ahead.

This work is part of our Heartland Rural Innovators Initiative, funded by the Patterson Family Foundation.

A $2,300 per capita local spending gap is not just a budget number. It is the difference between planning for the future...
06/18/2026

A $2,300 per capita local spending gap is not just a budget number. It is the difference between planning for the future and fighting to keep up.

CORI’s new report, 𝙐𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙: 𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘 𝙁𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙂𝙖𝙥𝙨 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙍𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙤𝙣𝙧𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖, examines how structural public funding gaps limit the fiscal agency rural communities need to invest in what builds long-term prosperity: infrastructure, schools, workforce, community development, entrepreneurship ecosystems, and local government capacity.

The report offers an important shift in how we understand rural economic opportunity. Rural communities are already leading, building, adapting, and innovating. The question is how public funding systems can help unleash that potential.

The answer has consequences far beyond any one town or region. When rural communities have the power to invest locally, they can build stronger economies and unlock more of America’s talent, productivity, and capability.

Swipe through a few key findings, then download the full report to dig deeper: link & QR on the last page of the carousel

We’re proud to share that CORI has earned a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator — the highest possible rating.This r...
06/17/2026

We’re proud to share that CORI has earned a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator — the highest possible rating.

This recognition reflects the trust, accountability, and effectiveness that guide our work every day as we partner with rural communities to build inclusive, tech-driven economies that support scalable entrepreneurship and tech job creation.

To our funders, partners, supporters, and the rural leaders we work alongside: thank you. Your trust powers this mission and helps ensure rural communities have the tools, resources, and opportunity to shape their own futures.

Last chance to register!Rural entrepreneurs are building companies, creating jobs, and shaping the future of their commu...
06/16/2026

Last chance to register!

Rural entrepreneurs are building companies, creating jobs, and shaping the future of their communities — and tomorrow, we’re bringing together the data, ecosystem builders, and founder perspective to show what’s possible.

Join us for a live webinar on the Rural Entrepreneurship Index, featuring:

➤ A deep look at rural entrepreneurship trends with Amanda Weinstein
➤ Inside Rural Entrepreneurship Ecosystems, a panel moderated by Rhonda Ladig
➤ A fireside chat with Dusty Birge, CEO of Fast Forward in Kearney, Nebraska, hosted by Jay Bockhaus

This is a conversation for rural leaders, ecosystem builders, policymakers, investors, and anyone working to strengthen rural economies from the ground up.

Wednesday, June 17 | 1-2 PM ET

Can’t tune in live? Register anyway, and we’ll send you the recording.

Don’t miss it — register here: https://ow.ly/MXP050Zcazj

Last week, CORI team members Nick Poels, Trish Thibido, and Cameryn Mitchell were on the ground in Allen County, Kansas,...
06/15/2026

Last week, CORI team members Nick Poels, Trish Thibido, and Cameryn Mitchell were on the ground in Allen County, Kansas, for a strategy session with local leaders, business owners, educators, workforce partners, and community champions to better understand Allen County’s assets, opportunities, and ambitions for what comes next.

Across every conversation, a few themes stood out: strong local pride, practical workforce solutions, candid business insight, and a deep commitment to building the infrastructure, partnerships, and pathways that help rural communities thrive. One message came through clearly: Allen County has many of the right resources in place. The next step is to make sure entrepreneurs, workers, and businesses know where to start and can easily connect with the tools, support, and opportunities that help them succeed.

That is the work of rural ecosystem building: bringing people, partners, and possibilities together so communities can turn local momentum into long-term prosperity.

A huge thank you to Camille Lavon, Director of Allen County, Kansas Economic Development, for planning a thoughtful, energizing tour that helped us see the county from many angles — from workforce and apprenticeship programs, to downtown revitalization in Humboldt, to quality-of-place investments like Lehigh Portland Trails at Portland State Park, Cubs Community Care Center, and Iola’s airport-adjacent industrial park site.

We’re grateful to Allen County, Thrive Allen County, Allen Community College, City of Humboldt, Kansas, Humboldt, Kansas Chamber of Commerce, City of Iola, KS - Local Government, Iola Area Chamber of Commerce, Allen County Regional Airport KAOH, and Jill Meyer and Robert Newton from the Patterson Family Foundation for an inspiring and productive visit.��

This work is part of our Heartland Rural Innovators Initiative, funded by the Patterson Family Foundation.

Rural America has talent, ideas, and ambition. But too many rural communities are forced to build their futures on unev...
06/11/2026

Rural America has talent, ideas, and ambition. But too many rural communities are forced to build their futures on uneven ground.

Today, CORI is proud to release 𝙐𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙: 𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘 𝙁𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙂𝙖𝙥𝙨 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙍𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙤𝙣𝙧𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖, a new research report examining how structural gaps in locally controlled public funding limit rural communities’ ability to invest in infrastructure, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and long-term resilience.

The report makes one thing clear: rural communities are not lacking vision. They lack the fiscal agency and flexible resources needed to turn that vision into lasting opportunity.

When rural communities have the power to invest locally, they can build stronger economies, support local entrepreneurs, prepare workers for the future, and create the conditions for innovation to thrive.

Download the full report to explore what it will take to close the rural public funding gap and build a more equitable, resilient, and innovative future. 🔗 https://ow.ly/SBHf50Zaf19

This report was made possible through funding from the RWJFoundation.

Innovative companies are being built far from the places that usually get the spotlight.In Kearney, Nebraska, Dusty Birg...
06/10/2026

Innovative companies are being built far from the places that usually get the spotlight.

In Kearney, Nebraska, Dusty Birge, Founder & CEO of Fast Forward, has built a company from the community he calls home — creating jobs, solving real problems, and showing what rural entrepreneurship looks like in action.

At our upcoming webinar on the Rural Entrepreneurship Index, our Chief Investment Officer, Jay Bockhaus, will sit down with Dusty for a fireside chat on what it takes to build and scale from rural America.

This conversation will bring the data to life through the story of a rural entrepreneur building opportunity from the ground up.

The webinar will also feature:
➙ A deep look at rural entrepreneurship trends and our new Rural Entrepreneurship Index with Amanda Weinstein, our Director of Research
➙ A panel discussion on rural entrepreneurship ecosystems, moderated by Rhonda Ladig, our Director of Entrepreneurship

Rural entrepreneurs are building successful companies. Join us to learn how more communities can foster innovation to create lasting opportunity.

👉 Register here: https://ow.ly/Ynht50Z9R0A

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2 Quechee Road
Hartland, VT
05048

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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