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Success Stories

Smith Island, Maryland

Investing in Wastewater Infrastructure is Key to Preserving Smith Island, Maryland

For the people living on Smith Island, the water matters. But it’s about more than the beautiful views of the Chesapeake Bay from the picturesque island ten miles from the mainland. The multi‐generational residents depend on the surrounding Chesapeake Bay for their livelihoods. For many, crabbing, oystering, and ecotourism are what puts dollars in their bank accounts, and food on their tables. In rural communities…
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Search Results: 86 Stories
Photo: Outlaw Auto, a small, family-owned business in Myrtle Point, Oregon, is providing stable income for its owners and jobs for this rural community.

Small Family-owned Business Creates Jobs in Rural Community

For years, John and Alayna Black dreamed about opening their own business. John worked as a mechanic, repairing cars, motorcycles, and boats, but it was a struggle to make ends meet, especially after Alayna’s back surgery. “I didn’t know if we’d be able to pay the bills or have… [Read More]
BusinessSmall Business
Heartland Lumber Storefront

Building Materials + Ag Supplies = Heartland Lumber and Supply

Joe Quinn found out that after 100 years of operation, that all five of the S.A. Foster Lumberyards would either be sold or closed, including the Oshkosh, Nebraska lumberyard.  The Oshkosh location had been in operation for 65 years, and was where Joe had worked for 34 years, 31… [Read More]
Business
Jennifer Quail with Vision Brookings

Establishing Unique Resources for a South Dakota Community

Brookings Economic Development Corporation (BEDC), through Vision Brookings Foundation, has received a USDA Rural Business Development Grant to create a commercial kitchen and implement a technical assistance program to assist the efforts of area food entrepreneurs. The kitchen… [Read More]
Business
Photo: Meant Manufacturing, a woman-owned, startup business in Florence, Oregon, is creating jobs and improving the local economy.

From Artisanal Hobbyist to Successful Business Owner: Rural Entrepreneur Contributes to Job Creation and Local Economy

Creating one-of-a-kind bags and accessories from locally sourced materials, like Pendleton® Wool, started as a hobby for Lindsey Phillips. Gradually, she began selling her products through third-party sites. Then she created her own website and sold wholesale to local boutiques… [Read More]
BusinessSmall BusinessEconomic Development
Photo: The nonprofit REACH helped Rosa Cortes secure a job that can accommodate her disabilities.

Creating a Path to Employment in Rural Areas for People with Disabilities

Rosa Cortes was struggling to find work in the rural town of Klamath Falls in southern Oregon. She volunteered at Good Will to build her experience, but found her disabilities made employers reluctant to offer her a job. Rosa has ankylosing spondylitis, a hereditary form of… [Read More]
Business
Photo of downtown Hood River, Oregon, in the Columbia Gorge

Fueling Wage Growth, Business Expansion in the Columbia Gorge

Rural businesses on both sides of the Columbia River—from a brewery to an assisted living facility, from a Thai restaurant to a tribal fish market—are improving the local economy by hiring more employees and providing higher wages. These myriad small businesses have one thing in… [Read More]
Small BusinessBusiness

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