ABSTRACT
Despite the fact that many rural regions have been buoyed by urban expansion, attraction for rural amenities, and high energy and commodity prices, many regions within rural America continue to struggle with population loss and economic decline. Persistent pockets of poverty in the South and Appalachia, natural resource dependence in many Western states, and continuing agricultural dependence in the Midwest have left many rural communities and regions without prospects for growth. This certainly is true in the Great Plains region of the United States, where traditional economic sectors (agriculture, energy, and manufacturing) are insufficient to sustain many rural communities. The dearth of alternative employment opportunities has led workers and their families to seek opportunities in larger population centres, leaving behind rural communities with stagnant or declining population and economic bases.
