Center for Rural Resilience & Workforce Development

The Center for Rural Resilience and Workforce Development's mission is to equip Arkansans with sustainable, accessible research-based practices and expertise to create vibrant, self-reliant communities where businesses, organizations, and families thrive.

Our work focuses on community, workforce, and economic development through the lens of asset-based community development where every Arkansan is valued for their contribution to their community’s local growth.

We focus on primary audiences through an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach grounded in Extension’s approach of translating research into practical tools, expanding access to knowledge, building capacity at the local level, and creating measurable impact.

  1. Extension Agents
  2. Community-Centric Organizations 

Specific focus areas are highlighted below:

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Asset-Based Community Development

See community development in action through our Extension Health Ambassadors program!
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Digital Skills Program

Expand your career opportunities.
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Community & Workforce Development through Extension Agents

Build pathways for community and economic development in your county.
On the left, a column chart shows the Employed Population by Development District in Arkansas. The Central and Northwest district populations are close to 375,000; the East, West Central, and Western district populations are between 100,000-175,000; and the White River, Southwest, and Southeast district populations are less than 100,000. On the right, the data is shown as color-coded areas on a map of the state, with higher populations in dark blue and lower populations in light blue.

Labor Market Observatory

Learn more about your Economic Development District.
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Grant Writing Support for Nonprofits

Get grant writing help with your nonprofit.
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Arkansas Community & Economic Development Alliance

Resources to help fund community and economic development projects.