JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Economic Development rolled out a tool on Thursday to help members of rural communities find and access the network of business and community development resources.
The Missouri Rural Resource Guide is touted as a one-stop shop for business and community development resource information. The guide is designed to improve the alignment of public, private and non-profit partners around the state, according to the website.
“For far too long, rural economic development projects have struggled to progress or sometimes fail to get off the starting line,” Jessica Craig, Executive Director of Economic Development Sedalia – Pettis County, said. Economic Development Sedalia is just one of multiple agencies listed on the site. “We’re proud to be a part of this great initiative and look forward to seeing the successful impact on our rural communities.”
“Rural communities and farmers have a symbiotic relationship,” Chris Chinn, Director of Missouri’s Department of Agriculture said. “By and large, our farmers call rural Missouri home and want that home to thrive and prosper. Sometimes it simply takes being connected to, and aware of, the right resources, that is why I think this tool will serve agriculture and all rural Missourians well.”
Included in the site are local, regional, state and federal resource partners. The Guide is divided into six categories: Infrastructure, Community Development, Community Services, Business Development, Workforce/Education, and Governance.
Organizations can request to be added to the site by going directly to the Missouri Rural Resource Guide webpage.
Click here to visit the Missouri Rural Resource Guide.
Touted as building off momentum from Gov. Eric Greitens’ statewide initiative to expand broadband infrastructure, the Missouri Rural Resource Guide aims to ensure that Missouri’s rural communities are no longer at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to business development.
“We made a commitment to work for Missouri’s rural communities — families that are too often forgotten. This new Resource Guide is one more effort to help fulfill that promise,” said Greitens. “Our state has a fantastic network of public, private, and non-profit resources that are serving those communities every day. We put together this site to make these partners easier to find, so businesses and families can get the resources they need to succeed.”
Alisha Shurr was a reporter for The Missouri Times and The Missouri Times Magazine. She joined The Missouri Times in January 2018 after working as a copy editor for her hometown newspaper in Southern Oregon. Alisha is a graduate of Kansas State University.
