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Advancing evidence-based policies and programs to improve the health, education, and economic well-being of rural America.

Rural America—home to one in five Americans and the source of much of our food, drinking water, and energy production—faces unique challenges that require specialized research approaches and deep community understanding.

NORC’s commitment to rural communities spans over 70 years, beginning with our first rural study in 1952. Through the Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis and cross-departmental expertise, we have developed methodological and subject matter capabilities tailored to support policies and programs that strengthen rural communities.

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How We Support Rural Communities

Our work spans the domains that shape rural well-being, enabling our partners to address complex health, education, and economic challenges with evidence-based solutions.

  • Rural Health: Access to care, workforce development, emergency preparedness, substance use disorder treatment, maternal health, and behavioral health services 
  • Rural Education: Educational access, teacher recruitment and retention, post-secondary attainment, and civics engagement in rural schools 
  • Economic Development: Rural prosperity measurement, workforce development, transportation systems, and broadband access analysis 
  • Tribal Health and Services: Public health capacity assessment, cultural responsiveness, and sovereign nation partnerships 
  • Community Resilience: Emergency preparedness, disaster response, social networks, and community assets mapping 
  • Data Infrastructure: Rural-specific sampling frames, address validation, and community-centered data collection protocols 

Retaining Rural Science & Math Teachers

Cultivating a high-quality science and math teacher workforce in rural Illinois

Client:

National Science Foundation

Rural Emergency Preparedness & Response Toolkit

Supporting disaster planning, response, and recovery efforts in rural America

Funder:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration

Our Experts

Our Clients, Funders & Partners


NORC partners with tribal governments, state health and education departments, rural community organizations, and a wide range of other clients and funders committed to rural prosperity, including:

  • Health Resources and Services Administration Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  • ECMC Foundation
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • Appalachian Regional Commission