PUBLICATIONS

1. 1.Rural America at a Glance, 2016 Edition
   A report that provides an overview of social and economic factors affecting rural America. Includes data and statistics about employment, population, poverty, and income trends.
   Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service

 

1. 2.Unemployment rate for rural veterans at its lowest since before the Great Recession

The unemployment rate for rural veterans has declined steadily since reaching its peak of 10.3 percent in 2010. In 2015, it stood at 5.0 percent, its lowest rate since the start of the 2007-09 recession. The unemployment rate for young rural veterans (ages 18 to 34) has seen a large decline too—from a high of 15.7 percent in 2009 to 7.9 percent in 2015. Young veterans often face high unemployment due to service-related disabilities and a lack of civilian work experience, which is a greater obstacle when the economy is weak. The recent drop in unemployment for all veterans partly stems from the post-recession national economic upturn. Public and private efforts that help veterans transition into the workplace quicker and into better paying jobs that fit with their skills have also reduced the time that veterans remain unemployed. These efforts include greater recognition of the skills veterans learn during their service—such as discipline and timeliness—and the value of those skills in the workplace.

 

1. 3. One in six U.S. households with children were food-insecure at some time in 2015

In 2015, 16.6 percent of U.S. households with children (6.4 million households) were food insecure at some time during the year. In about half of these households, only adult household members were food insecure as the children had normal or near-normal diets and meal patterns. However, in 7.8 percent of households with children (3.0 million households) both children and adults were food insecure. In 0.7 percent of households with children (274,000 households), food insecurity among children was so severe that caregivers reported that children were hungry, skipped a meal, or did not eat for a whole day because there was not enough money for food. In some households with very low food security among children, only older children may have experienced the more severe effects of food insecurity while younger children were protected from those effects. In 2014, 1.1 percent of households with children reported very low food security among children.

1. 4.An Agenda for President-elect Trump to Move America Toward an Innovation Economy

President-elect Donald Trump made strong appeals during his campaign to restore economic opportunity for workers, particularly those displaced by changes in the manufacturing and energy sectors. An economy driven by transforming America’s scientific research into good-paying jobs and high-growth businesses would deliver on the promises Trump made to voters. SSTI has a policy agenda to provide entrepreneurs and investors with the support they need to make this transition to an innovation economy. Read more...

1. 5.Local Impacts of Federal R&D Investments

As the United States undergoes a political transition, much remains to be seen in how the Trump Administration will approach the economy. One way to support economic development on both a federal and regional level is by leveraging research and development. Building capacity for scientific research is an underlying principle of the Innovative Science and Technology for Economic Prosperity (iSTEP) model – a comprehensive policy platform for converting the United States’ strength in R&D into greater economic prosperity – which has received bipartisan support from an overwhelming majority of voters. Roughly three-fourths of prospective voters in the 2016 presidential election support increasing federal funding for research, according to bipartisan polling supported by the Innovation Advocacy Council, an initiative of SSTI. Recent research also shows that scientific R&D grants distributed at the federal level can have significant effects on regional economies. Read more...

EVENTS/LEARNING

1. The Children's Health and Education Mapping Tool
   An interactive mapping resource that focuses on education and health disparities among low-income children using geographic information systems (GIS). County-level data and statistics included for child health, education, and socioeconomic status.
   Sponsoring organization: School-Based Health Alliance

1. A Framework for Understanding Poverty: 10 Actions to Educate Students

Explore class differences and 10 actions you can implement in the classroom to improve the success of low-SES students. This webinar is based on Ruby Payne’s book A Framework for Understanding Poverty, which has sold more than 1.5 million copies. Thursday, December 1, 2016, 11:00am-12:00pm CST  

1. Webinar Series Will Get You Ready and Set to “GO” on a Community Food Sovereignty Assessment

First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) has scheduled a new series of four free First Nations Knowledge webinars that will help Native organizations and tribal communities get ready and set to “GO” on conducting a Community Food Sovereignty Assessment, with the last in the series focusing on moving forward with action planning after the assessment. Please register for each webinar individually:

• December 13, 2016 @ 1:00 p.m. MST
  "Go! Conducting Your Community Food Sovereignty Assessment"
  Conducting the assessment; analyzing the data; dissemination and confidentiality of data; how to use data for strategic/project planning and grant proposals; how to use data for policy development. An organization or tribe will share experiences and best practices. Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3422440325667269378

January 17, 2017 @ 1:00 p.m. MST
"Moving Forward! Community-Based Policy and Action Plans"
Developing action plans from the CFSA data; experience gained through community engagement during the CFSA. This webinar will highlight success stories from two organizations or tribes.  Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2798412501323018754