Rural Economic
Development
2011 Trends Driving
Rural Small Business
Local, Government and Economic Development are the three key factors shaping rural small business in the coming year. Within each of these factors are smaller subtrends. Here’s a closer look at what to expect for rural businesses in 2011. (more)
Visitors are looking for what you might already have...
~ One-of-a-kind experiences
~ Adventure Travel
~ Cultural Events
~ Festivals
~ Outdoor Recreation
~ Educational Travel
~ Historical Places
~ Museums
~ Shopping
~ Weekend Travel
~ Unique settings for family
reunions, weddings, etc.
Helpful Links
Agri-Tourism
Montana has a strong tourism industry that farms and ranches can and do utilize to augment their income, help manage resources, and educate Montana’s visitors. (more)
Rural Outsourcing
Rural Outsourcing is the concept of using well-established outsourcing companies that utilize the talent of professional people who chose to live in rural areas. By using rural outsourcing you costs are reduced because people who live in rural areas, can work for lesser wages because the cost of living for them is smaller them people who live in urban areas, or big cities. By doing this you have a great alternative to offshoring, you can keep your projects in your own country and still reduce your overall spending.
Professionals who chose to live in rural communities for personal reasons such as quality of life, prior family history, and recreational activities. Due to the lower cost of living, these professionals are willing to accept salaries as much as 40% lower than salaries obtainable in urban areas.
I have always done my best to look at the glass as not half-full but full. Are we full yet? No we are not. Do we have to be completely full, no we don't. Is there room for improvement? Yes, there is. Is the elected leadership in the County and the towns consistently creating jobs or opportunities to welcome back generations younger than us? Sometimes, but not often enough. Do we really need to compete town versus town in a county that has over 1,800 square miles of roads? Seriously, no we don't. Judith Basin County is not Urban America, so there appears to be plenty of room for all in our neighboring towns to be successful.
I get why this competitive spirited philosophy happens - everyone wants to keep their towns and their schools going. It is that passion that these towns have that keeps the flame burning. But our towns - all of them - lack solid, consistent and simple future Economic Revenue Streams. If we could improve the quality of life here in Small Town America, just imagine the possibilities! If every town welcomed an average of three or more new families to their area, even new businesses to their area, this would increase the bottom line to additional businesses and the schools. Every town would perk up with their sense of accomplishment and yeah boast about it in a positive way.
What I also realize is that we are an aging demographic. We have much to offer in our area and I would like to see all of the towns and schools succeed. What reasons are there for younger generations to come back here? There is no reason why they can't with a little elbow grease, consistent thought processes, and additional collaborative efforts. With access and knowledge to various resources, as well as fielding multiple questions on a regular basis, I thought it would be a good idea to find a way to share knowledge and resources with you, hence the idea for this resourceful page for Rural Development.
As this successful website has grown in bringing awareness and tourism to our area, there are additional revenue streams just knocking at your door so to speak. There are resources listed here on this page that can benefit the local towns, the farmer/rancher, the business owner, and the visitor. Maybe this information will help you, maybe it won't - but I hope it does. If you have any additional information or resources that you would like to share, please feel free to contact me and I will add it.
Thank you for your time and support and good luck with your future economic revenue streams!"
Sincerely,
Kim Holzer
RussellCountry.com
Owner/Publisher