Western Rural Development Center

08/18/2026

Missed our most recent WeCAN Peer Learning Network call?

Catch up on an engaging discussion about the WeCAN Community Review Process and how it can help communities better understand local needs while giving residents and business owners a stronger voice in shaping future growth and development.

During the June session, Lorie Higgins (WeCAN), Katherine Anderson (MT Business Assistance Connection), and our very own Amber Smyer (WRDC) shared how the WeCAN Community Review process is making an impact in East Helena, Montana.

Watch the full recording: https://youtu.be/7V-2Q75yWFQ?si=vYJtiGpgPjPjNhtW

The WeCAN Peer Learning Network will resume September 9. Monthly calls are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. Pacific / 11 a.m. Mountain. We'd love to have you join us!

Learn more and access meeting information: https://www.westerncan.org/peerlearningnetwork

08/13/2026

We at WRDC were excited to see this article published about our researchers' outstanding work!

"Impact of Family Health on the Monetary Success of the Entrepreneur: Entrepreneur-Spouse-Child Interdependence" was published by De Gruyter Brill. Congratulations to Dr. Paul Lewin, Dr. Nadeeka Weeasekara and Dr. Monica Fisher for the recognition!

"I was interested in this research question because entrepreneurial success is often viewed primarily through the resources and capabilities of the individual entrepreneur, while the family can also represent an important source of strategic resources. Family health is one dimension of this family capital—or what we might think of as ‘familiness’—that can shape an entrepreneur’s ability to work, make decisions, and succeed," says WRDC Research Associate Nadeeka Weerasekara.

The article highlights the importance of looking beyond the individual entrepreneur and recognizing the interconnected resources and well-being within the family. Our team hopes this research encourages leaders and practitioners, particularly in rural communities, to consider family well-being as part of the broader ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship and economic participation.

You can read the full article here: https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/erj-2024-0549/html

08/05/2026

What an incredible week at Community Development Institute West 2026!

July 20-24, the Western Rural Development Center was proud to facilitate CDI West in partnership with Business Oregon and Idaho Commerce. Together, we welcomed 52 participants to Boise, Idaho for a week filled with learning, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas to strengthen communities across the West.

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to meaningful conversations throughout the week. Your passion for community development is what makes programs like CDI West so impactful.

A special thank you to our sponsors, Idaho Power and the Idaho Small Business Development Center, for helping make this year's institute possible. We appreciate your investment in developing leaders who are creating stronger more resilient communities.

We look forward to seeing how this year's participants put their new knowledge and connections into action.

Follow us for updates on plans for CDI West 2027!

08/05/2026

Are you interested in helping rural communities have access to healthy food? Do you want to join a national network of rural grocery specialists helping keep rural grocery stores alive? If so, the Rural
Grocery Transition Specialist course might be right for you!

A free information session about the program will be held on August 7th at 11:30 AM CT. Register at https://ksu.zoom.us/meeting/register/K6rVWsxnQNK6UNCR7lu0ug #/registration

Visit https://www.facebook.com/RuralGroceryInitiative for more information.

Registration is now open for the fall 2026 offering of our Rural Grocery Transition Specialist course! Supporting rural grocers in business transition planning is essential to keeping the benefits of hometown grocery stores in rural communities. This course trains individuals to support rural grocers through business transition. Graduates join our national network of rural grocery specialists, earn a microcredential from Kansas State University, and gain exclusive access to continuing education and peer networking opportunities. To learn more and register, visit https://www.ruralgrocery.org/specialist/

07/28/2026

We're hiring!

WRDC is seeking an Associate Director. This position plays a key leadership role in advancing our mission by supporting day-to-day operations, promoting collaborative multistate initiatives, and driving integrated research and outreach efforts across the western United States.

To learn more about this position and apply, go to https://wrdc.uidaho.edu/job-announcements/

Applications received by August 1, 2026, will receive first consideration.

The University of Idaho is an equal employment opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

07/27/2026

Sharing this opportunity on August 6th to join the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security for a virtual training session on the fundamentals of planning to maintain operations during emergencies in rural communities!

Join the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security for a virtual training session on the fundamentals of planning to maintain operations during emergencies in rural communities!

Who: Rural government officials, emergency responders, and administrative staff responsible for maintaining essential functions during a crisis or multiple crises, including local leaders, department heads, emergency management coordinators, and other key personnel involved in critical operations in Wyoming and Region 8.

📆 When: August 6, 2026
⏰ Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM MT
📍 Where: Zoom

How:
• Register for a FEMA SID: https://cdp.dhs.gov/femasid/register
• Sign up for PER-337-V (PILOT) training: https://training.ncdpcourses.org/browse/instructor-led-v/rural-per-337/courses/per-337-wy
• Take the pre-test.
• Attend the session.
• Take the post-test and evaluation after the session.

Cost: Free.
Enroll: https://ncdptraining.org/PER-337-WY

07/24/2026

Graduate students: submit your application while there is still time! ⏰

Graduate students at Western Land Grant Institutions still have to take advantage of this funding opportunity with WRDC's Graduate Student Grant Program.

This funding opportunity supports research projects focused on rural development and helps students explore challenges and opportunities impacting rural communities across the Western region. Receive up to $15,000 to support your work!

Don’t miss your chance to submit your application.

📅 Deadline: July 31

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://wrdc.uidaho.edu/grants-fellowships/

07/23/2026

The deadline is approaching to apply for a Fellow Grant!

Through the WRDC Fellows Grant program, faculty at Western Land Grant Institutions can receive support for projects that address challenges and opportunities facing rural communities across the region.

Whether your work focuses on research, Extension, or a combination of both, the Fellows Grant Program is designed to help advance ideas that can contribute to rural prosperity.

Application deadline is July 31! ⏰ Time is winding down, so submit soon.

Learn more and apply: https://wrdc.uidaho.edu/fellow-projects/

07/22/2026

Applications are due soon for WRDC Multistate Integrated Research and Extension Seed Grants!

There is still time to submit your proposal for this funding opportunity designed to support collaboration between two or more Western Land Grant Institutions.

WRDC is looking for projects that:
• Integrate research and Extension activities
• Address critical rural development challenges
• Build partnerships across institutions
• Create opportunities for future external funding

Selected projects may receive up to $25,000 to support collaborative work that strengthens rural communities across the Western region.

📅 Submit your application by July 31

🔗 Submit your proposal: https://wrdc.uidaho.edu/multistate-projects/

07/16/2026

We wanted to share this research from our colleagues at the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development.

Their researchers wanted to respond to the concern that while tourism can be an engine of economic growth, it can also create pressures on housing, community well-being and the environment. This research project asked whether tourism sustainability can be tracked in a more systematic, scalable and comparable way.

For the study, the researchers used existing data, such as the US Census data, environmental monitoring data, crime statistics and health measures, to build a novel composite sustainable tourism index.

The index uses six measures to represent the economic, social and environmental well-being of tourism counties:
- the percentage of income a household spends on housing
- poverty rates
- violent crime rates
- life expectancy
- the amount of pollution in the air and pollution sites

The findings point to several potential policy implications. In addition to gaining insights about how tourism affects counties over time, the tool they developed can also be used to aid in decision-making.

Read about their research and findings here: https://nercrd.psu.edu/finding-new-ways-to-measure-the-local-sustainability-of-rural-tourism/