Well informed and effective leaders help rural areas grow and prosper. NIFA helps build rural and community prosperity through research, education, and extension, in collaboration with the Regional Rural Development Centers, their many partners in the land-grant university system, and in communities across the country.
NIFA promotes community and economic development through national program leadership, funding for integrated research, education, and extension activities, and strategic partnerships and collaborations.
Such efforts help rural and tribal leaders find ways to deliver effective government and creative placemaking services in an era of aging and declining population and diminishing tax base. In addition, rural businesses leaders benefit from evidence-based programs and innovative research opportunities that allow them to tap new markets in an increasingly competitive, global environment.