This program area priority within the Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities (AERC) program supports rigorous theoretical and empirical efforts to create and examine innovative approaches for advancing economic opportunities for rural entrepreneurs and communities, with an aim to promote rural prosperity and well-being. The intent of the program area priority is to improve the understanding of the factors and conditions that enhance economic opportunities for food, agricultural and rural businesses through tools and methods from the 62 various social sciences, (i.e., sociology, demography, economics, geography, etc.). Studies that focus on women, and ethnic and/or racial minority groups are of interest.

This program area priority focuses mainly on entrepreneurs, small businesses, and other local level employers and services who are important sources of employment, and/or on other issues “beyond the farm gate.”

Program Area Priority Code – A1661

For more information on this RFA ​see AFRI RFA, ​pages 61-62.

Previous awardees' presentations and other resources

Presentations of previously funded projects for this Program Area Priority

A presentation of a project on the enhancement of opportunities for rural cooperative entrepreneurship by providing decision-making tools and research-based information: Request the Hueth-Collective Action in Rural Communities presentation

A presentation of a project that used "Fresh Food Boxes" delivery system as an alternative way to get farm produce to consumers: Request the Kolodinsky-Farm Fresh Food Boxes presentation

Abstracts for Previously Awarded Projects for this Program Area Priority

A1661 Abstracts from our CRIS database.