Welcome Reception

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Welcome*

Opening remarks*

Tom Barkin 
President, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Morning plenary*
The Changing Demographics of Rural America

Rebecca Tippett
Director of Carolina Demography, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Break*

Move to Breakout Sessions

Morning Breakout Sessions

Panel Discussion: Investing in the Rural Workforce of the Future*

• Leaders in education and workforce development will discuss strategies for building a strong rural workforce pipeline and facilitating transitions from high school to post-secondary education and training for in-demand careers. The panelists will provide insight into the essential roles that community colleges and student-centered programs can play in educating students on career pathways and workforce opportunities available in rural communities and small towns.

OR

Panel Discussion: Investing in Housing: Developing Strategies to House the Rural Workforce

• In this panel discussion, rural leaders will examine the topic of workforce housing and why it is a priority for rural communities seeking to attract and retain employers and their workers. Panelists will offer strategies for rural community leaders to identify opportunities for improving the housing stock in their communities. The panelists will discuss how partnerships between nonprofits, lenders, and community organizations can lead to the development of quality, affordable housing for the rural workforce.

Lunch

Afternoon plenary panel:

Building the Capacity of Rural Development Hubs and Intermediaries*

• Rural development hubs (hubs) approach wealth-building and community wellbeing by taking an integrated approach to address a region’s systems that either advance or impede prosperity. In this plenary panel, the audience will hear directly from hubs that are making it happen. These tangible examples from local, rural communities will help small towns and rural communities think about next steps for capacity building whether starting from scratch or expanding the reach of an existing hub. The speakers will explore how communities can invest in system-level changes, competencies needed to serve as a hub, and how multiple sectors can take shared action towards a common goal.

Break*

Move to Breakout Sessions

Afternoon Breakout Sessions

Panel discussion: Investing in Locally-Driven Economic Opportunity: Supporting Rural Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses*

• In this session, panelists will discuss strategies for rural communities to turn local assets and ideas into economic opportunity. Leaders from organizations serving rural communities will discuss initiatives aimed at supporting small businesses and empowering entrepreneurs. The panelists will share how increasing access to capital and infrastructure, providing training and technical assistance, and building local and regional partnerships can expand a rural community’s capacity to support entrepreneurship and small businesses development.

OR

Panel discussion: Investing in Rural Early Care and Education

• In this panel discussion, experts representing national, state, and local perspectives will discuss how rural communities can develop and leverage the resources required to develop a thriving early care and education (ECE) ecosystem. Panelists will offer insight into strategies and innovative partnerships that have empowered rural communities to overcome common barriers to providing affordable and sustainable ECE programs. They will also discuss the critical role of ECE in workforce participation, and how employers and policymakers can engage with providers to support ECE initiatives in their communities.

Closing Remarks*

Adjourn*