AARP Rural Development Principles

The following principles guide AARP’s efforts to ensure financial resilience for rural communities.

Develop a unified federal approach—the federal government’s approach to rural development should be coordinated, coherent, and relevant to enable better access to and development of programs that can foster economic development in rural areas.

Target federal resources strategically—federal grants and loans should be invested in rural communities where funding will have a meaningful impact.

Ensure equity and flexibility—funding mechanisms should ensure fair and effective competition among all applicants, including those in rural areas. They should adapt to meet the distinct circumstances and needs of rural communities.

Build capacity—rural communities should have support to develop the knowledge and skills needed to compete for federal funding and successfully execute projects.