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For more than 80 years, the Vinson Institute has worked with public officials throughout Georgia and around the world to improve governance and people's lives. From Georgia's early days as a largely agrarian state with a modest population to its modern-day status as a national and international force in business, industry, and politics with a population of almost 10 million, the Institute has helped government leaders navigate change and forge strong directions for a better Georgia.
In the Spotlight > Rural Development Council Taps Institute for Policy Assistance

Rural Development Council Taps Institute for Policy Assistance

Posted October 26, 2011
Contact: Courtney Yarbrough, cryarb@uga.edu; 706.542.6221

Strengthening Georgia's rural communities is the goal of the latest of Governor Nathan Deal's initiatives for which he has sought Vinson Institute assistance. The Institute is working closely with the newly created OneGeorgia Rural Policy Center, a focused effort spearheaded by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) that will create new opportunities for success in rural areas.

Located on the University of Georgia's Tifton campus, the OneGeorgia Rural Policy Center is a hub for research and innovative policies to promote vibrant growth in Georgia's rural counties. The center combines the higher-learning resources of the University System of Georgia (USG), the leadership of the OneGeorgia Authority Board, and the policy development focus of the Georgia Rural Development Council (GRDC).

DCA has called on the Institute to assist the rural development initiative with policy creation. Institute faculty facilitators will guide the GRDC through discussions and policy formation and will contribute to drafting policy papers. The Institute will also assist in deploying the resources of USG by identifying and subcontracting with USG entities that can conduct relevant research on a variety of rural development issues identified by the GRDC.

"We are delighted to be a part of this exciting new initiative that has such potential to make meaningful change in our rural counties," said Laura Meadows. "We look forward to working with DCA, the new council, and the Rural Policy Center on innovative policy development and research."

Gov. Deal announced appointments to the 12-member Rural Policy Development Council on October 12. The Institute will begin its work with the GRDC immediately, and the council has slated its next meeting for late November.

The Institute's work with the OneGeorgia Rural Policy Center is one of several recent statewide projects to which the Institute has contributed. Institute faculty have also been closely involved with the governor's Water Supply Task Force, the Georgia Competitiveness Initiative, the Georgia Health Insurance Exchange Advisory Committee, the Georgia Council for the Arts strategic planning process.

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