Mississippi State Community Action Team (MSCAT)

Baby Boom Migration and Its Impact on Rural America
The Economic Research Service gives insight into the impact of migration patterns in rural America. This report also describes how quality of life factors are replacing employment factors when deciding where to live.

Crafting a Competitive Future: Capitalizing on Rural America
SRI International takes a look in this report at the status of rural America, federal government initiatives targeting rural America, and strategic options for capitalizing on rural areas.

Creating Vibrant Communities and Economies in Rural America
This report by the Southern Rural Development Center discusses four key areas needed to strengthen the viability of rural America.

Economic Development and Smart Growth
The International Economic Development Council takes a look at eight case studies that show the connections between smart growth development and jobs, wealth, and quality of life.

Home grown Responses to Economic Uncertainty in Rural America
In this Rural Sociological Society report, rural communities that look inward at their assets to enhance economic development efforts are often better off than trying to just lure companies to relocate. Example strategies of how some states are using this approach are also highlighted.

Livability 101
The American Institute of Architects describes eight essential elements that communities need to consider as they grow and develop over time.

Building a Foundation for Community Leadership: Involving Youth in Community Development Projects
The Southern Rural Development Center developed this report to serve as guide to help others learn how to create and implement a youth leadership component in community development projects.

Rural Leadership Development: HandMade in America
This report describes how one nonprofit organization coupled with local resources creates opportunities for citizens in western North Carolina.

The World Café: A Quick Reference Guide for Putting Conversations to Work
This guide explains how to foster collaborative dialogue around an issue in your community that results in ideas that can become a catalyst for action.

From the Margins to the Mainstream
The Surface Transportation Policy Partnership looks at transportation from a livability and accessibility perspective in this report.

Lessons Learned from Rural Schools
This study by the Center for Rural Alabama looks at the connection between low educational attainment levels and poverty in selected rural areas in Alabama and the realities they face.

Miles to Go Mississippi
This publication by the Southern Education Foundation examines how changing Mississippi's future starts with all residents having access to high-quality public education at all levels.

Mississippi Manufacturers: Preparing for Jobs of the Future
The report by the Mississippi Manufacturers Association is a study of the workforce training needs of the manufacturing sector in Mississippi.

The Role of Education: Promoting the Economic and Social Vitality of Rural America
This report by the Southern Rural Development Center takes a look at linkages between rural schools and communities by exploring the roles of education, human capital, and the local economy.

Turning Around Downtown: 12 Steps to Revitalization
The Brookings Institution outlines twelve methods for revitalizing downtown areas.

Community Development: A Guide for Grantmakers on Fostering Better Outcomes through Good Process
This guide by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation outlines the importance of collaboration in funding community development initiatives.

Community Development Funding Sources
This assimilation of funding sources from various agencies is designed to assist entities involved with community development projects and initiatives in locating possible funding opportunities.

Philanthropy in Mississippi
The Council on Foundations gives an overview of foundation giving in Mississippi in this report.

Improving Board and Organizational Effectiveness This guide by the Southern Rural Development Center is designed to help nonprofit associations and volunteer organizations face the diverse challenges in today's environment.

Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty The MIT Leadership Center identifies four key areas of a leadership framework while explaining how one's unique style is used to determine how the framework is actually used.

Inequalities in the Built Environment Underlies Key Health Disparities in Physical Activity and Obesity
This study by the American Academy of Pediatrics seeks to show a link between the lack of access of recreational facilities and obesity in adolescents.

Recreation, Tourism and Rural Well-Being This report by the Economic Research Service assesses the effect of recreation and tourism in rural counties.

The Built Environment: Designing Communities to Promote Physical Activity in Children
This study by the American Academy of Pediatrics explains how the way communities are designed and what amenities are available are important considerations when trying to combat the obesity problem in children.