Essence Smith

Rural America is teeming with innovation, opportunity, and solutions to many flawed economic policies. And it always has been. Counter to the common narrative of the decline of all things rural, both history and experience tell a different story. Because necessity is the mother of invention, rural America has always been and continues to be, the most experienced national proving ground for creative deployments of capital, revitalizations at scale, and far-reaching systems change.

By Essence Smith, Project Manager, Partners for Rural Transformation Persistently poor counties are classified as having poverty rates of 20 percent or more for three consecutive decades. By this measurement, there are currently around 377 persistent poverty counties in the United States, home to over 4.6 million residents.

By Essence Smith, Project Manager, Partners for Rural Transformation RCAC Financial education and financial literacy are two of the lesser discussed keys to financial independence mentioned in the industry. Understanding concepts of saving, investing, and debt typically leads to an overall sense of financial security and self-assuredness, not to mention healthier livelihoods.