How Rural Polls Can Guide Extension Programming, Community Dialogue and Policymaking: Examples from Three States

Research

Major changes are occurring in both the nation and the world that have important impacts on the lives of rural citizens. Some changes create opportunities for better lives, while other changes produce hardship. To assist citizens and decision-makers in understanding these changes a growing number of universities have provided leadership for a periodic "rural poll". The objective of these projects include the collection of relevant data, the opportunity to monitor the changing rural conditions, as well as, the dissemination of those results to policy makers, organizations, and other interested groups. As a result of these projects, rural leaders have a critical edge that provides them with an authoritative basis for knowing what is going on and what opportunities are available to address specific needs. In addition, this dynamic tool helps leaders understand better the experiences of rural residents as well as provide citizens with an opportunity to participate in forming the policy agenda in their state. Extension has often been a catalyst in both initiating rural polls and/or using the results in a variety of educational venues and community discussions.

Utilizing a panel discussion format (moderated by Dr. John Allen), this presentation will showcase rural poll projects from three different states: Mississippi, Indiana, and Nebraska. Participants will learn about the history of these projects, methodologies utilized, similarities/differences in findings across the three states, as well as understand better the ways in which this information can be applied by Extension professionals in order to develop successful community/state initiatives.