Rural Health

Understanding our rural communities’ strengths, challenges, and opportunities for achieving health and wellbeing for all.
Local residents plant edibles at the Joe Remella Community Garden.

Across America, many rural and Indigenous communities are finding inspiring solutions to improve health, equity, and wellbeing for all.

Everyone should have a fair chance to build a good life, no matter where they live. But many rural and Native communities don’t have the same opportunities and resources—like good-paying jobs and access to safe, affordable housing—leaving some with poorer health. When everyone has the chance to be as healthy as possible, our communities and our country become stronger.

When rural and Native communities thrive, our country thrives: our economy is more successful, our culture more vibrant, and our future brighter. Working families, small businesses, and family farmers in these areas help drive America’s economy, providing food, water, energy, products, and services that contribute to quality of life across the country. 

We use grants and impact investments to support the efforts of rural and Native communities to develop local and regional solutions that reduce inequities and help residents thrive. 

Browse resources, research, and emerging insights into the many factors that shape rural opportunity, health, and equity in America.

Featured Initiatives and Research

Main street in a rural town.

Thrive Rural

Thrive Rural is focused on what works and what’s needed to advance rural opportunity, health, and equity in America.

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Partners for Rural Transformation

Partners for Rural Transformation is a national coalition dedicated to eliminating persistent poverty, advancing prosperity and economic justice in rural America.

A woman digs in a garden with her family.

Reimagining Rural Policy

Brookings Institutions provides analysis and recommendations to improve U.S. federal rural policies to promote equitable rural development.

A small, green house located on a dirt road.

Integrated Rural Strategies

Neighborhood Funders Group's Integrated Rural Strategies Group is catalyzing and supporting funders interested in building community-led capacity to advance justice and equity for rural communities.

A woman stands behind a counter wearing an apron.

Improved Data on Rural America

The Center on Rural Innovation is providing better rural data and analysis aimed at shifting the national conversation about racial and economic equity in rural places.

Two teen boys working together on a farm.

ChangeLab Solutions

ChangeLab Solutions offers resources for community-based organizations, local and state policymakers, and other changemakers working to advance rural prosperity and healthy equity. 

Impact Investments for Rural Health

Resources From Grantees 

Explore health data for all U.S. congressional disgricts.

The Congressional District Health Dashboard

CDHD provides a way for policymakers and advocates to identify opportunities and challenges affecting the health and wellbeing of all people across congressional districts. 

Explore the Data
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PLACES Data

PLACES provides health data for small areas across the country.

Explore the Data

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