North Iowa inducted into the Center on Rural Innovation's Rural Innovation Network
National nonprofit organization expands its network and continues working to close the rural opportunity gap
The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI), a nonprofit action tank committed to closing the rural opportunity gap and advancing inclusive rural prosperity through digital economies that support scalable entrepreneurship and tech job creation, announced the addition of two new members into its Rural Innovation Network.
North Iowa, which is led by the North Iowa Area Community College’s John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center and the North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation, along with Randolph, Vermont, which is led by local organization, Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation, join the Rural Innovation Network after showing ongoing dedication and commitment to advancing the economic future of their community through CORI’s Rural Innovation Initiative, a technical assistance program empowering rural communities as they execute on their ecosystem strategies.
“We are thrilled to welcome both North Iowa and Randolph into the Rural Innovation Network. The commitment and dedication they’ve shown to advancing digital economic development and supporting innovation in their communities is nothing less than inspiring. We look forward to supporting their efforts and building capacity for them as they continue their economic development journey,” said Mark Rembert, head of the Rural Innovation Network.
CORI’s Rural Innovation Network, which launched in 2019, is a nationwide community of change agents and local leaders working to advance the economic future of small-town America. North Iowa and Randolph join 18 other rural communities from across the country as they accelerate their learning and amplify their digital economic development work on the ground.
About the Center on Rural Innovation
The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) is a dynamic social enterprise solving America’s rural economic crisis by empowering small towns to build thriving digital economies. CORI’s three major initiatives form a comprehensive approach to catalyzing the digital jobs that drive sustainable economic success: The Rural Innovation Network, made up of 20 small communities nationwide dedicated to digital economic development; the Rural Opportunity Map, which incorporates hundreds of datasets to highlight promising rural areas; and the CORI Innovation Fund, which provides needed capital to innovative but underserved rural entrepreneurs. For more information visit www.ruralinnovation.us.
