The Rural Learning Network of Central and Western New York:

In January 2007, we were awarded a three-year Campus-County Collaboration Grant from Cornell Cooperative Extension Administration. The purpose of the project is to establish a rural learning network and semi-annual conference series focused on community and economic development issues vital to rural central and western New York. The region is comprised of Allegany, Cattaragus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Genesee, Livingston, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates Counties.

We are inviting public officials, non-profit agency personnel, business leaders/other decision makers and citizens from the region to join the learning network free of charge. Please fill in and send back an application form to join the rural learning network (see link to the application form on this Web site). And help get the word out about the rural learning network to others who may be interested in joining.

We have developed a listserv that we are using to send announcements of the semi-annual conferences (a total of six) and to post materials relevant to community and economic development in the region. The broad goals of this program are to:

Enhance the quality of public and private decision making with evidence-based information and technical assistance

Enhance community development, economic opportunity and the quality of life of citizens of rural central and western New York

Enhance inter-local cooperation among rural communities in the region

If you would like to propose a topic for a future conference on community and rural development issues vital to this region, please send us your suggestions. We are eager to plan conferences that will serve the region well.

Yours truly,

The project leaders:

Michael Hastrich
Executive Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chemung County

Beverly Mancuso
Executive Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County

Nina Glasgow, PhD
Senior Research Associate, Department of Development Sociology
Cornell University

Rod Howe
Assistant Director, Community & Economic Vitality, Cornell Cooperative Extension
Executive Director Community & Rural Development Institute
Cornell University