The Guide to Rural Community Resilience is designed to help rural communities prepare for emergencies with proactive, community-centered strategies. It provides guidance on creating local emergency plans, forming Community Emergency Volunteer

This report evaluates Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) in Northern Ireland, including various LEADER program phases, and offers recommendations for future rural policies. Key findings emphasize empowering communities, reducing bureaucratic barriers, fostering

Agri-food innovation is playing a vital role in the transition to net zero, with rural areas at the centre of experimentation and change. This resource brings together case studies and research

This research explores the experiences of people living in rural and remote areas across the UK using communications services – including mobile, broadband, landline and postal services. Author(s): Ofcom Communications Consumer

The Community Spaces Partnership (CSP) brings together three organisations—Community Action Northumberland (CAN), Action with Communities in Cumbria (ACT), and Durham Community Action (DCA)—to invest in rural community spaces with the support

This interactive report allows people to examine Connected Nations data at the level and locations in which they are most interested. It includes coverage and usage for both fixed and mobile

This briefing examines Covid-19’s impact on rural economies, offering recommendations for the UK government. While UK-focused, its insights resonate with EU rural economies. Author(s): Jeremy Phillipson, Matthew Gorton, Roger Turner, Mark

A proposed rural policy for Northern Ireland emphasizes community empowerment through grassroots involvement, trust-building, and inclusive decision-making. The framework advocates for reduced bureaucracy, decentralized decision-making, and a flexible, partnership-driven approach that

This submission to the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee by the Rural Services Network (RSN) highlights the persistent digital exclusion challenges faced by rural communities in England. The evidence

Enhancing digital solutions for over 10,000 village halls across England is essential. ACRE’s 2021/22 project explored this need through workshops and surveys, offering recommendations for standardized digital processes, CRM adoption, and

Electric cargo (e-cargo) bikes are emerging as a practical and sustainable option for last-mile delivery in rural areas—offering a low-emission alternative to vans, particularly for smaller-scale logistics. This resource explores how

Rural workplaces are changing—shaped by new expectations around flexibility, fairness, communication, and well-being. A series of workshops led by the Rural Design Centre Innovation Project, in partnership with NICRE and Stick

Innovation in rural areas often emerges through adaptation—modifying existing practices, tools, and systems to address evolving challenges in practical and locally meaningful ways. This resource explores how innovation functions not only

The National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) reports that rural businesses in the North East, South West, and West Midlands face growth challenges from labor shortages and skills gaps. Over

Community engagement is driving new forms of collaboration, policy development, and local innovation in rural areas. This resource draws on insights from ‘Community Visioning’ events held in Hexham and Wooler, where

The schemes successfully supported 254 new entrants into agriculture but faced challenges in encouraging a younger generation of farmers due to limited impact and industry-wide issues. With the closure of the

Helping young people and new entrants enter, and succeed in, the agricultural industry. Author(s): The Royal Countryside Fund

Small and medium-sized businesses often face significant barriers when it comes to planning for future risks—primarily due to limited time and capacity. Research by the Enterprise Research Centre shows that many

Rural residents face significant mobility and service access challenges, worsened by the lack of a clear national rural transport policy. In response to the Department for Transport’s call for evidence on

Climathons are helping rural communities co-design local responses to climate challenges—through collaboration, creativity, and practical action. Adapted from the original Climate-KIC methodology, this approach has been tailored for rural areas by

Community-led energy projects are helping rural areas take control of their sustainability and resilience—generating local benefits while contributing to national net zero goals. As rural regions face rising grid reinforcement costs,

Post-COVID, rural charities are facing significant banking challenges. A survey of over 1,200 charities with NCVO found that 67% struggle with changing signatories, and 41% report unfair charges. Nearly half of

Rural Enterprise Hubs (REHs) are creating new spaces for business collaboration, innovation, and peer learning in rural areas. By bringing businesses together under one roof, these hubs support knowledge exchange, face-to-face

Agglomeration-oriented theories have grown significantly in the past decade in the explanation and promotion of entrepreneurship. Theoretical frameworks and normative models such as entrepreneurial ecosystems are insufficient to observe, explain, and

The Shared Rural Network (SRN) will deliver reliable mobile broadband to 95% of the UK, addressing the digital divide by improving 4G coverage in the areas that need it most. Author(s):

Boosting productivity is essential for UK growth, yet low-productivity SMEs and regional disparities remain. Theories point to factors like industrial dynamics, agglomeration, institutions, and firm resources. Empirical analysis requires understanding hierarchical

Innovation support often overlooks the realities of rural business, yet local adaptations are helping to bridge the gap. This resource explores how rural businesses—despite being highly innovative—face structural disadvantages compared to

This report examines the effects of rising business costs on 2,000 rural and 600 urban firms. Despite pressures, two-thirds kept employment steady, and 41% of rural firms saw turnover growth. Cash

This report, commissioned by the Rural Community Network, assesses Northern Ireland’s public policy landscape on remote working, focusing on its potential for rural and social development. Drawing on practices from the

Community-led housing and regeneration are reshaping rural town centres—revitalising high streets, repurposing vacant buildings, and creating lasting local assets. This resource showcases case studies from Northumberland, where development trusts in places

The Royal Countryside Fund, focused on rural UK communities, aims to empower local solutions for a thriving countryside. With a new 2024 strategy, we’re enhancing our support through facilitation, connection, and

This annual review from the Enterprise Research Centre offers a clear picture of the UK’s small business landscape in a year marked by cost pressures, economic uncertainty, and fragmented support. Entrepreneurial

This report, commissioned by Durham County Council and conducted by the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise and Rural Business Network, examines the needs and opportunities for rural businesses in Durham.

Unleashing Rural Opportunity centers on four key priorities for enhancing rural prosperity, aligned with current policies to improve quality of life in rural areas. These priorities are: boosting the rural economy,