Building Infrastructure to Strengthen Dialogue Between U-M and Michigan's Rural Communities

Strong partnerships begin with listening. This initiative will bring rural local leaders together with University of Michigan faculty, staff, and students to identify community priorities, build mutual trust, and create opportunities for sustained collaboration. Led by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (opens in a new tab) (CLOSUP), the program will help U-M better understand and serve rural communities across Michigan.

Audience

• Rural community members, leaders
• General public.
• U-M students, faculty, staff.

What it offers

The program combines community listening, statewide research, engaged learning, and collaborative planning.

• Share perspectives on the priorities, challenges, and opportunities facing rural communities.
• Participate in facilitated conversations with rural leaders and U-M faculty, staff, and students.
• Help identify opportunities for research, public service, and community-based collaboration.
• Contribute to a statewide survey of rural local officials.
• Connect with an interdisciplinary network of U-M scholars interested in rural issues.
• Support student projects designed in partnership with rural communities.
• Help develop a long-term strategy for strengthening relationships between U-M and rural Michigan.

Program activities

Rural Scholars Network – CLOSUP will reactivate and expand the interdisciplinary U-M Rural Scholars Network, connecting faculty, staff, and students across the social sciences, humanities, health sciences, engineering, and other fields.

Rural community focus groups – Four professionally facilitated focus groups will be held in locations around Michigan outside major urban areas and U-M campuses. Rural officials and U-M participants will discuss locally identified priorities and potential areas for collaboration.

Statewide survey – Building on focus-group findings, CLOSUP will survey local officials about the needs, perspectives, and policy priorities of rural communities. Findings will be published and shared with local governments, policymakers, researchers, and community organizations.

Engaged-learning projects – Students will work with rural partners on one or two case-study projects using interviews, public records, and qualitative and quantitative research. Projects will provide useful analysis to local partners while giving students hands-on experience in community collaboration.

Path Forward Workshop – A day-long workshop will bring partners together to review findings, share lessons, and develop a plan for sustained U-M engagement with rural communities.

Impact on the public good

The initiative will amplify rural voices in university research, teaching, and public engagement while creating stronger connections between U-M and communities throughout Michigan. Rural leaders will gain new opportunities to exchange knowledge, collaborate across jurisdictions, access university resources, and inform policy discussions at the local, state, and federal levels.

U-M faculty, staff, and students will develop a deeper understanding of rural communities and gain opportunities for engaged research, experiential learning, and public-service partnerships. The project will also generate evidence and practical guidance that other public universities can use to engage rural communities respectfully and effectively.

Over time, the initiative aims to establish a durable home for the Rural Scholars Network, expand community-engaged learning, sustain regular contact with rural partners, and create new collaborations and funding opportunities.