Collaborate with us on applied research projects, contribute to grant-writing, and partner with us on future projects.
Become part of an interdisciplinary and diverse group of colleagues to partner on projects related to rural resilience and innovation.
Fund and support future projects that benefit rural communities in Wyoming and the West.
As one of the most rural and low-population density states, Wyoming – until recently – has maintained a predominantly “Old West” culture, supported by an economy heavily dependent on energy and extractives, tourism (primarily outdoor recreation) and agriculture (primarily ranching), and largely considered an outlier in the “New West” transformation of the last 30 years.
Wyoming is primarily an exporter of resources and an importer of tourists, and as such it is sensitive to decisions made outside the state. External drivers of change, including markets, policy, climate change, shifting demographics, and in-migration, as well as internal desires from communities related to retaining youth, developing sustainable economies, and maintaining quality of life suggest a need for rural transformations owned and designed by communities but taking advantage of new technology, innovative policy, and various approaches to futures thinking.
