The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) released a Rural Economic Development Toolkit in 2021 to provide resources to communities seeking to boost their outdoor recreation economy.
After three years of research conducted across the United States, ORR released its second toolkit. The toolkit was revealed on a webinar with 1,000 attendees comprised of congressional and federal agency staff, community leaders, economic development professionals and recreation advocates.
ORR Vice President of Programs Chris Perkins said, “This toolkit is more than just a resource; it is also a roadmap for communities to enhance and build robust outdoor recreation economies, sourced from community leaders around the United States.”
The toolkit will provide modules on topics including economic development, funding, housing, climate resiliency, accessibility in recreation infrastructure, tribal leadership and data utilization. A library of outdoor recreation economic development examples from each U.S. state is available.
The toolkit encloses an updated outdoor recreation economy development federal grant and technical assistance program list. A community self-assessment tool will evaluate a community’s outdoor recreation potential. Recreation infrastructure toolkits from ORR members impart rural area funding and development insights.
Community leaders from various rural regions vouched for the toolkit after the webinar.
Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia Executive Director Jessie Powers said, “It will help empower rural areas to realize their unique opportunities, as well as advance tailored solutions that provide sustainable and inclusive economic, health, social and environmental benefits.”
To access the toolkit, click here.
