Water, roads, bridges, broadband, affordable housing – these pieces of physical infrastructure are all critical to fostering prosperous rural communities with a good quality of life. Physical infrastructure is an interconnected, intrinsic component of strong communities, yet the different aspects of rural infrastructure are often discussed in separate spaces. The sad reality is that many rural regions and Native nations across the US face crumbling or nonexistent infrastructure, caused by deferred maintenance as well as a lack of equitable investment, access to capital, or strong government relationships. Over time, the underinvestment in rural infrastructure has led to inequitable outcomes – and in the absence of quality infrastructure, some rural and tribal communities face challenges in accessing basic needs like clean drinking water and safe housing, which limits their ability to improve health outcomes or grow their economy.

Read the full article about investing in rural strategies from The Aspen Institute.