Rural

Rural snapshot of the NeighborWorks network

Rural communities across America face unique challenges as they strive to create affordable homeownership and rental opportunities and strengthen their communities.

Of the nearly 250 NeighborWorks network organizations focused on affordable housing and community development, more than 50% focus their work in rural communities. More than 80% of NeighborWorks network organizations serve rural communities in some capacity.

Rural impact: Fiscal years 2023-2025

More than 80 community development financial institutions (CDFIs) serve rural organizations in the NeighborWorks network, providing more than $622 million in lending during fiscal years 2023-2025.

During this same period, the NeighborWorks network:

  • Created nearly 17,000 new homeowners.
  • Counseled and educated nearly 44,000 customers.
  • Developed more than 32,000 housing units in rural communities.

Rural Initiative program support

NeighborWorks America's Rural Initiative is a national program integrated across the organization's work to promote and strengthen comprehensive community development.

The initiative supports affordable housing, economic development and locally determined strategies that strengthen and revitalize rural communities.

Through the Rural Initiative, NeighborWorks America provides a range of capacity-building resources, including capital, flexible and individualized technical assistance, grantmaking, peer learning opportunities and connections with external partners.

Innovative housing solutions

Manufactured housing

Historically, manufactured housing has represented an important source of naturally occurring affordable housing across rural America.

NeighborWorks America has supported manufactured housing solutions for more than two decades. As a modern form of factory-built housing, manufactured housing offers opportunities to expand affordable housing options in communities nationwide.

NeighborWorks America partnered with Next Step Inc. to develop Manufactured Housing: A Resource for Engaging Nonprofit Boards and Community Stakeholders .

This resource helps organizations understand manufactured housing opportunities and advance programs in their communities.

Manufactured housing resources

Explore the following resources to learn more about manufactured housing and its potential benefits.

NeighborWorks America also supports organizations through webinars, technical assistance cohorts and opportunities to visit manufactured housing factories.

These experiences help practitioners learn directly from industry leaders and better understand how manufactured housing could address local housing needs.

Learn more about manufactured housing and expanding homeownership opportunities. 

Factory-built housing

To meet the evolving needs of communities across urban, suburban and rural areas, NeighborWorks America has expanded its support for alternative construction strategies.

These approaches include manufactured housing, modular construction, mass timber and structural insulated panel systems.

Modular housing can offer opportunities for streamlined approvals, financing, appraisals and designs, particularly for infill development projects in urban and suburban communities.

NeighborWorks network organizations work with manufacturers of varying sizes, from local companies to national providers with decades of experience in factory-built housing.

Additional resources exploring innovative housing solutions will be added as they become available.

What we provide to our network

NeighborWorks America supports rural network organizations through capital, training and peer learning opportunities.

Capital

Training

Peer learning

Research and resources

Turning the Tide on Persistent Rural Poverty

Four NeighborWorks network organizations representing regions experiencing persistent rural poverty share their perspectives on community challenges and promising solutions.

Read Turning the Tide on Persistent Rural Poverty. 

Video: Turning the Tide on Persistent Rural Poverty in Oklahoma

Explore how community development organizations are addressing persistent rural poverty in Oklahoma.

Find a rural organization

NeighborWorks network organizations serve rural communities across the country, providing housing and community development resources tailored to local needs.

Explore the rural program directory. 

Where to find help

If you need assistance with rural home repairs or are having difficulty making your mortgage payments, the following resources may help:

Professional Training

We offer courses in financial capability, housing education and counseling.
Take a Class
Building Assets: Strengthening Community in Low-Wealth Rural Areas

Between September 2018 and August 2019, NeighborWorks brought together five organizations to explore approaches to challenges in rural areas with the overarching goal of field building, working collectively to tease out best practices, improve outcomes and present learnings to inform efforts in the NeighborWorks network and the community development and rural fields.
Read the Report