Center For Rural Development
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The Center for Rural Development in
Somerset, Kentucky Somerset is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 11,924. History Somerset was first settled in 1798 by Thomas Hansford and received its name from ...
, was established in March 1996. It is a
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 5 ...
. The center aims "to provide leadership that stimulates innovative and sustainable economic development solutions and a better way of life for the citizens we serve". The center's programs and services focus on the areas of
public safety Public security or public safety is the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety and security of the public from significant danger, injury, or property damage. It is often conducted by a state government to ensu ...
, arts and culture, leadership, and technology.


History

The center was established in
Somerset, Kentucky Somerset is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 11,924. History Somerset was first settled in 1798 by Thomas Hansford and received its name from ...
, in March 1996, and became a
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 5 ...
. It was the idea of U.S. Congressman from Kentucky
Hal Rogers Harold Dallas Rogers (born December 31, 1937) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1981. He is a member of the Republican Party. Upon Don Young's death in 2022, Rogers became the dean of the Hous ...
. At the outset it was viewed as a partnership between the state and the
University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical ...
, and it was supported by state and federal funds. Due to the
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
pandemic A pandemic ( ) is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has a sudden increase in cases and spreads across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. Widespread endemic (epi ...
, the center held its programming virtually in 2020. In October 2020, the center was awarded over $400,000 in grant funding by the
Appalachian Regional Commission The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a United States federal–state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life. Congress established A ...
. In February 2021, it received a $440,400 PPP loan.


Programs

The center's programs serve residents in a 45-county area in Southern Kentucky and
Eastern Kentucky Eastern or Easterns may refer to: Transportation Airlines *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai * Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 192 ...
. It has a 100,000 square foot meeting and convention facility. The
Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...
- Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce meets at the center. It provides free youth leadership programs for middle school and high school students. ''Rogers Scholars'', a one-week summer camp that had been attended by 1,100 high school students by 2017, is a partnership with 19 colleges and universities. It provides scholarship to students who meet certain academic requirements. The
Union College Union College is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and second in the s ...
in Barbourville, Kentucky, offers a $1,000 scholarship to all "Rogers Explorers" who attend camp at their location. The "Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute" (ELI) provides instruction to high school students in how to initiate and manage a
business venture Venture capital (VC) is a form of private equity financing provided by firms or funds to start-up company, startup, early-stage, and emerging companies, that have been deemed to have high growth potential or that have demonstrated high growth in ...
. The students who win the ELI's Business Concept Competition earn a $16,000 scholarship to
Eastern Kentucky University Eastern Kentucky University (Eastern or EKU) is a public university in Richmond, Kentucky. It also maintains branch campuses in Corbin, Hazard, and Manchester and offers over 40 online undergraduate and graduate options. History Founding ...
, in
Richmond, Kentucky Richmond is a home rule-class city in Madison County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 34,585 as of the 2020 census, making it the state's seventh-largest city. It is the principal city of the Richmond–Berea micropolitan area, wh ...
. The center's "Displaced Coal Miner Training" program provides technical skills training in 15 career fields for displaced coal miners and former coal employees who were adversely impacted by the region's declining coal industry.


References

{{Authority control 501(c)(3) organizations Non-profit organizations based in the United States Public safety Economic development organizations in the United States Rural community development Rural development in the United States 1996 establishments in Kentucky Somerset, Kentucky Mining in Kentucky