RURAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES HAVE FACED ECONOMIC DISRUPTION RESULTING FROM THE GREAT RECESSION AND CLIMATE CHANGE. WESTERN RURAL COMMUNITIES FACE PARTICULARLY LARGE CHALLENGES DUE TO SMALL POPULATIONS, ISOLATED LOCATIONS, AND LIMITED RESOURCES. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TARGETED AT RURAL COMMUNITIES IS NECESSARY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND RURAL ECONOMIC IMPACTS AND TARGET SUSTAINABLE ACTIONS. QUANTIFIABLE AND RELIABLE METHODS OF IDENTIFYING COMMUNITY COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES AND RANKING OF POTENTIAL POLICIES AND INVESTMENTS WILL BENEFIT COMMUNITIES WITH LIMITED RESOURCES.THE AREA SECTOR ANALYSIS PROCESS (ASAP) MODELS HOW WELL COMMUNITY INPUT ON ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL PRIORITIES AND INVENTORIES ASSETS SECTORAL PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS. ASAP ALSO MODELS HOW WELL MATCHED SECTORAL PRIORITIES MATCH THOSE OF THE COMMUNITY. WELL MATCHED SECTORS REVEAL POTENTIAL SECTORAL RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION TARGETS AS WELL AS EXISTING AND POTENTIAL COMMUNITY COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES.THIS PROJECT PROPOSES TO EXPAND ASAP. PRIMARY OBJECTIVES ARE TO OPERATIONALIZE EXISTING ASAP MODEL; DEVELOP PROCEDURES TO ENCOURAGE AND SUSTAIN COMMUNITY COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES; EXPAND ASAP IMPLEMENTATIONS; AND ANALYZE ASAP PRIMARY DATA TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT OVER TIME AND ACROSS VARIOUS RURAL COMMUNITIES.