**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FACE PROFOUND CHANGES IN THEIR ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT. ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING, FALLOUT FROM THE GREAT RECESSION, AND POLITICAL PRESSURE FROM STATE GOVERNMENTS HAVE RESHAPED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS' ABILITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SERVICES, PROTECT THE SOCIAL SAFETY-NET AND PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THIS PROJECT'S LONG TERM GOAL IS TO EVALUATE THE ROLE OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT POLICIES ON THE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND WELL-BEING OF RURAL COMMUNITIES.OUR RESEARCH INCLUDES FOUR OBJECTIVES: 1) BUILD A COUNTY AREA FINANCE FILE, INCLUDING ALL JURISDICTIONS IN EACH COUNTY AREA FOR 2017; 2) ASSESS SPATIAL INEQUALITY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE FROM BEFORE AND AFTER THE GREAT RECESSION; 3) BUILD A LONGITUDINAL FILE OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT POLICIES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL WELFARE TO ASSESS DIFFERENCES BY RURALITY, RACE, AND GENDER; AND 4) BUILD A STATE POLICY DATA BASE TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF LABOR PROTECTIONS AND BROADBAND ACCESS ON REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH.THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES KEY PRIORITIES OF THE RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (A1661) TO (1) DEVELOP NEW KNOWLEDGE AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO PROMOTE RURAL PROSPERITY AND WELL-BEING; (2) EVALUATE THE INSTITUTIONAL, SOCIAL, OR ECONOMIC FACTORS AFFECTING DECISION MAKING AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT TO ENHANCE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND WELL-BEING OF RURAL COMMUNITIES; (3) IMPROVE INTER-DISCIPLINARY UNDERSTANDING OF THE FACTORS AND CONDITIONS THAT ENHANCE RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (4) ADDRESS INEQUALITY BY PLACE, GENDER AND RACE. THIS RESEARCH WILL REVEAL THE COMPLEX INEQUALITIES IN THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN STATE POLICIES, LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE DELIVERY, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF RURAL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND POLICYMAKERS.