**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** IN THE WAKE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, ECONOMIC SHIFTS, AND POLICY CHANGES, RURAL COMMUNITIES FACE INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCESS GRANT FUNDS, ADAPT SERVICES, AND GUIDE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS. YET, THE EXTENT TO WHICH RURAL COMMUNITIES SUCCESSFULLY ACCESS AND LEVERAGE THESE OPPORTUNITIES HINGES ON COMMUNITY COMPETENCIES WHICH ARE NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD NOR EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED. THE GOAL OF THIS SEED PROJECT IS TO STRENGTHEN RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE BY ENHANCING RURAL CAPACITY-BUILDING. FOUR PROJECT OBJECTIVES, ALIGNED WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY (A1661), SUPPORT THIS PROJECT GOAL:(1) IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF RURAL MUNICIPAL GRANT AND DIGITAL SERVICES CAPACITIES; (2) ASSESS VARIATION AND INEQUITIES IN MUNICIPAL GRANT AND DIGITAL SERVICES CAPACITIES; (3) COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF INEQUITIES IN MUNICIPAL CAPACITIES FOR RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE; AND (4) CO-DEVELOP OUTREACH COMMUNICATIONS TO SHARE NEW KNOWLEDGE ABOUT RURAL COMMUNITY CAPACITIES WITH ORGANIZATIONS, POLICYMAKERS, MUNICIPALITIES, AND RESEARCHERS. OUR COLLABORATIVE WORK WITH RESEARCH PARTNERS WILL CALL ATTENTION TO CURRENT GRANT AND DIGITAL COMPETENCIES AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF INEQUITIES IN THESE CAPACITIES FOR RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE. WE WILL UTILIZE A MIXED-METHODS APPROACH, INCLUDING ANALYSES OF QUANTITATIVE MUNICIPAL CAPACITY INVENTORIES AND INTERVIEWS OF MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS, TO BETTER UNDERSTAND BARRIERS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR RURAL CAPACITY BUILDING. WE WILL CO-DESIGN AND DISSEMINATE ACTIONABLE COMMUNICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON OUR FINDINGS TO INFORM NEAR-TERM RURAL CAPACITY BUILDING IN MAINE AND BEYOND. ALTHOUGH WE WILL CONDUCT OUR RESEARCH IN MAINE, WE EXPECT THE RESULTS TO BE USEFUL IN THE NORTHEAST AND NATIONALLY.