** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SYSTEMIC INFRASTRUCTURE, LABOR MARKET, AND PUBLIC SERVICE DEFICICIENCIES CONTRIBUTE TO CHRONIC ECONOMIC UNDERPERFORMANCE IN RURAL AREAS, AND EXISTING RURAL POLICY FRAMEWORKS LARGELY FAIL TO ADDRESS PLACE-BASED DRIVERS OF SUCH DEFICITS. THE PROPOSED POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP LEVERAGES A MIXED-METHODS EVALUATION OF A WIDELY-APPLIED FEDERAL PLACE-BASED POLICY (FEDERAL REGIONAL COMMISSIONS AND AUTHORITIES [FRCAS]) TO INFORM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXPANDING REGIONALLY-TARGETED RURAL PROGRAMMING WHICH IMPROVES FOUNDATIONAL SERVICE AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROVISION IN RURAL ECONOMIES. BY INCORPORATING PROGRAM EVALUATION TECHNIQUES WITH INSIGHTS FROM BRITISH AND EUROPEAN PLACE-BASED POLICY ANALOGUES (GAINED THROUGH COLLABORATING WITH INTERNATIONAL MENTORS), AND BY DEVELOPING STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS WITH POLICY AUDIENCES, THE PROJECT AIMS TO GENERATE FEASIBLE IDEAS TO IMPROVE US RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY IN LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE BRANCH APPLICATIONS. THE SECOND AIM OF THE PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP THE PD'S PROFESSIONAL CAPACITIES AS A RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY LEADER, WHICH IS ACHIEVED THROUGH INDEPENDENT MANAGEMENT OF A RIGOROUS PROGRAM EVALUATION AND POLICY ANALYSIS RESEARCH PROJECT, TWO INTERNATIONAL VISITING RESEARCHER RESIDENCIES WITH COLLABORATING MENTORS, AND COLLABORATION WITH LEADING RURAL POLICY EXPERTS IN RESEARCH DESIGN, DATA ANALYSIS, AND RESULTS DISSEMINATION. THIS RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP ASSESSES RURAL POLICY DESIGN AND IMPACT IN ORDER TO FOSTER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN RURAL AMERICA. IN SO DOING, IT ADDRESSES THE RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (A1661) PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY OF THE AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES (AERC) AFRI FARM BILL PRIORITY AREA, AND DEVELOPS THE PDS CAPACITIES FOR AGRICULTURE SCIENCE POLICY LEADERSHIP, A NIFA FELLOWSHIPS FUNDING PRIORITY.