What We Learned: Rural Narrative Change – The Aspen Institute

At Aspen CSG, we are committed to fostering positive, equity-centered, and asset-based rural narrative change. This blog shares our current thinking, related resources, and upcoming opportunities to help advance this critical work.
Rural narratives shape how communities are perceived and valued—affecting public opinion, policy decisions, and investment priorities. At Aspen CSG, we work to amplify positive and truthful narratives about rural America, informed by the voices and lived experiences of rural leaders and practitioners across diverse regions.
Our Thrive Rural Framework positions narrative as a cornerstone of systems-level change. Specifically, the Accurate Rural Narrative building block describes narrative change as how rural people, places, and economies are represented more fairly and fully in media, policy, and public discourse. This means challenging deficit-based stereotypes—such as portraying rural areas as monolithic, struggling, or “white farmers and red barns”—and instead celebrating rural communities’ diversity, resilience, and contributions.
Narratives are not merely stories—they are systems-level levers. They shape resource allocation, influence policy priorities, and impact community pride. Moving toward equity-centered, asset-based narratives strengthens rural momentum and helps unlock investments and opportunities critical to building vibrant, inclusive economies.
Transforming narratives about rural America is a complex, long-term process that requires collaboration, persistence, and intentionality. As narrative change thought leaders Mandy Van Deven and Jody Myrum emphasize, this work is inherently a collective endeavor that relies on partnerships across local, regional, and national levels.
Aspen CSG has supported rural narrative change since 1985 through tools and resources that amplify truthful stories. Recent examples include:
Despite progress, systemic challenges persist. Current federal policy proposals often focus narrowly on rural infrastructure or direct services without addressing deeper inequities or fostering diversified economies. Narrative change must accompany these development efforts to reframe how rural is understood and valued at a systems level.
Aspen CSG’s approach to rural narrative change is deeply rooted in our organizational values: Equity, Collaboration, and Learning. These values guide every aspect of our work, ensuring that we address systemic challenges while amplifying the assets, resilience, and opportunities for growth within rural and Indigenous communities.
Equity lies at the heart of rural narrative change. Systemic inequities based on race, place, and class have long influenced policies, investments, and perceptions, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and reinforcing underinvestment—particularly in communities of color and Native nations. By centering equity, we challenge historical narratives that overlook or misrepresent rural diversity and complexity.
To address these inequities, Aspen CSG prioritizes:
Equity is not just about representation; it’s about creating space for all rural voices to be heard, valued, and reflected in the national narrative.
Narrative change is a collective effort that thrives on local, regional, and national partnerships. By fostering collaboration, we can align diverse stakeholders around a shared vision for rural prosperity. At Aspen CSG, we prioritize regionalism, knowing that the interconnectedness of rural and non-rural economies and communities often demands joint action.
Aspen CSG’s collaborative efforts include:
In addition to our own work, Aspen CSG celebrates and amplifies the work others have done to build momentum for narrative change. Some examples we encourage you to check out include The Partners for Rural Transformation’s Stories of Rural America, Native Americans in Philanthropy language guide, The Center on Rural Innovation’s Rural Aperture Project, and many great podcasts originating from and focusing on rural areas.
Change is an iterative process, and learning is integral to our work. We embrace an emergent learning approach, adapting to the evolving needs of rural communities while integrating insights from practitioners and leaders in the field.
Key examples of this learning approach include:
Our learning strategy is rooted in listening to the voices of rural residents. We strive not to present ourselves as the “experts” but rather acknowledge one of the major lessons of emergent learning – that each and every one of our action-learning participants has expertise in equal measure. Aspen CSG ensures that our work reflects their diverse realities, hopes, and challenges by maintaining continuous dialogue with rural communities. This approach helps us avoid top-down narratives and instead fosters stories that honor the dignity and richness of rural life.
This commitment to elevating rural voices defines Aspen CSG’s role as a national “hub of hubs.” We translate the knowledge and perspectives of rural field leaders into actionable narrative change that shapes systems and policies. For example, over the past five years, the concept of Rural Development Hubs—coined by Aspen CSG—has gained traction among federal agencies, private capital, and philanthropy. More importantly, this narrative shift has influenced investors to make smarter, more targeted investments in regional hub organizations, supporting equitable rural prosperity at scale.
By grounding our efforts in equity, collaboration, and learning, we aim to shift the narrative from one of deficits and stereotypes to one of possibility, resilience, and opportunity. Narrative change is not just about public perception—it’s a transformative force that shapes policy priorities, attracts investment, and fosters a sense of belonging and pride in rural communities.
For example, sharing stories of rural ingenuity, such as cooperative broadband projects or Indigenous-led economic initiatives, reveals the strength and creativity within rural communities—despite chronic underinvestment and extractive industries. These stories not only counter stereotypes but also inspire action and investment.
Ultimately, our values-driven approach positions rural narrative change as a critical lever for achieving systemic equity and prosperity. Together, we can build a future where all rural people, places, and economies are recognized as vital, vibrant, and valued. Join us in telling a more accurate story of rural America together.
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