Resilient Community Development
Croatan Institute is deeply engaged in helping communities build local prosperity and resilience. With a specific focus on Appalachia and the Rural South, Croatan Institute’s work involves connecting communities with investors, providing technical assistance to organizations focused on rural wealth-creation, and training local groups on specific tools and skills. From training early-stage value chains on how to run successful crowdfunding campaigns, to engaging with investors who want to divest from fossil fuels and reinvest in a just transition, Croatan Institute’s projects have impact across sectors and communities.
Projects
-
Identifying economic development opportunities through the promotion and expansion of organic agriculture in Northeastern North Carolina.
-
Exploring the relevance of the growing movement for fossil-fuel divestment and fossil-free reinvestment to the “Appalachian Transition.”
-
Providing technical assistance, research, and capacity building to attract sustainable investment into rural value chains.
-
Identifying impact investment opportunities to support high-performing, affordable housing in rural Appalachian communities.
-
Offering an interactive 12-week training, technical assistance, and capacity building to six rural wealth creation value chains so that they can design, launch and run a crowdfunding campaign to support their work.
-
Encouraging local giving in Appalachia and the Deep South through crowdfunding and giving circles.