20 S G M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 21 N AV I G AT I N G C H A N G E Where Are We Going? Georgia Has Rural Prosperity on Its Mind Across the United States, the topic of rural prosperity is an emotionally charged debate, as rural communities often feel left behind in the urban-rural economic divide. Though the issues are complex, and each town is unique, rural communities share similar challenges including loss of population, insufficient access to healthcare, limited educational resources, inadequate infrastructure (broadband connectivity), slow job growth, and an expanding level of poverty. With 159 counties in Georgia, approximately 88 percent are considered rural; and 26 percent of Georgians live outside urban areas. Identifying the Issues In 2015, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce embarked on a multi-year initiative to examine prosperity across the state. After extensive research, the Chamber launched a series of programs to inform and encourage community leaders that a rural revival is paramount in securing future growth. In the U.S, approximately 20 percent of rural counties are losing population; however, in Georgia, more than 50 percent of the state’s counties are predicted to lose people by 2030. “Rural Georgia is losing its population and workforce to more expanding cities of the state,” say Georgia Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Chris Clark. “This pushes the rural parts of the state into a crisis.” In addition to the predicted loss in population, research indicates that 53 percent of Georgia counties are categorized as “distressed,” while nationally that figure stands at 20 percent. “This was a clarion call that there is a disconnect within a state where the economy is doing very well in the metro and coastal areas, but rural areas have not caught on and fully recovered after the last recession,” says Clark. In 2017, the Chamber opened the Center for Rural Prosperity in Tifton and established the Rural Prosperity Council, which was charged with identifying unique challenges and defining innovative solutions that negatively impact rural communities. “One of the things I have wanted to do for a while is open a