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Daniel Kuennen, Director Rural Development Center Richard A. Henson Center Room 2147, UMES Princess Anne, MD 21853 410/651-6183 · 410/651-6207 fax E-mail: Daniel S. Kuennen |
Technical AssistanceThe Rural Development Center is a professional community and regional economic development agency concerned with the causes and consequences of social, political, and economic changes in rural areas and the effective influence of rural people, businesses, and communities. Applied social and economic science dominates the research and technical assistance work of the Center. The Center maintains close ties to higher education institutions, private and public non-profit organizations, and local leadership to address the complex economic trends facing Maryland's Eastern Shore.
The RDC provides technical assistance to businesses and organizations in a variety of ways. They include:
- host and sponsor workshops and conferences such as the Homebased Business Workshop which provides a forum for home-based business owners to share information about this growing segment of the Lower Shore economy. Some of our major employers started out as home-based businesses.
- buy and maintain computer software and databases for writing studies, grants, marketing plans, surveys and impact assessment. We also provide this information to businesses and organizations so they can produce presentations and publications.
- sponsor and coordinate satellite downlink sites so that local businesses and organizations can participate in satellite teleconferences such as the National Teleconference on Rural Tourism.
- provide facilities and computer and audio-visual equipment to businesses and community groups for meetings and presentations that relate to rural development issues and economic development efforts throughout the Lower Shore counties
- present business and financial technical information to business startup and expansion projects such as the Yugo Honeybee Project on Smith Island.
- fund pilot projects to assess the impact of new technologies on regional, economic and cultural development such as these World Wide Web pages that you are viewing.