The Center for Rural Pennsylvania welcomes proposals to revise its Community Planning Handbook to address community planning and visioning in light of rural population change. As noted in a 2023 report by the Center and the Pennsylvania State Data Center, rural Pennsylvania’s population will shrink by approximately 5.8% by 2050.
Currently in its Fourth Edition (2013), a revised and significantly updated Community Planning Handbook will incorporate new community planning materials consistent with best practices, informed by the scholarly and/or community development literature and the practical experiences of the authors. Furthermore, the revised Handbook will focus on addressing population change within rural communities.
Proposals are welcomed from independent stakeholders, nonprofit groups, and any entities eligible to enter into a contract with an agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in addition to higher education institutions in the state.
The review of proposals will begin on October 21, 2024, and continue until a successful proposal is accepted. Final proposals should be submitted to commission@rural.pa.gov.