Center for Rural Policy and Development
The Center for Rural Policy and Development is a Mankato, Minnesota-based non-profit founded in 1998 that produces independent research, data, and analysis on Greater Minnesota's rural communities for policymakers, foundations, and the public.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersMankato, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Center for Rural Policy and Development does
The Center for Rural Policy and Development (CRPD) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit policy research organization founded in 1998 and headquartered in Mankato, Minnesota. It produces independent research, data, and analysis on issues affecting Greater Minnesota's rural communities — including demographics, economy, healthcare, education, agriculture, child care, and civic infrastructure — serving state and local policymakers, philanthropic foundations, community organizations, and the broader public. Its core outputs are the annual State of Rural Report, the Atlas of Rural Minnesota Online (an interactive mapping and data tool), the Center of Everywhere Podcast (currently in its sixth season), and the Interconnected Event Series co-hosted with the Citizens League. CRPD also publishes targeted topical reports, such as the 2025 "Barriers & Bridges" study on mental healthcare access for communities of color, and produces supporting video content.
CRPD does not sell products or services in a commercial sense. As a 501(c)(3)-style non-profit, it is funded through grants from private foundations — the Blandin Foundation, Bush Foundation, and McKnight Foundation — and from state agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). It maintains research collaborations with the Minnesota State Demographic Center and the University of Minnesota Extension. The organization operates with a small staff of 1–10 employees and is governed by a 19-member board. Julie Tesch has served as CEO since 2018. In 2024, CRPD earned the Candid Gold Seal of Transparency, signaling strong governance and disclosure practices relative to peer non-profits.
Center for Rural Policy and Development firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Center for Rural Policy and Development
- Legal name
- Center for Rural Policy and Development
- Website
- https://ruralmn.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Center for Rural Policy and Development is a Mankato, Minnesota-based non-profit founded in 1998 that produces independent research, data, and analysis on Greater Minnesota's rural communities for policymakers, foundations, and the public.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Center for Rural Policy and Development industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Policy Research
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA), Research, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Partnerships (EDADALAK)
Keywords
Where Center for Rural Policy and Development is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mankato
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Center for Rural Policy and Development business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major funding provided by Blandin Foundation, Bush Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)
- Government Grants: Grants manager for MN Dept. of Employment & Economic Development grants SPAP-25-0012-P-FY26 and SPAP26-0001-P-FY26
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Center for Rural Policy and Development product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Center for Rural Policy and Development is a non-partisan, not-for-profit policy research organization that produces and disseminates objective research, demographic and economic data, policy analysis, and civic engagement programs for Greater Minnesota. Its offerings include the annual State of Rural report, an interactive Atlas of Rural Minnesota, the Center of Everywhere podcast, the Interconnected event series, research reports, blog articles, and videos—all provided free to policymakers, rural communities, and the public.
Product overview
The Center for Rural Policy and Development is a non-partisan policy research organization that provides a portfolio of research products and knowledge-sharing tools rather than a unified software platform. The core offerings include The State of Rural Report (annual comprehensive demographic and economic analysis), the Atlas of Rural Minnesota Online (interactive data visualization tool), the Center of Everywhere Podcast (audio storytelling), the Interconnected Event Series (collaborative webinars with Citizens League), Research Reports and Blog Articles on rural policy topics, and Videos. These products work together to support the organization's mission of providing objective research for policy and decision-making in Greater Minnesota.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Center of Everywhere Podcast: A podcast series exploring stories of rural Minnesotans who are making a difference in their communities.
- State of Rural Report
- Rural Atlas Online
- Interconnected
Products and services
- The State of Rural Report Annual comprehensive report providing updates on various economic and demographic data pertaining to rural Minnesota, including historical data points illustrating how rural conditions have changed over time. Intended for policymakers, rural development organizations, and the public.
- Atlas of Rural Minnesota Online Interactive web-based collection of maps and charts providing analysis of demographic, economic, and societal data at the state, county, planning region, and economic development region levels in Minnesota. Used by researchers, policymakers, and the public for rural data exploration.
- Center of Everywhere Podcast Podcast series exploring stories of rural Minnesotans making a difference in their communities, currently in Season 6, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Intended for the general public and rural community advocates.
- Interconnected Event Series Collaborative webinar and event series co-hosted with Citizens League that bridges urban and rural communities in Minnesota, exploring shared challenges in healthcare, workforce, housing, and equity. Free registration for participants.
- Research Reports and Blog Articles Ongoing collection of research reports and blog articles covering mental healthcare access, population migration, economic vitality, child care, agriculture, education, and infrastructure in Greater Minnesota. Targeted at policymakers, nonprofits, and rural community advocates.
Quantifiable outcome
- Migration trends analysis showing rural counties experiencing population gains since 2020 driven by in-migration
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Center for Rural Policy and Development
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Center for Rural Policy and Development technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Center for Rural Policy and Development partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AscendRuralcoreCollaborative partnership to leverage CRPD's rural-specific research and data to guide AscendRural's strategic planning and pilot initiatives aimed at improving health and well-being in rural communities. CRPD's datasets and policy expertise will support AscendRural's next impact theme to be announced at the American Society on Aging Conference.
- SourcewellminorSourcewell partnered with CRPD to host a special live webinar on Greater Minnesota topics including rural workforce, population shifts, mental health, and elder care.
- Citizens LeaguecoreSince 2020, CRPD has partnered with Citizens League to present the Interconnected event series, helping bridge the divide between urban and rural communities in Minnesota through policy discussions.
- Minnesota State Demographic CentercoreCRPD uses Minnesota State Demographic Center's county groupings based on USDA Rural-Urban Commuting Area codes for data analysis and collaborates on demographic research.
- University of Minnesota ExtensionminorCRPD references and collaborates with University of Minnesota Extension's Community Development team on rural migration research and workforce development studies.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Center for Rural Policy and Development competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Center for Rural Policy and Development social profiles
Digital presenceCenter for Rural Policy and Development financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Center for Rural Policy and Development leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Center for Rural Policy and Development funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Center for Rural Policy and Development M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Center for Rural Policy and Development
What does Center for Rural Policy and Development do?
The Center for Rural Policy and Development is a non-partisan, not-for-profit policy research organization that produces and disseminates objective research, demographic and economic data, policy analysis, and civic engagement programs for Greater Minnesota. Its offerings include the annual State of Rural report, an interactive Atlas of Rural Minnesota, the Center of Everywhere podcast, the Interconnected event series, research reports, blog articles, and videos—all provided free to policymakers, rural communities, and the public.
Is Center for Rural Policy and Development a public or private company?
Center for Rural Policy and Development is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Center for Rural Policy and Development founded?
Center for Rural Policy and Development was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Center for Rural Policy and Development based?
Center for Rural Policy and Development is headquartered in Mankato, United States, in the North America region.
How does Center for Rural Policy and Development make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Foundation and Corporate Grants are the primary driver. The others are government Grants.
Does Center for Rural Policy and Development have an API?
No public API is recorded for Center for Rural Policy and Development.
What industry is Center for Rural Policy and Development in?
Center for Rural Policy and Development's product category is Public Policy Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAL, Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development, with a secondary code of BPAGABAA, Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment. Its NAICS code is 8133.