The Commission convenes virtual, half-day symposia to gather insights from leading experts on topics central to its research agenda. These sessions help Commission members deepen their understanding of key issues and engage diverse perspectives from across sectors.
Following each symposium, the Commission publishes a summary on the Brookings website. Select symposiums may also be accompanied by commissioned research papers from participating experts.
New approaches to economic development in rural America
America’s Rural Future’s September 2025 symposium examined the success of locally led approaches to rural economic development, which shift from traditional firm-attraction models toward resident-based strategies that prioritize local leadership and capacity, quality of life, entrepreneurship, governance, and equitable regional planning and decisionmaking.