Capacity and Impact of Nonprofits in Rural Communities Addressing Social, Economic, and Racial Inequities

A special issue of Societies (ISSN 2075-4698).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2023) | Viewed by 5319

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Social Work, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
Interests: rural communities and quality of life; rural nonprofits; nonprofit organizational capacity; poverty; social worker well-being

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Social Work, University of Tennessee, Nashville, TN 37210, USA
Interests: nonprofit capacity building; poverty; disability policy; social protection programs

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nonprofits in rural communities serve as safety nets for addressing pervasive social, economic, and racial inequities. Their leadership and innovation are stimulating change and growth in rural areas across the world; however, the empirical discussion of rural nonprofit impact and their organizational capacity to serve is minimal. To that end, this Special Issue of Societies invites original and conceptual articles examining nonprofits’ roles in social, economic, and racial inequities in rural communities. Innovative strategies and case studies of rural nonprofit impact, as well as capacity issues and solutions, are especially encouraged. Articles may focus on any rural or remote area internationally, although it is suggested that authors provide contextual descriptions of their rural communities of study. Book reviews on the same topics are also welcome.

To that end, this Special Issue of Societies invites original and conceptual articles examining nonprofits’ roles in undertaking social, economic, and racial inequities in rural communities.

Prof. Dr. Jayme E. Walters
Prof. Dr. Stephen V. McGarity
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • rural nonprofit
  • rural impact
  • rural communities
  • social inequality
  • economic inequality
  • racism
  • classism
  • inclusion

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 657 KiB  
Article
‘You Know Them All’—Trust, Cooperation, and Cultural Volunteering in Rural Areas in Germany
by Thi Huyen Trang Le and Nina Kolleck
Societies 2022, 12(6), 180; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/soc12060180 - 01 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1209
Abstract
(1) Background: Rural areas are characterised by a higher number of volunteers compared to urban centres in Germany. In this context, cultural and arts education is one of the largest voluntary sectors. However, an increasing decline in (cultural) volunteering can be observed. To [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Rural areas are characterised by a higher number of volunteers compared to urban centres in Germany. In this context, cultural and arts education is one of the largest voluntary sectors. However, an increasing decline in (cultural) volunteering can be observed. To counteract the decrease, it is important to strengthen regional cooperation and social networks, which are based on trust. The connection between trust, volunteering, and social networks has already been examined, but we still do not fully understand the emergence of trust in the link of cultural education cooperation and networks in rural areas. (2) Methods: A total of 34 semi-structured interviews in combination with egocentric network maps were conducted in four rural regions. The interview data were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using qualitative content analysis. (3) Results: Four dimensions of trust-building were identified: 1. presence and spatial proximity, 2. multiplexity, 3. third party, and 4. community spirit. Full article
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16 pages, 607 KiB  
Article
COVID-19, Rural Communities, and Implications of Telebehavioral Health Services: Addressing the Benefits and Challenges of Behavioral Health Services via Telehealth in Nebraska
by Emily Freske and Benjamin Robert Malczyk
Societies 2021, 11(4), 141; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/soc11040141 - 30 Nov 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3258
Abstract
Telehealth has been in use, in various forms, for over a century and is growing increasingly more popular. The current research sought to examine the prevalence, benefits, and challenges of telehealth for behavioral and mental health services in the state of Nebraska with [...] Read more.
Telehealth has been in use, in various forms, for over a century and is growing increasingly more popular. The current research sought to examine the prevalence, benefits, and challenges of telehealth for behavioral and mental health services in the state of Nebraska with a particular focus on rural communities. The COVID-19 pandemic coincided with the research endeavors and impacted the questions that were asked related to the use of telebehavioral health. Specifically, the research included an investigation of the rates of use of telebehavioral health across agencies and whether/how the pandemic impacted the use of telehealth services. The research included an initial examination of more than 50 behavioral health agencies to assess overall utilization of telehealth. Researchers then conducted interviews with 15 practitioners to discuss the challenges and benefits associated with telehealth services. Key results suggest that implementation of telehealth in Nebraska has resulted in increased access to services among rural residents and has deeply impacted clinical practice. Additionally, clinicians identified specific benefits and challenges of telebehavioral health. It was also noted that the majority of clinicians plan to continue providing services via telehealth if the policies and regulations remain as they are post-COVID-19. Implications of this research highlight the efficiency and effectiveness of using telehealth to increase access. Full article
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