REFRAMING
THE ISSUE
States, municipalities and the federal government have spent billions to draw jobs and prosperity to stagnant rural areas with the hopes reversing the negative ripple effects caused from out-migration. Yet, the programs and grants focused on these efforts have been largely ineffective. Reframing the issue and presenting more unique, innovative and out-of-the box solutions can spur creative engagement from stakeholders. Additionally, the solutions set out at the bottom of this page are all example of smaller ideas and programs where private enterprise and entrepreneurs have developed, and in most cases, executed a unique approach that could be very applicable to and impactful to rural areas.
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Other Innovative Solutions
New Homestead Act
In the early 2000s, a bipartisan group of Colorado Senators proposed a bill that that could create nearly 1,100 new businesses and several thousand new jobs in the 11 Colorado counties that lost 10 percent or more of their population over the prior 20 years. The bill would create individual savings accounts that allowed tax-free withdrawals for purposes like first-time home purchases, business development costs, and college expenses. It's estimated that this initiative could create more than 153,000 businesses and 268,000 jobs in rural communities nationwide. The New Homestead Act has been introduced in Congress several times but has not yet become law. 
Big Box Stores into Community Center
Investing in rural community centers is a great way to boost the economy and revitalize the community. Community centers can promote exercise, increase property values, provide communal meeting spaces, and create jobs. Craig, Colorado has several old, empty big box store locations such as the KMart and Safeway that it could repurpose and redevelop into a community center.
Tiny Home Community
In certain areas in Colorado, people are choosing to live in "Tiny Homes." Tiny Homes are commonly classified as homes between 150 and 600 square feet built for a variety of reasons including affordability. In 2013, Lyons, Colorado built a Tiny Home community called WeeCasa that offered homes for sale and rent. The attraction has been successful, and many patrons are visiting to try out the lifestyle. Replication of communities like this across rural Colorado could inspire those suffering from the high cost of living in cities to relocate. 
Nightingale Housing Model
Innovative architects in Melbourne, Australia pioneered and institutionalized for-replication unique multi-family living buildings that are affordable to the developer and homeowner, environmentally sustainable, and simultaneously prioritize community involvement and contribution.  Three projects have been completed to date in Australia, and possible replication in rural America could be a creative solution to curb rural depopulation.