Rural Georgia community leaders recently gathered in Baxley to learn from each other and share their successes as part of the University of Georgia’s award-winning PROPEL rural development program.

PROPEL, or Planning Rural Opportunities for Prosperity and Economic Leadership, provides resources to rural communities to support economic and community development strategies. Working with UGA faculty, staff and students, key stakeholders identify and execute a long-term vision for their community’s economic future. The UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, a unit of UGA Public Service and Outreach, leads the program.

The PROPEL Ramble, a professional learning event organized by the UGA Institute of Government, drew representatives from participating PROPEL communities, prospective communities and partner organizations, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Greg Wilson, the institute’s faculty member who leads PROPEL, said his team planned the event after participating communities requested more networking opportunities.

“When you’re a leader in a rural community, it can be challenging to connect with other communities, even when you’re tackling some of the same issues, like workforce development and building leadership capacity,” Wilson said. “This event is a chance for communities to learn from each other and encourage each other.”

Basil Gooden, USDA Undersecretary for Rural Development, addresses PROPEL Ramble attendees in Baxley.

Basil Gooden, USDA Undersecretary for Rural Development, addresses PROPEL Ramble attendees in Baxley. (Photo by Sara Ingram)

USDA Undersecretary for Rural Development Basil Gooden and State Director for Georgia USDA Rural Development Reggie Taylor came to the event to see PROPEL in action and talk about the USDA support available to rural communities. The USDA has funded PROPEL with three grants since the program’s launch in 2021.

“With PROPEL, the University of Georgia is doing life-changing and vitally important work in rural communities across the state,” Gooden said. “At USDA Rural Development, we want to ensure that rural America has access to the same things metropolitan and urban areas have, whether it’s health care and housing or jobs and broadband. That’s why we’re excited to partner with UGA and PROPEL.”

As part of the Ramble, Baxley City Manager Keri Orvin led a downtown tour, sharing Baxley’s progress on revitalization projects. Since Appling County became a PROPEL community in 2022, six new businesses have opened in downtown Baxley.

“Sometimes economic development work can fall to the bottom of the barrel as you go about your day-to-day work. PROPEL coaches help you stay accountable,” Orvin said. “PROPEL has been a great tool for us to keep going and push forward. We’ve been able to accomplish some of our goals.”

The group also toured the local campus of Coastal Pines Technical College and Southern Pines College and Career Academy, where they learned about the schools’ workforce development efforts and heard from Andrea Fernando, a UGA student from Baxley.

State Director for Georgia USDA Rural Development Reggie Taylor looks on as Coastal Pines Technical College President Lonnie Roberts, left, leads a tour of college’s Baxley campus.

State Director for Georgia USDA Rural Development Reggie Taylor looks on as Coastal Pines Technical College President Lonnie Roberts, left, leads a tour of college’s Baxley campus. (Photo by Sara Ingram)

Fernando is pursuing a master’s degree in public health, and she spoke about how her experience as a PROPEL Rural Scholar has helped her prepare for a future medical career in her hometown. The PROPEL Rural Scholars program teams UGA students with faculty and staff to work on guided research projects in PROPEL communities.

“I learned how to advocate for rural communities by listening to their needs and supporting their goals. Working alongside rural communities with PROPEL strengthened my passion for addressing various inequities through a career in rural medicine,” Fernando said.

Tim Powers, regional president of Planters First Bank in Cordele, attended the meeting from Crisp County, which joined PROPEL in 2024. Representing a newer PROPEL community, Powers said he was inspired by the downtown tour and conversations with people from other counties with more experience in the program.

“I really liked the opportunity to walk around downtown to see the renderings and the progress they’ve made. It helped me have a better idea of what’s possible in my own community,” he said. “Plus, I made some good connections.”

PROPEL is made possible with USDA funding and additional support from the UGA Foundation. The program was awarded top honors at the 2023 University Economic Development Association (UEDA) Awards of Excellence. Learn more about PROPEL at https://cviog.uga.edu/services/georgia-workforce-and-economic-resilience-center/propel.html.