The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization partnering with rural leaders across the country to build tech economies that support scalable entrepreneurship and lead to more tech jobs in rural America.
Established in 2017, CORI is at the heart of a dynamic social enterprise focused on closing the rural opportunity gap. To maximize all possible resources to address this critical problem, the organization partners with a taxable nonprofit, Rural Innovation Strategies, Inc. (RISI), and a seed fund, CORI Innovation Fund (CIF), focused on early-stage technology companies located in rural areas.
Guided by a strong belief in rural ingenuity and small-town potential, we provide strategic support to rural communities that want to develop inclusive, resilient tech economy ecosystems. Our systems approach involves building a nationwide network of local economic change agents; increasing the tech workforce and access to tech jobs; using mapping, data, and research to highlight rural opportunities; making direct investments in underserved rural entrepreneurs; and closing the digital divide so all Americans can participate in the 21st-century tech economy. We are currently working with 33 communities across 24 states in the Rural Innovation Network to execute this model.
Rural America is home to 12% of the U.S. workforce, but just 5% of the tech workforce. Smaller populations and lack of broadband in rural areas have historically translated into inequities in access to training for fast-growing tech careers, leading rural employers to outsource their tech talent demand to other markets. This has led to a vicious cycle in which there is never enough demand to justify tech training in rural areas, and because training is not available, employers continue to outsource their tech needs. CORI aims to break this cycle by showing that tech jobs and tech talent can exist in rural areas, and we are seizing the moment to create a more equitable distribution of accessible future-proof jobs.
CORI and RISI are headquartered in a historic general store building in the village of Hartland, Vermont, part of New England’s Upper Valley and greater Dartmouth College region.
CORI is an Equal Opportunity Employer—people of color, people with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to a diverse workplace, and to supporting our staff with ongoing career development opportunities. We are interested in your ambitions, personal experiences, great ideas, and passions, and believe that everyone’s unique story and perspective adds value to our organization.
CORI will manage the application and review process using our Workable platform. Please direct all inquiries through this system. We are unable to respond to phone inquiries at this time.