Rural Universities Program (RUP)

Ohio's Rural Universities Program, initiated by the Ohio General Assembly in 1985, is designed to enhance the quality of information and educational resources available to local governments, non-profit, and development organizations. Through the transfer of university technical expertise and applied research the program serves primarily the needs of Ohio’s rural and non-metropolitan local governments. The program also functions as a public service laboratory for undergraduate and graduate students in public administration, political science, geography, environmental sciences, and other disciplines.

The Board of Regents and the Ohio General Assembly insured the program’s focus on the state’s more rural and smaller communities by locating the program at three of the State’s major universities.  The primary service areas of these RUP members include a large portion of Ohio’s non-metropolitan and rural communities: Miami University, Ohio University,  and Bowling Green State University.

Other RUP sites:

Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development (ILGARD) at Ohio University

Center for Policy Analysis and Public Service (CPAPS) at Bowling Green State University

Since 1996, the three RUP members have been designated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration as a University Center; this federal investment allows the Center to continue providing economic and community development assistance to local government officials and, generally, to improve the quality-of-life for rural Ohioans.