RC&D was initially started back in the 1960’s to address rural poverty and help rural communities generate sustainable natural resource-based economies.  Although today many RC&D Areas are not rural and are not poor, the need for the RC&D concept is just as strong as ever.  RC&D is not the same-old, same-old – RC&D is collaborative, multi-leveled, action-oriented, and inclusive.  And, sometimes, “RC&D” is difficult to explain and difficult to quantify. However, the effect of the RC&D approach to solving community problems involving local people in voluntary, empowering ways can be felt with almost every RC&D project that happens across the country.