Cornell Cooperative Extension's (CCE) community and economic vitality programs seek to build the capacity of local leaders and communities to direct their own futures as they negotiate changes in economic structures, transportation and residential patterns, demographics, communication technologies and other challenges and opportunities that affect communities.

CCE engages New Yorkers in land use training, inter-municipal collaboration on shared municipal services, leadership training, workforce development, local food regional economic impact strategies, not-for-profit development, and small business education.

Rust to Green New York State is an emerging network and action research initiative involving campus faculty and students working with CCE and communities to identify and design innovative ways to assist seven upstate cities in realizing their potential to become resilient places.