The Louisiana Tech University Center for Rural Development was approved by the Louisiana Board of Regents in 1994 to provide a central point of contact in the State of Louisiana for university-based research and outreach relevant to rural communities. It is housed in the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs at LA Tech University.

1. The Center responds to inquiries from the public regarding sources of technical assistance, data, grants and loans, and state and federal programs for rural development projects.
   
2. The Center provides outreach and training to the public on rural development issues. This is done through its newsletter, Rural Louisiana, its website, other publications, conference presentations, workshops, and trainings.
   
3. The Center encourages and assists researchers at LA Tech University to both develop and to collaborate in projects that will benefit rural communities. In this work the Center's staff (a) identifies sources of funding, (b) assists in the development of proposals, (c) connects faculty and staff to rural community partners, (d) provides use of technology such as digital cameras, scanners, and other resources to aid projects, and (e) provides technical assistance to projects.
4. The Center undertakes research and projects relevant to the needs of rural communities in Louisiana.
   
5. The Center's staff serve on boards and working groups relevant to rural economic and community development.

The Center is 100% supported by external grant funding. The main support for the Center is currently provided through a special grant from USDA's Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service (CSREES). In addition, the Center has received grants to support its research and technical assistance projects from USDA-NRI, the Southern Region SARE Program/Southern Region Rural Development Center, the Delta Regional Authority/USDA Rural Development and a contract from the State of Louisiana.