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The objective of this paper is to assess locality-based development efforts—which wecall self-development—in rural America during the decadeof the 1980s, and based on that analysis, to suggest the efficacy of these locally-initiated efforts for the future. We include an examination of the factors influencing the success of such projects in order to be able to suggest appropriate policies for encouraging selfdevelopment—if indeed such encouragement is merited. Self-development is defined as the implementation of a local project, or creation of a firm (or firms), that increases income to the community and/or generates a net increase in jobs. Local self-development strategies stand in contrast to other economic development strategies based on attracting new or branch plants from outside the community. A local self-development project must include the following three charactaistics:(a) involvement of a local community …