Residents in rural and economically distressed communities have been vocal about the need for federal funding that is flexible enough for local leaders to design solutions that match what is going on in their communities. Last year, a program was designed and passed to do this, and the first round of applications are now open. Unlike any other funding currently available from the federal government, the Recompete Pilot Program aims to get at the root causes of struggling communities and help them turn their economies around.