(RALEIGH) -- Getting young people to stay - or return - to rural areas is the goal of an effort of the North Carolina Rural Center.

Center Director Billy Ray Hall says it's called the New Generation Initiative. "And that means they'll develop new entrepreneur support programs, business support programs, or more recreation activities. We're doing that as a way of saying, This next generation is critical to the future of rural North Carolina," he said.

Hall says that there are 54 counties losing population between the age of 24 and 30.