The report proposes a conceptual framework for researching key issues relating to rural public facility policy affecting such services as fire protection, water systems, roads, wastewater treatment, hospitals, and others, and identifies important research needs in this area. Major components of the framework are sources of financing (private and governmental), production inputs (labor and capital from private and/or public sectors); and production functions providing intermediate outputs in the form of community delivery systems. A major category of research needs and opportunities concerns the relationship between the inputs and the public service outputs of interest to consumers. Other research needs concern the development of technology for providing services under conditions of sparse population, to isolated households, or in small communities; the development of alternative methods of delivering public services; and the effect of state and federal laws or restrictions on the presence/absence of services/facilities. Additional research is needed in conceptualizing and ensuring spillover benefits from public services, the effects of projected population growth/shifts on the aggregate amount of investment expenditure in various capital facilities, and data gaps in public finance problems. Criteria for establishing research priorities might include judgment of benefits and costs, political appeal, feasibility, and interest of researchers. (NEC)