Just Transition Fund’s Post

How do we build thriving rural communities in the 21st century? Rural development models are shifting away from labor-intensive, extractive industries and coalescing around a new vision: Rural places must build internally on the assets and comparative advantages—natural beauty, strong social capital, and quality of life—they already have. When you combine these advantages with solid infrastructure, including accessible broadband, safe and reliable water, adequate housing, and a dynamic rural entrepreneurial ecosystem, then rural places can become magnets for opportunity. Jerry Neal Kenney of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, Ines Polonius of Communities Unlimited, and Gustavo Lasala of PeopleFund, share lessons from a budding success story in East Texas to inspire other rural regions, philanthropies interested in rural revitalization, and CDFIs serving rural communities: “Whether patiently coaching and mentoring rural entrepreneurs who fall through the cracks of the traditional banking sector, finding creative solutions to help small businesses grow, supporting water and wastewater systems with financing options, or even managing a multi-state donation and delivery of scoreboards, CDFIs are capable of acting as Swiss Army knives for rural development.”

This is right on the money (pun intended). In Minnesota, I have seen firsthand the success of independent actors (generally organically formed community/issue based cohorts/organizations) in driving the braiding of systems/funding needed to truly transform communities. For example, lived experience of homelessness advocates/cohorts have been successful in pushing MN legislators to allocate funds that are designated for "greater Minnesota" (AKA everything other than the twin cities metro area) when creating appropriation bills related to housing/homelessness. The work of those various advocates/cohorts has been ferried by the engines of community organizations that are fueled by funding from regional-focused funders. In turn these same lived experience advocates/cohorts and community organizations are also then able to bring this gained experience of updated funding streams back to their communities, which better enables the community to build the ships to ride the wave. It also encourages rural networking when these various community/issue based cohorts/organizations are all pushing for funding for rural communities at the state legislature together. Whew I am not good at being concise

Philanthropic practice in rural settings can be both high stakes and confounding. Yet, rural communities very much need help from philanthropic institutions. See our research on this vitally important topic: https://lnkd.in/ghYfZxiX

Great article Brett Schwartz on the value of #partnerships, #collaboration, and #developmentdistricts. Thank you for providing real world examples of the true impact the Districts have on #economicdevelopment and #resiliency especially in the central states and #ruralcommunities. They illustrate the importance of tried and true funding for Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance or #PWEAA. https://lnkd.in/guUbts8k

Another #EconDevWeek highlight goes out to the Economic Ecosystem! Providing economic support requires a holistic collaborative approach, which is why we have the Economic Ecosystem in Brookings. The Ecosystem is a powerhouse partnership among local organizations, including the Research Park, BEDC, the Chamber, Downtown Brookings, and Visit Brookings. These organizations all rally behind one common goal: advancing the economic vitality of Brookings! How do we do this? Through our five-year economic development master plan. This Master Plan is a blueprint for sparking and supporting strategic business and community development in Brookings. From nurturing startups to enhancing infrastructure or championing local initiatives, each part of the Master Plan is designed to make Brookings an ideal place to live and work. Interested in learning more about the Ecosystem and the Economic Master Plan? Check out the link below! https://lnkd.in/g8R8b5_G

Great opportunity announced for the Appalachian region (and Delta and Northern Border regions)! What are some economic growth opportunities in our Upstate that would benefit from workforce training in marginalized and underserved areas? The WORC Initiative aims to fund grants that create economic mobility, address inequities for historically marginalized communities of color, rural areas, and other underserved and underrepresented communities. These grants are designed to produce high-quality employment outcomes for workers in the Appalachian, Delta, and Northern Border regions, enabling them to remain and thrive in their communities. The Initiative provides grant funds to help impacted communities develop local and regional workforce development solutions aligned with existing economic development strategies and community partnerships, promoting new, sustainable job opportunities and long-term economic vitality with a focus on equity and underserved populations. WORC Round 6 places a strong emphasis on three key focus areas: enhancing access to Good Jobs, prioritizing equity, and sustaining impact. https://lnkd.in/dUmYQ-GV

In June, Big Water hosted a workshop on integrating community economic development activities with partners from the Urban Institute and National American Indian Housing Council as part of the U.S. Economic Development Administration funded Indigenous Economic Development Community of Practice (https://lnkd.in/gverNsPz). During the workshop, participants mapped fictional community assets to practice incorporating all the sectors of economic development into holistic planning processes.   We want to thank all 100 tribal housing and economic development practitioners who participated in this 4-hour workshop. We are particularly thankful for our panelists and subject matter experts who served as keystones leading conversations and answering questions: Joel Smith, Lorna Fogg, Josh Jackson, Lisa Serrano, Cheryl Cloud, Tedd Buelow, Adam Hasz, and Onna LeBeau.   As tribes work on projects to grow and improve their communities, it is essential that planning processes are collaborative and holistic, taking input and ideas from stakeholders across various sectors. Some key takeaways we heard from experts and participants include:   ▶ Housing in integrally connected to all other aspects of economic development ▶ Mapping all community assets develops a better foundation for future funding efforts ▶ Federal Agencies such as the USDA, HUD, BIA, Department of the Treasury, and DOE have committed to working together to make grant opportunities more accessible to Tribes ▶ Energy projects are potential enterprises for Tribes that offer potential jobs, revenue and cost savings while contributing to natural resource conservation   To read more about this critical ongoing conversation and access workshop materials, visit the Indigenous CoP website: [https://lnkd.in/e6pbVA8s]

Lauren Newby, Director at GC Insight, wrote an article with Matt Baker of Reimagine Place for the Institute of Place Management to encourage fresh thinking by the new government to realise the potential of regeneration through long term investment by community-led partnerships. A few excerpts are below and you can find the entire article here: ➡️ https://ow.ly/PIi150TcIob "When it was announced last year that more than £1billion would be invested into 55 towns through a £20 million endowment-style fund to develop decade long plans, it was heralded as a new idea that would create a different style of politics. " "As placemaking practitioners working on one of the first wave of towns to be selected in the former mill town of Nelson in Lancashire, we have seen first-hand the pros and cons of this approach." "Firstly, there is a lot of enthusiasm in local communities for Long Term Plans for Towns (LTPT) and a desire for their voices to be heard in shaping the plans." "Our first round of engagement indicated considerable scepticism about LTPTs, but in the second phase of consultation, the scepticism softened as they could see how their feedback had shaped the plan and we saw a much more positive response. Once people see their views reflected and feel heard in plans they feel more invested in them." "The main challenge we faced, though, was balancing the competing needs of formulating a long-term aspirational vision with deep seated frustration at current problems. In discussions in working men’s clubs, community halls and libraries, people argued passionately that fixing potholes, tackling litter and restoring law and order should be the plan’s main priority." "While there were plenty who wanted to push more imaginative interventions - from water features to smarter transport and events programmes, they were in the minority. The dominant community voices were those who wanted the basics tackled first." "To unleash brave, experimental and imaginative thinking, we need to create a viable future for all our towns. This will only happen when communities have assurance that the basic public services they all rely on are properly funded on a long term basis." "So while it’s still early days for the LTPT’s we would encourage the new Government to stick with them, improve it where necessary and encourage other towns to develop plans." #regeneration #community #investment

Last week, I had the privilege to attend HOPE's Economic Mobility Forum in Selma, Alabama. The topic of discussion was Seizing the Moment: Maximizing Federal Investment in Under Resourced Communities. Communities like those in the small towns in the Black Belt of Alabama, have often faced barriers in accessing the kinds of federal funds that large cities and wealthier communities have had access to for decades. These small towns have very limited staff to write grants and manage complex grant programs and yet have great need for water, road and sewer improvement, disaster recovery, housing and community development, among others. Without intentional support and accessible program design, the new historic federal programs in infrastructure and greenhouse gas reduction would likely perpetuate the current disparities. What are federal agencies doing to ensure access to underserved areas? Read more about the discussion in my new piece on the Hope Policy Institute blog.

The Biden-Harris Administration is making historic and transformative investments in rural America through the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Rural Partners Network. As President Biden said during the Rural Infrastructure Tour, “As we unlock federal resources and generate results for these communities, we are unlocking opportunity – job opportunities, educational opportunities, and the opportunity for a better future.”  In rural communities across the country, everyday Americans are leveraging federal resources to create good-paying jobs, spur economic growth and stability, and improve the quality of life of their family and neighbors. From building safe roads and bridges, to expanding clean, affordable and reliable energy, and increasing access to markets and competition for farmers and producers – together, we are ensuring that rural Americans do not have to leave home to find opportunity. Through the White House Rural Innovators Initiative, the Biden-Harris Administration is proud to uplift stories of extraordinary rural leaders, who are taking action and ensuring their communities thrive for generations to come.  The Biden-Harris Administration invites nominations from the public for Rural Innovators who are making a positive impact in their rural communities. Nominations of individuals of all ages, including youth leaders, are welcome. Nominated individuals could be engaged in either the public and private sectors, including local, state, Tribal and territory governments; non-profits; businesses; philanthropy; or academia. The nomination form will close on Friday, June 14 at midnight EST. Selected individuals will be recognized as Rural Innovators later this year.