Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment Presented by S. Kim Jones, GPC
Purpose & Objectives Better understand the rural community to embrace the culture and effectively strategize economic and philanthropic development and progress. • • • •
Understand current rural economic and development state Define common attributes of rural environments Understand rural culture Identify strategies to navigate rural culture to achieve philanthropic success • Demonstrate application of these concepts using stories from the field
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Background
• Rural America has long struggled economically (Flora and Flora, 2013)
• Continue to lag behind urban counterparts in development efforts • Small towns across America continue to decline and lose population • Resources for improvement continue to decline • Foundation grants for rural areas were 6‐7% of total domestic grants in 2010 (Pender, 2015)
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Rural Communities • More than 20% of the U.S. population lives in a rural designated area (Cromartie and Bucholtz, 2008) • Government agencies currently have more than a dozen definitions of “rural” (Cromartie and Bucholtz, 2008) • Common rural attributes (Monk, 2007): – – – – – – –
small size sparse settlement limited choices for employment, shopping, services, education, healthcare distance or geographic isolation from population concentrations limited educational attainment economic base often reliant on traditional occupations strong cultural beliefs
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Rural Culture Challenges (Flora and Flora, 2013)
• • • • • •
Limited opportunities Lack of exposure to new ideas and skills (grants) Behind in cultural changes Fear of change in traditional ways and customs Fear in losing jobs and livelihood Fear of those from the outside who may harm or challenge
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Rural Culture Strengths (Flora and Flora, 2013) • • • • •
Appreciation of history and tradition Work ethic Connections to family Belief in community Spiritual and personal values
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment Strategy 1: Explore the ground Understanding and respecting the culture and how it operates is an important part of building any type of program or doing development work in a rural community. • Rural environments function differently than urban counterparts • Cultural capital, such as local traditions are important • Social capital, or groups and networks of people and how they interact is key Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Resources and Tools Use assessment tools that will help you understand the rural community better, including what needs they have. • NACCHO community needs assessment • Rotary and Community Action partnership Assessment Tools • Community capitals assessment • Local and state development plans
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Strategy 2: Select the right seeds Identifying key people in the community who are respected and can lead others is a key strategy in rural development efforts. • Social capital is often weak and can be difficult to get groups together • Leveraging political capital, or people with influence in the community can get this process started • Can help ensure broader community buy‐in around a central idea or need
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Resources and Tools Use techniques and tools that will help you understand the who the leaders in the community are and how they need to be engaged. • Political capital assessment • World Bank social capital assessment tool • Interviews with local stakeholders
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Strategy 3: Select the best plot and tools Identifying the strongest assets of a rural community (because they have them!) can provide a base on which to build. • Provides a strong foundation for growth • Often results in some “quick wins” to build momentum • Can provide visibility for broader support of community and funders
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Resources and Tools Use techniques and tools that will help you understand what strengths and opportunities the community has to build upon. • Community asset mapping • NACCHO MAPP (Mobilizing Action through Planning and Partnership) • Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Community Asset Mapping Workbook
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Strategy 4: Sew the seeds Look for smaller projects that can be implemented with available resources to build confidence, human and social capital for larger scale projects. • Get rural communities working together or with outside agencies • Success draws support • Can serve as “training” for bigger or broader projects
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Resources and Tools Use techniques and tools that will help communities be successful with existing resources. • Project champions • Sub‐agreement opportunities • Partnership agreements • Committee charters • Coalition building • Project management tools and education
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Strategy 5: Fertilize and grow Successful project development brings more opportunities and visibility to rural communities. • Expand beyond local partnerships and social capital • Builds and strengthens resource networks • Introduces more comprehensive communications and public relations concepts
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Resources and Tools Use techniques and tools that will help communities be more visible (and get comfortable being visible ) and build on successes. • Story telling and human interest stories • Social media, events and campaigns • Interagency progress reports • Government relations
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Stories from the Field
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Social Capital Building Exercise Broad, open networks can be very powerful to individuals as well as communities. Questions to consider about your own social capital? How helpful am I to others? Would any of my acquaintances want to introduce someone to me? (Friedman, 2014)
• • • • •
What does my network look like? What it would need to look like to achieve your goals? Are there any opportunities for me to help others? How can I find out what they need and provide it?. How can I strengthen my affiliations?
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Questions
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
References
Cromartie, J. & Bucholtz, S. (2008). Defining the "rural" in rural America: the use of different definitions of rural by Federal agencies reflects the multidimensional qualities of rural America. USDA, Economic Research Service. Retrieved from http://ers.usda.gov/amber‐waves/2008‐june/defining‐the‐%E2%80%9Crural%E2%80%9D‐in‐rural‐america.aspx Flora, C. B. & Flora, J. (2013). Rural Communities (4th ed.). Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Friedman, Stew. (2014.) Total Leadership. Harvard Business Review Press. Boston , MA Monk, D. H. (2007). Recruiting and retaining high‐quality teachers in rural areas. The Future of Children, 17(1), 155‐174. Dorfman, Diane. 1998. Mapping Community Assets Workbook. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Rural Education Program. Retrieved July 27, 2016 (http://www.abcdinstitute.org/docs/Diane%20Dorfman‐Mapping‐Community‐Assets‐ WorkBook(1)‐1.pdf) Pender, J. L. (2015). Foundation grants to rural areas from 2005 to 2010: trends and patterns, EIB‐141, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service World Bank. Retrieved July 27, 2016 (http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTSOCIALCAPITAL/Resources/Social‐Capital‐ Assessment‐Tool‐‐SOCAT‐/annex1.pdf)
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Purpose & Objectives Better understand the rural community to embrace the culture and effectively strategize economic and philanthropic development and progress. • • • •
Understand current rural economic and development state Define common attributes of rural environments Understand rural culture Identify strategies to navigate rural culture to achieve philanthropic success • Demonstrate application of these concepts using stories from the field
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Background
• Rural America has long struggled economically (Flora and Flora, 2013)
• Continue to lag behind urban counterparts in development efforts • Small towns across America continue to decline and lose population • Resources for improvement continue to decline • Foundation grants for rural areas were 6‐7% of total domestic grants in 2010 (Pender, 2015)
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Rural Communities • More than 20% of the U.S. population lives in a rural designated area (Cromartie and Bucholtz, 2008) • Government agencies currently have more than a dozen definitions of “rural” (Cromartie and Bucholtz, 2008) • Common rural attributes (Monk, 2007): – – – – – – –
small size sparse settlement limited choices for employment, shopping, services, education, healthcare distance or geographic isolation from population concentrations limited educational attainment economic base often reliant on traditional occupations strong cultural beliefs
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Rural Culture Challenges (Flora and Flora, 2013)
• • • • • •
Limited opportunities Lack of exposure to new ideas and skills (grants) Behind in cultural changes Fear of change in traditional ways and customs Fear in losing jobs and livelihood Fear of those from the outside who may harm or challenge
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Rural Culture Strengths (Flora and Flora, 2013) • • • • •
Appreciation of history and tradition Work ethic Connections to family Belief in community Spiritual and personal values
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment Strategy 1: Explore the ground Understanding and respecting the culture and how it operates is an important part of building any type of program or doing development work in a rural community. • Rural environments function differently than urban counterparts • Cultural capital, such as local traditions are important • Social capital, or groups and networks of people and how they interact is key Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Resources and Tools Use assessment tools that will help you understand the rural community better, including what needs they have. • NACCHO community needs assessment • Rotary and Community Action partnership Assessment Tools • Community capitals assessment • Local and state development plans
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Strategy 2: Select the right seeds Identifying key people in the community who are respected and can lead others is a key strategy in rural development efforts. • Social capital is often weak and can be difficult to get groups together • Leveraging political capital, or people with influence in the community can get this process started • Can help ensure broader community buy‐in around a central idea or need
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Resources and Tools Use techniques and tools that will help you understand the who the leaders in the community are and how they need to be engaged. • Political capital assessment • World Bank social capital assessment tool • Interviews with local stakeholders
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Strategy 3: Select the best plot and tools Identifying the strongest assets of a rural community (because they have them!) can provide a base on which to build. • Provides a strong foundation for growth • Often results in some “quick wins” to build momentum • Can provide visibility for broader support of community and funders
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Resources and Tools Use techniques and tools that will help you understand what strengths and opportunities the community has to build upon. • Community asset mapping • NACCHO MAPP (Mobilizing Action through Planning and Partnership) • Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Community Asset Mapping Workbook
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Strategy 4: Sew the seeds Look for smaller projects that can be implemented with available resources to build confidence, human and social capital for larger scale projects. • Get rural communities working together or with outside agencies • Success draws support • Can serve as “training” for bigger or broader projects
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Resources and Tools Use techniques and tools that will help communities be successful with existing resources. • Project champions • Sub‐agreement opportunities • Partnership agreements • Committee charters • Coalition building • Project management tools and education
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Strategy 5: Fertilize and grow Successful project development brings more opportunities and visibility to rural communities. • Expand beyond local partnerships and social capital • Builds and strengthens resource networks • Introduces more comprehensive communications and public relations concepts
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Strategies to Navigate the Rural Environment (cont.) Resources and Tools Use techniques and tools that will help communities be more visible (and get comfortable being visible ) and build on successes. • Story telling and human interest stories • Social media, events and campaigns • Interagency progress reports • Government relations
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Stories from the Field
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Social Capital Building Exercise Broad, open networks can be very powerful to individuals as well as communities. Questions to consider about your own social capital? How helpful am I to others? Would any of my acquaintances want to introduce someone to me? (Friedman, 2014)
• • • • •
What does my network look like? What it would need to look like to achieve your goals? Are there any opportunities for me to help others? How can I find out what they need and provide it?. How can I strengthen my affiliations?
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
Questions
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
References
Cromartie, J. & Bucholtz, S. (2008). Defining the "rural" in rural America: the use of different definitions of rural by Federal agencies reflects the multidimensional qualities of rural America. USDA, Economic Research Service. Retrieved from http://ers.usda.gov/amber‐waves/2008‐june/defining‐the‐%E2%80%9Crural%E2%80%9D‐in‐rural‐america.aspx Flora, C. B. & Flora, J. (2013). Rural Communities (4th ed.). Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Friedman, Stew. (2014.) Total Leadership. Harvard Business Review Press. Boston , MA Monk, D. H. (2007). Recruiting and retaining high‐quality teachers in rural areas. The Future of Children, 17(1), 155‐174. Dorfman, Diane. 1998. Mapping Community Assets Workbook. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Rural Education Program. Retrieved July 27, 2016 (http://www.abcdinstitute.org/docs/Diane%20Dorfman‐Mapping‐Community‐Assets‐ WorkBook(1)‐1.pdf) Pender, J. L. (2015). Foundation grants to rural areas from 2005 to 2010: trends and patterns, EIB‐141, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service World Bank. Retrieved July 27, 2016 (http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTSOCIALCAPITAL/Resources/Social‐Capital‐ Assessment‐Tool‐‐SOCAT‐/annex1.pdf)
Planting Seeds: Building Relationships in the Rural Environment
