Rural Development Initiatives, Inc.

As the year draws to a close, we warmly invite you to our Winter Gathering! It will be a time of celebration, community, and reflection on the incredible work we've accomplished together. Event Details: Date: December 4, 2024 Time: 4:00 - 7:00 PM Location: Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill St SE, Salem, OR 97301 During the event, we'll proudly announce the recipients of our Fall Grant Cycle and share the highlights of our annual Impact Report. It’s a chance to celebrate the achievements of our grantees and recognize the community's ongoing support. To add some extra fun to the evening, we'll have exciting raffle prizes (attendance not required to win)! Don’t miss your chance to win and be part of a wonderful celebration. RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gXBcDD_V

The second cohort of Rural Women Leaders gathered in Salem, OR last week to connect with each other, network and learn about how to navigate the Oregon legislative system. Our group had lunch with the Director of Business Oregon, Sophorn Cheang, engaged in an interactive workshop with Teresa Alonso-Leon, and were motivated by the good ideas in the room around what it means to be a women leader in Rural Oregon. When women come together in this capacity, good things happen. RDI and the Center for Women's Leadership are excited to continue building this network across the state and create space for women leaders to be supported in the community work they are spearheading. Thank you to the Center for Women's Leadership for your partnership, and to the Ford Family Foundation for their continuous support of this project. To learn more about our Rural Women Leader's cohort, visit https://lnkd.in/guxVN3Ps.

Register today for the Inaugural Health on the Plains Convening! Join us for a virtual event focused on rural health in Kansas. Hear from experts in public health, rural health policy and community development as they discuss challenges and strategies for supporting rural communities. ??? When: Friday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. ?? Where: Virtual (Zoom link provided upon registration) ?? Register: https://lnkd.in/gVtcCQqD #HealthOnThePlains #RuralHealth #KsHealth #KsLeg Kansas Department of Health and Environment | University of Kansas Medical Center | Kansas Health Foundation | Sunflower Foundation | Kansas Leadership Center | Kansas Association of Counties | National Rural Health Association | Kansas Public Health Association | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas | Kansas Hospital Association

RDI supported the community of Milton-Freewater by hosting a Ripple Effect Mapping event last week. One highlight of this event was our caterers, Memos Tacos! We couldn't recommend them more: the food was delicious and everyone was really happy with their service. Memos Tacos is a great resource for any of your catering needs in and around Walla Walla, WA. Look them up on Facebook to learn more.

Sustainable Northwest and Energy Trust of Oregon are hosting the 3rd Annual Energy Resilience Planning for Local Governments Workshop. This workshop will connect city and county staff with funding, resources, and organizations to help with the planning and implementation necessary to make their community more energy-resilient and prepared for future disasters. Date: Friday, December 6th, 2024 Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm (Virtual on Zoom) Who should attend? Oregon city, county, and/or special district staff as well as community-based organizations that support emergency management, economic development, planning, hazard mitigation planning, sustainability, or energy conservation are encouraged to attend. What will be covered? This workshop will share information about funding for energy resilience planning and project development, connect attendees to technical assistance providers, and identify next steps to integrate resilience planning into existing planning processes, particularly for capacity and resource-strapped communities. Full agenda will be available shortly. Register today > https://zurl.co/CD9x Energy Trust of Oregon League Of Oregon Cities Association of Oregon Counties Oregon Economic Development Districts

Please join us for an important virtual conversation, “Demystifying the Process: Navigating the Oregon Legislator and OLIS (Oregon Legislature Information System.)” On Tuesday, November 19th at 12pm PST. This webinar is for anyone in Oregon who wants to learn how to engage with state lawmakers and participate in the legislative process. It is important for us to remain engaged, hold our elected officials accountable and use our voice year-round to effectively advocate for ourselves, our communities and our future. We will cover a lot of ground and discuss: - the legislative process and how bills become laws, - the key roles within the legislature, - how to meaningfully connect with your lawmakers, and - how to provide public testimony and track bills during session. Please use the link below to register to for this important event and learn more about becoming an engaged and effective advocate in Oregon. We encourage you to share with your networks. We look forward to seeing you there! https://lnkd.in/g6YMhCmw #Oregon #GenderJustice #Portland #WomensFoundationofOregon

Will your organization receive – or plan to apply for – federal grant dollars in the coming year? Brush up on the basics of federal grants management with our four-part series kicking off January 9th! The free training is hosted by Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network and The Watershed Research and Training Center and is made possible thanks to the support of the USDA Forest Service Community Navigators initiative. Our presenters from Kelley Nonprofit Consulting will dive into topics like procurement, financial planning for federal awards, preparing for audits and more.? Register here: https://bit.ly/3WtQxo0

A love of service has led to one man cleaning up public outdoor spaces for his community. Read more here about how Chuck Seeyle discovered the need to clean up metal out of playgrounds to make them safer for those who use them. https://lnkd.in/ggt6dyPM

A Rural Services team has been formed under the Idaho Department of Commerce to strengthen and increase support for rural communities and 180,000 small businesses. Support will come from multiple initiatives including the Idaho Green Grant, Idaho Mainstreet Program, the Rural Impact Strategy and Idaho Rural Partnership. The Rural Services Team will be led by RDI's Board Member, Jerry Miller and will strives towards progress and improvement of work opportunities in rural Idaho. Congratulations, Jerry on your leadership role in this new initiative! Learn more about the Idaho Rural Services team at https://bit.ly/3YqrNNi

We had such a great time the last couple of days convening this years rural women leaders cohort in Salem Oregon! This years cohort includes 27 leaders from 16 counties engaged in building capacity, improving infrastructure and creating brighter futures for communities across our region. Thank you Sophorn Cheang, MBA and Teresa Alonso Leon MPA for spending time with our cohort! ?????? #WeAreRural #WomenLeaders #LeadershipDevelopment #TransformationalLeaders