Center on Rural Innovation

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally reshaped the way we live and work. One of the most significant changes has been the dramatic rise in remote work. In this exclusive article, we explore the implications of this shift, particularly in rural areas and small towns across America. https://lnkd.in/gfXPsWJB

Welcome to the Rural Innovation Network, Newport, Arkansas! Newport has built a strong foundation in tech talent development and is now shifting its focus toward empowering entrepreneurs. ?? Some quick facts?? -Newport is a part of the Rock ’n’ Roll Highway 67, known for its historical significance as a hub for rockabilly music and performances by legendary artists such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. ?? -The Newport Economic Development Commission attributes the city's success to the strong teamwork among all levels of government and the unique collaboration between public and private sector leaders. This spirit of partnership has enabled Newport to implement innovative, award-winning strategies for community and economic development. ?? -Newport is home to Arkansas State University-Newport. ?? -It also holds a unique place in retail history as it is where Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart purchased his first store–the local Ben Franklin variety store. ?? Newport embodies the energy, dedication, and vision needed to successfully build rural tech-based economies, and their participation strengthens our collective efforts.

WorkingNation’s latest coverage of the #DigitalDivide features a familiar face: Director of Broadband Consulting Alex Kelley shares his thoughts on the impact of bridging the digital divide. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gTkNz5f6

Are you interested in growing your skills or pivoting to work in a high growth field? There's still time to complete a Grow with Google certification course! Thanks to a partnership between 20Fathoms and the Center on Rural Innovation, Northern Michigan residents can take advantage of a scholarship opportunity to complete a Grow with Google certification course in: *Cybersecurity *Data Analytics *Digital Marketing & E-commerce *IT support *Project Management *UX Design The courses are self-paced and 100% online and must be completed by June 30. Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q03chxSp0

Indiana, Pennsylvania has joined the Rural Innovation Network!?? The community joins the Network with a strong focus on expanding tech training and entrepreneurship programs, building on its existing women in entrepreneurship initiative. Some quick facts?? -It is our first Network Community in the Keystone State!?? -Our team has been working closely with the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center, to shape their tech ecosystem strategy. The Center is playing a pivotal role in fostering entrepreneurship across Southwest Pennsylvania.?? -It is home to Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the alma mater of YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley. ?? Indiana, Pennsylvania is now part of a dedicated group of rural leaders driving a national movement to reshape their economic future and we can’t wait to see the impact they’ll make in the years to come!

Welcome to the Rural Innovation Network, Seward County, Nebraska!?? In their recent Tech Builders Challenge, our team saw firsthand the next generation of local rural innovators and the thriving ecosystem Seward is fostering to support them. Some quick facts ?? -The county has world-class fiber-to-the-home broadband and is located in Southeast Nebraska.?? -The Seward County Chamber & Development Partnership is driving entrepreneurship and innovation as key pillars of the county’s economic development strategy. ?? -It’s home to Concordia University, Nebraska, where off-the-field, head football coach Pat Deberkow is a tech entrepreneur. Pat founded The Headset App, a solution that replaces costly and hard-to-maintain headset systems relied on by coaches.?? Read more about our team’s time at the Tech Builders Challenge: https://lnkd.in/gVNNFHjG

While broadband expansion is critical, infrastructure alone isn’t enough. Rural communities need leaders who can leverage these investments to drive meaningful economic change. Place-based philanthropy is stepping in to fill this gap. Foundations like The Vermont Community Foundation, Patterson Family Foundation, and TLL Temple Foundation are doing this work: https://lnkd.in/gSwbywRz

There’s exciting news in this month’s newsletter ?? If you’re not on our newsletter list you might’ve missed out. Luckily, it's not too late to get an inside look at everything happening at CORI: https://lnkd.in/gukE4fuv

Local leaders in Ada, Oklahoma are reimagining what’s possible in rural Oklahoma by offering innovation-minded STEM education in the community, and building programs to help encourage tech jobs and new tech startups: https://lnkd.in/gEmpKR3X Grow Ada #Rural #Innovaton #TechEconomies

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) seeks an experienced, mission-driven Director of Development to lead its fundraising efforts. Explore this exciting opportunity and #applytoday: https://lnkd.in/e4sP2J5 The Director of Development will partner with the Founder + Executive Director to increase philanthropic support from $3.8M to over $10M per year from individuals, foundations, and corporations. This position will be based in CORI’s headquarters in the village of Hartland, Vermont, a rural community located between the historic towns of Windsor, Woodstock, and White River Junction, and relocation assistance is available. The Center on Rural Innovation is a nonprofit organization that partners with rural leaders across the country to build tech economies that support scalable entrepreneurship and lead to more tech jobs in rural America. Our mission is to create opportunities that empower rural people to thrive in the tech economy. Established in 2017, CORI is at the heart of a dynamic social enterprise focused on closing the rural economic opportunity gap. The organization partners with a taxable nonprofit, Rural Innovation Strategies, Inc. (RISI), and a seed fund, CORI Innovation Fund (CIF), focused on early-stage technology companies located in rural areas. The overall annual budget for the social enterprise is over $6M. The Director of Development plays a crucial role in growing our organization to bring tech jobs and scalable startups to over 90 regions, representing 20% of the US rural population. This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious and innovative fundraising professional with at least seven years of experience, who is energized by the dynamic structure, fast pace, and entrepreneurial culture of an innovative social enterprise, has a passion for rural places and people, and a belief in the potential of tech-based economic development to transform rural communities. Inquiries and nominations can be directed to Paul Towne, Vice President of Executive Search at COOPER COLEMAN LLC. #ExecutiveSearch #NonprofitJobs #NonprofitLeaders #Fundraising #SocialEnterprise #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #EconomicDevelopment #CooperColeman