Where
This event is online via Zoom. Calendar invites with individual links will be sent out prior to the event to those who have registered. Keep an eye out for emails and make sure rdi@rdiinc.org is a safe email.Rural Forward: Exploring Fresh Perspectives
Registration is Now Closed -
Thank you for your interest.
Hosted by Rural Development Initiatives, this one-day rural-focused convening will be held Thursday, June 3, and spotlights public policy, leadership development, and entrepreneurship.
Click here for more details about the convening.
Registration is offered at no cost to participants with a suggested donation of $25. Donation is tax deductible and will be recognized as such.
Engage in interactive sessions including:
9:00 am–10:30 am
Seeking Common Ground: Looking Past the Rural-Urban Divide
National political discourse has amplified a conflict between rural and urban interests, culture, and values that has resulted in a bifurcated reality: two “bubbles” of experience whose paths do not often cross in the media nor in our daily lives. This session will shed light on the potential common interests in these disparate experiences, toward consensus about what the future could be.
10:45 am–12:45 pm
RuraLead NW Summit: Advancing Community Leadership
RuraLead is a year-long learning initiative aimed at understanding the state of rural leadership development around the nation and charting a path forward. During this session, we’ll share learnings from the initiative and discuss how we can take collective action toward stronger, more equitable rural communities in the Northwest.
1:30 pm–3:30 pm
Rural Entrepreneurship: Building on Lessons Learned
RDI will host this interactive session to share and talk about lessons learned from the Rural Opportunity Initiative (ROI) program funded by Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. This program funded entrepreneurial ecosystem building in six Oregon communities. The session will facilitate a conversation of entrepreneur support partners at all levels (local, regional, and state) to discuss emerging issues in greater detail in order to chart a path for building stronger rural entrepreneurial ecosystems throughout the Pacific Northwest.