Organizations Filed Purposes:
RURAL ACTION'S MISSION IS TO FOSTER SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. WE DO THIS THROUGH EDUCATION, TRAINING, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, AND NETWORKING.
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THIS INTEGRATED APPROACH INCLUDE:SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE: CONTINUED TO OPERATE THE CHESTERHILL PRODUCE AUCTION, WHICH GROSSED $200,001 IN SALES AND HOSTED 125 GROWERS, WHO IN TURN SOLD TO MORE THAN 900 BUSINESSES, RESTAURANTS, SCHOOLS, AND FAMILIES. MAINTAINED FIVE COUNTRY FRESH STOPS TO PROVIDE FRESH PRODUCE TO FIVE COMMUNITIES IN FOOD DESERTS. PRODUCED THE HEALTHY HOME CONSUMER GUIDE-A BASIC GUIDE FOR COOKING, SELECTING, AND STORING LOCAL PRODUCE-AND DISTRIBUTED 300 COPIES THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST OHIO. EXPANDED THE FARM TO SCHOOL PROJECT, PURCHASING HUNDREDS OF FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE TO PROCESS AND DISTRIBUTE TO SIX AREA SCHOOLS.ZERO WASTE: COMPLETED 15 WASTE ASSESSMENTS OF SCHOOLS, BUSINESS, AND ORGANIZATIONS, IN SOME CASES HELPING CLIENTS REDUCE WASTE BY UP TO 50% IN VOLUME. SOME OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS SIGNED A ZERO WASTE PLEDGE TO REDUCE WASTE, INCLUDING OHIOHEALTH O'BLENESS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. CLEANED 13 DUMPSITES IN 2014, REMOVING A TOTAL OF 624 BAGS OF TRASH AND 441 SCRAP TIRES. WORKED WITH FIVE FESTIVALS TO INCREASE RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING AND REACHED ZERO WASTE STATUS (OVER 90% DIVERTED FROM THE LANDFILL) AT THREE EVENTS. INCREASED RECYCLING EFFORTS IN MULTIPLE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS A RESULT OF WASTE ASSESSMENTS.SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY: SECURED FUNDING WITH OUR PARTNER UNITED PLANT SAVERS TO MAP AND MONITOR WILD POPULATIONS OF THREE NATIVE UNDERSTORY PLANTS IN THE WAYNE NATIONAL FOREST. CONVENED THE AMERICAN GINGSENG SUMMIT, WHICH BROUGHT TOGETHER 35 OF THE TOP GINSENG BUSINESS OWNERS AND PROFESSIONALS IN CENTRAL APPALACHIA TO DISCUSS THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES FACING INDUSTRY AND WOODLAND GROWERS TODAY. SINCE 1999, RURAL ACTION HAS DISTRIBUTED 1,465 LBS. OF QUALITY AMERICAN GINSENG SEED THROUGH OUR PLANT STOCK PROJECT.ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: WORKED WITH 135 EDUCATORS AT OUR INAUGURAL INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING CONFERENCE. SPONSORED THREE SUMMER WATERSHED CAMPS FOR STUDENTS IN REGIONAL WATERSHEDS. PARTNERED WITH CAMP OTY'OKWA TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENTAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM CALLED THE HEMLOCK YOUTH ACTION TEAM. THESE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FACILITATED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION LESSONS FOR 5TH AND 6TH GRADE STUDENTS, REACHING AN ADDITIONAL 1,000 STUDENTS. INCREASED THE SCOPE OF OUR CITIZEN SCIENCE INITIATIVE TO ENGAGE STUDENTS AND CITIZENS IN GATHERING DATA THAT DOCUMENTS HOW LOCAL FLORA AND FAUNA RESPOND LOCALLY TO CLIMATE CHANGE. WATERSHED RESTORATION: INCREASED THE SIZE OF OUR OHIO STREAM RESTORE CORPS FROM 16 TO 26 MEMBERS THROUGH A FEDERAL GRANT, PROVIDING 34,070 HOURS OF DIRECT COMMUNITY SERVICE TO THE REGION. ACTIVELY MANAGED AND MONITORED 34 WATERSHED RECLAMATION PROJECTS ACROSS FOUR WATERSHEDS IN SIX COUNTIES. PREVENTED MORE THAN 1,000 TONS OF ACID FROM ENTERING STREAMS RESULTING IN IMPROVED WATER QUALITY IN THESE WATERSHEDS. CONTINUED WORK ON THE CREATION OF A NEW WATERSHED MANAGEMENT MODEL, DESIGNED TO LEAD TO IMPROVED WATER QUALITY IN A LARGER REGION WITHIN THE EASTERN OHIO RIVER WATERSHED.
Executives Listed on Filing
Total Salary includes financial earnings, benefits, and all related organization earnings listed on tax filing
| Name | Title | Hours Per Week | Total Salary |
|---|
| R Michelle Decker | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $69,949 |
| John Kotowski | BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $0 |
| Leslie Dunn | BOARD SECRETARY | 4 | $0 |
| Jane Woodrow | BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $0 |
| Kent Spellman | BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $0 |
| Tom Johnson | BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $0 |
| Sally Linder | BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $0 |
| Susan Loughridge | BOARD TREASURER | 4 | $0 |
| Chad Bortle | BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $0 |
| Amy Grove | BOARD CHAIR | 4 | $0 |
| Gary Goosman | BOARD VICE CHAIR | 4 | $0 |
| Randy Leite | BOARD MEMBER | 3 | $0 |
| Mitchell E Farley | BOARD MEMBER | 3 | $0 |
| Nancy Crist | BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $0 |
Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (
public 990 form dataset) from:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/201522259349300922_public.xml