RURAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES INC
91017 SOUTH WILLAMETTE STREET, COBURG, OR 97408 www.rdiinc.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: RDI STRENGTHENS RURAL PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ECONOMIES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

RDI DEVELOPS NETWORKS OF RURAL LEADERS, REVITALIZES RURAL ECONOMIES, AND ELEVATES RURAL PRIORITIES.

REVITALIZE RURAL ECONOMIES - MODELED AFTER SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS IN THE EASTERN U.S., RDI'S WEALTHWORKS NORTHWEST PROGRAM PROVIDES COACHING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO RURAL REGIONS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TO HELP STRENGTHEN RURAL ECONOMIES. IN 2020, RDI CONTINUED TO SUPPORT VALUE CHAIN INITIATIVES IN EXISTING REGIONS INCLUDING OREGON'S NORTH COAST, AND CONTINUED CAPACITY-BUILDING EFFORTS IN THE JOHN DAY RIVER TERRITORY, COTTAGE GROVE, AND HARNEY COUNTY. RDI PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING THROUGH RURAL DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION CENTER'S RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION (REDI) INITIATIVE. THE INITIATIVE IS LED BY RURAL COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PARTNERSHIP (RCAP) UNDER A USDA COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT, AND RDI SUPPORTED TEAMS IN REGIONAL PLANNING IN WESTERN IDAHO, LED BY WESTERN ALLIANCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; A TEAM FOCUSED ON THE FOOD SECTOR IN COTTAGE GROVE, OREGON, LED BY THE BOHEMIA FOOD HUB; A TEAM FOCUSED ON BIOMASS IN HARNEY COUNTY, OREGON, LED BY THE HIGH DESERT BIOMASS COOPERATIVE; AND A REGIONAL PLANNING TEAM IN THE NORTH OLYMPIC PENINSULA OF WASHINGTON, LED BY THE NORTH OLYMPIC PENINSULA RESOURCE CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.RDI'S PASOS AL XITO (STEPS TO SUCCESS) TRAININGS TEACH FINANCIAL LITERACY AND SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TO RURAL LATINOS. IN 2020, LATINO COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM THE PRINEVILLE, COTTAGE GROVE, AND MILTON-FREEWATER, OREGON, AREAS ATTENDED VIRTUAL PASOS AL XITO TRAININGS. PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED FACILITATED CURRICULUM AS WELL AS ACCESS TO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FOLLOW-UP COACHING, ALONG WITH FOLLOW-UP WORKSHOPS FEATURING LOCAL EXPERTS AND RESOURCES AND A DEEPER DIVE INTO BUSINESS TOPICS. THE PROGRAM INCREASES KNOWLEDGE, CONFIDENCE, AND SKILLS IN THE FINANCIAL ARENA AND IN STARTING AND MANAGING SMALL BUSINESSES. RDI ORGANIZED RURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH BUSINESS OREGON'S RURAL OPPORTUNITY INITIATIVE, A STRATEGY TO UNIFY AND STRENGTHEN EXISTING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES TO BUILD RURAL PROSPERITY THROUGH CAPACITY-BUILDING GRANTS. RURAL OPPORTUNITY INITIATIVE IS FUNDED IN THE STATE BUDGET AND ADDITIONAL FUNDS WERE LEVERAGED FOR SIX COMMUNITIES, WARM SPRINGS, BURNS, ONTARIO, LA GRANDE, VENETA, AND BAKER CITY, THROUGH THE KAUFFMAN INCLUSION OPEN AND THE RESER FAMILY FOUNDATION. THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE INITIATIVE IS TO POSITION RURAL COMMUNITIES FOR SUCCESS AS THEY STRENGTHEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. IN 2020, THESE EFFORTS ENGAGED 730 RURAL BUSINESSES, AND MANY OF THESE SMALL BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURS RECEIVED ESSENTIAL PANDEMIC AND RECOVERY SUPPORT.RDI'S ECONOMIC VITALITY ROADMAPS PROGRAM WORKS WITH A LOCAL STEERING TEAM TO BUILD CAPACITY FROM WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. IT INVOLVES A THREE-PART PROCESS THAT INCLUDES A FACT-BASED ASSESSMENT, PRIORITY-SETTING WORKSHOP, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FOCUSED ACTION PLAN TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF ECONOMIC VITALITY IN A COMMUNITY. IN 2020, RDI PROVIDED ACTION-ORIENTED RESPONSIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND GENERAL PROJECT CAPACITY-BUILDING SERVICES TO SIX EXISTING ROADMAP COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING FALLS CITY, WARRENTON, MYRTLE CREEK, APPLEGATE, YAMHILL, AND DALLAS. A COMMITTEE THAT FORMED DURING THE ROADMAP PROCESS IN MYRTLE CREEK BEGAN TRANSITIONING TO A FORMAL 501C3 CALLED THE MYRTLE CREEK VISITOR ASSOCIATION (MCVA). IN 2020, RDI VIRTUALLY FACILITATED A STRATEGIC ACTION PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE MCVA WHICH RESULTED IN A STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN TO GUIDE THE NONPROFIT OVER A THREE-YEAR TIMEFRAME. RDI'S BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION PROGRAM HELPS EXISTING, LOCAL BUSINESSES SUCCEED. RDI'S CERTIFIED AND TRAINED PROFESSIONALS WORK HAND-IN-HAND WITH LOCAL LEADERS TO HELP EXISTING BUSINESSES GROW AND CREATE NEW JOBS. IN 2020, RDI LAUNCHED BR&E EFFORTS IN FLORENCE, OREGON. COVID-19 SHIFTED THE FOCUS AND PROCESS, AND 36 IN-DEPTH BUSINESS INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH QUESTIONS REGARDING RESILIENCE DURING THE PANDEMIC. A STRONG LOCAL TASK FORCE MEETS WEEKLY, WHICH HAS ALLOWED FOR FLORENCE-AREA BUSINESS SERVICE PROVIDERS TO MORE EFFICIENTLY EXCHANGE INFORMATION WITH EACH OTHER TO BETTER SERVE THE FLORENCE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THIS WORK HAS ALSO RESULTED IN AN ACTION PLAN BEING DEVELOPED AND IS CURRENTLY BEING IMPLEMENTED. BASED ON INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED IN 2019 WITH 50 BUSINESS OWNERS, RDI DEVELOPED AN ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM MAP FOR ONTARIO TO INFORM RDI'S LATINX ECOSYSTEM BUILDING WORK IN EASTERN OREGON. RDI CONTINUED BR&E WORK WITH WARM SPRINGS COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM WITH A FOCUS ON BUILDING NEW PARTNERSHIPS WHICH RESULTED IN A LEARNING COHORT AND MENTORING PROGRAMS.

DEVELOP NETWORKS OF RURAL LEADERS - RDI CONTINUED TO DELIVER OUR RURAL COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES A DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION LENS, SERVING FOUR RURAL REGIONS OF WASHINGTON STATE. 142 INDIVIDUALS FROM MASON COUNTY, GREATER PALOUSE, PIERCE COUNTY/WHITE RIVER PLATEAU, AND WALLA WALLA COUNTY PARTICIPATED IN 2020. RDI BEGAN PLANNING AND RECRUITMENT FOR A 2021 RURAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM COHORT IN OREGON'S SWEET HOME REGION.AS PART OF THE LATINX ENGAGEMENT PROJECT, RDI CONDUCTED DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH ABOUT THE LATINX POPULATIONS IN OREGON'S LINN AND BENTON COUNTIES, HELD INTERVIEWS WITH STAKEHOLDERS OF THE LATINX POPULATIONS IN THOSE COUNTIES TO EVALUATE THE EXTENT OF LATINX ENGAGEMENT, AND CREATED A REPORT RELATED TO LATINX OPPORTUNITIES AND ENGAGEMENT. THE FINDINGS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO LOCAL LEADERS IN THOSE COUNTIES, AND RDI IS WORKING TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE SMALL BUT GROWING LATINX POPULATIONS IN LINN COUNTY TO PROMOTE INCLUSION AND CONSIDERATION IN COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION EFFORTS THAT MOVE FORWARD IN 2021.RURALEAD, A YEARLONG RURAL LEADERSHIP LEARNING INITIATIVE FUNDED BY THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION, LAUNCHED WITH A NATIONWIDE INVENTORY TO COLLECT DIVERSE AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO RURAL AND TRIBAL LEADERSHIP. A NATIONAL EFFORT IN CONCERT WITH PARTNERS FROM THROUGHOUT THE U.S., RURALEAD SEEKS TO ADVANCE RURAL LEADERSHIP AS A PATHWAY TO IMPROVING THE HEALTH, EQUITY, AND WELL-BEING OF RURAL COMMUNITIES. AS PART OF A LISTENING TOUR THROUGH RURAL AMERICA TO HONOR THE WORK OF RURAL LEADERS, RDI HOSTED THE NORTHWEST LEARNING JOURNEY-A SERIES OF VIDEOCONFERENCES THAT CONNECTED LEADERS, IDEAS, AND FUNDERS, AND UPLIFTED FIRST-PERSON STORIES OF RURAL AND TRIBAL LEADERS. ADDITIONAL LEARNING WAS CAPTURED THROUGH DOZENS OF ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS WITH RURAL AND TRIBAL LEADERSHIP PRACTITIONERS AND FUNDERS; THEMES FROM THESE INTERVIEWS ARE SHAPING PLANNING OF THE 2021 RURALEAD IDEAS SUMMIT. THE SUMMIT AND ENSUING REPORT WILL EXPLORE HOW RURAL AND RURAL TRIBAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CAN EVOLVE, AND HOW DIFFERENT SECTORS CAN WORK TOGETHER TO ADVANCE RURAL EQUITY, DEVELOPMENT, OPPORTUNITY, AND PROSPERITY.

NETWORKING AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT - IN 2020, RDI HELD OUR 11TH REGARDS TO RURAL CONFERENCE, AND OUR FIRST EVER VIRTUAL ONE. THE ONLINE CONVENING DREW MORE THAN 400 ATTENDEES FROM 15 STATES FOR TWO DAYS OF SESSIONS. A GOAL OF THE CONFERENCE IS TO STRENGTHEN AND CELEBRATE RURAL PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ECONOMIES, AND PARTICIPANTS CONNECTED WITH ONE ANOTHER, LEARNED FROM LEADERS IN THE FIELDS OF LEADERSHIP, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND PUBLIC POLICY, AND WERE INSPIRED TO TAKE ACTION IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.RDI CONTINUES TO ADAPT PROGRAMS TO BE RESPONSIVE, AND IN 2020, WE GAINED CLARITY INTO OUR ROLE AS FACILITATORS OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) CONVERSATIONS IN OUR INTERACTIONS WITH RURAL PEOPLE. THIS INCLUDED BRINGING IN SPEAKERS AS PART OF THE REGARDS TO RURAL CONFERENCE, REFINING DEI MODULES FOR THE READY, SET, GRANT PROGRAM, AND INCORPORATING VALUES-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND DEI MORE SOLIDLY INTO RDI'S LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING. PARTICIPANT STIPENDS WERE OFFERED TO COVER CHILDCARE EXPENSES, AND AS RDI MOVED TO VIRTUAL DELIVERY IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC, PROGRAM STAFF WORKED TO MEET THE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS OF PARTICIPANTS AND DISCOVER NEW RECRUITING METHODS TO ESTABLISH TRUST WITH THE LATINX COMMUNITY. EVALUATION PLANS FOR ALL RDI PROGRAMS AND SERVICES INCLUDE CUSTOMIZED QUESTIONS RELATED TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION THAT IS USED TO IMPROVE SERVICES AND PROGRAM DELIVERY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF DIVERSE RURAL PARTICIPANTS.

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