What We Do
Rural Development Initiatives is a catalyst for rural community vitality. We work with rural leaders and volunteers to expand their knowledge, skills and networks. Our aim is to help build communities that foster opportunity, thrive and endure even in the toughest times.
Rural Development Initiatives was formed in 1991 to respond to crisis in the Pacific Northwest as small communities faced waves of economic change that challenged their courage, livelihoods, and way of life. Since then, we’ve worked with nearly 300 rural communities to foster economic development, plan and implement community improvement projects, address growth-related challenges, and build strong leaders and organizations.
We accomplish this by helping communities identify their strengths and aspirations. We offer our expertise and perspective to help them pursue and create opportunities and to build their skills. RDI does this with the intention to ensure that as our service in a community ends, the people in the community are left with the skills and knowledge needed to sustain and replicate those efforts for themselves. We do this in a way that guides and teaches community members so that they can use these new skills to address new challenges.
Rural communities are facing many challenges, and have many opportunities in front of them. RDI is here to help bring new skills, knowledge, connections and resources to shape a better future for your community. With our help, you become part of a network of thousands who are actively committed to strong rural communities.
RDI has successfully helped more than 300 communities. Here are some of the services we offer communities across the Pacific Northwest:
Leadership Development: We train community leaders and residents to help them gain new skills and build relationships that lead to vibrant communities. We bring the training to your communities, ensuring higher participation and greater relevance. Our flagship program is the Ford Institute Leadership Program, which is delivered throughout Oregon, Eastern Washington, Idaho and Northern California. Through the Community Ambassador Program we train and support volunteer community members to promote, coordinate and deliver trainings to further develop leadership skills in their own community.
Programs and services include: The Ford Institute Leadership Program (FILP) including a Community Trainer and Ambassador Program, Leadership in Action (LiA), Latino Leadership Programs (bi-lingual), Tribal Leadership Programs, and Youth Leadership.
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Community Collaboration
Desarrollo de Liderazgo (Latino Leadership Development), Spanish Version, English Version
Effective Organizations
The Ford Community Ambassador Program
Leadership in Action
Native American Tribal Services
RDI Leadership Development
Youth Leadership Programs
Economic Development: Through the Connecting Oregon for Rural Entrepreneurship project, we link rural entrepreneurs to local and statewide organizations that can help them succeed. With our Made at the Kitchen Table program we teach entrepreneurs in English and Spanish how to turn their hobbies into businesses. We also facilitate tourism-based development, including community outreach for the National Geographic Central Cascades Geo-Tourism Map Guide project in Washington and Oregon. We have several assessment tools to assess your readiness and capacity for economic development and facilitate economic development strategic plans.
Programs and services include: Connecting Oregon for Rural Entrepreneurship (CORE), Made at the Kitchen Table (MKT), Sustainable and Geo-tourism, Rural Tourism Studios, Economic Development Readiness Assessments, Economic Development Planning, and Economic Development Project Technical Assistance.
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Connecting Oregon for Rural Entrepreneurship (CORE)
Desarrollo Economico (Latino Economic Development), Spanish Version, English Version
Geotourism
Rural Tourism
Community Development: We facilitate community visioning, community strategic planning and project action planning. We have facilitated nearly 100 strategic plans and visions for rural communities and regions and have helped more than 200 groups. We facilitate large and small community-based meetings to generate energy and concrete action for a better future and help communities find common ground, moving away from conflict and towards consensus. RDI uses practical assessment and project development tools to assist community groups to define and implement community development projects.
Programs and services include: Community Development Assessments, Community-wide Visioning, Community-wide Strategic Planning and Action Planning, Conflict Transformation, FILP Community Collaborations, Tribal Community Development, and Facilitation of Community Wide Meetings and Processes.
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Community Assessment Description
Desarrollo Comunitario (Latino Community Development), Spanish Version, English Version
Visioning_Description
Organizational Development: Through training and coaching, Rural Development Initiatives helps your community’s non-profits and small groups become more effective. We use organizational self-assessments to help you determine where your organization is currently at and then develop custom trainings and processes geared specifically towards meeting your group’s objectives. We provide training and technical assistance for boards of directors and organizations. Program, planning and project training is offered in both English and Spanish.
Programs and services include: FILP Effective Organizations, Board Assessments, Board Training and Retreats, Latino Organizational Development, Organizational Strategic Planning, Organizational Leadership and Specialized Technical Assistance to Organizations.
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Effective Organizations
Desarrollo de Organizaciones (Latino Organizational Development), Spanish Version, English Version
Networking: There is strength in numbers and connections. RDI convenes leaders and community members online through our RIPPLE (Rural Information, Practice and Peer Learning Exchange) website, and in person during various regional conferences and summits including Regards to Rural, a semi-annual gathering to inform, inspire and celebrate all that is rural. We also help bring the voice of rural Oregonians to the steps of the Capital at Rural Oregon Day and we celebrate the important work community members do at the Community Ambassador Summit and through the Rural Awards of Excellence. In celebration of Oregon’s 150th birthday, we led rural outreach efforts for Take Care of Oregon Day, as part of the Oregon 150 effort.
Programs and services include: RIPPLE, Regards to Rural, Regional Conferences, Community Ambassador Training and Summit, Rural Oregon Day, Take Care of Oregon Day and Rural Awards of Excellence.
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Community Ambassador Summit
Regards to Rural
Regional & Sub-Regional Leadership Conferences
Rural Awards of Excellence
Rural Oregon Day
Take Care of Oregon Days
E-mail or call us to discuss how we can help you:
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541-684-9077