Rural Partners 2010 Work Plan

Introduction
Rural Partners, the nationally recognized State Rural Development Council for Illinois, is a statewide, comprehensive, inclusive membership organization that focuses on improving the leadership capacity, economic vitality, and quality of life in rural Illinois through the formation of collaborative partnerships to enhance resources available to the rural areas of the state. Rural Partners membership is drawn from across the diverse population of Illinois and includes but is not limited to local, state, and federal governments, and private for-profit and non-profit organizations. Due to its representative membership and non-partisan status, Rural Partners is viewed as a significant voice for rural residents of Illinois. A networking and collaborative organization, Rural Partners provides a neutral forum within which rural initiatives can be successful and regulatory and policy inequities can be addressed.

Rural Partners Mission

Rural Partners is a member driven forum that links individuals, businesses, organizations and communities with public and private resources to maximize the potential of rural Illinois.

Rural Partners Goals

• To facilitate cooperation.
• To promote collaboration.
• To eliminate regulatory impediments.
• To promote programmatic improvements.
• To encourage local and regional solutions through strategic planning, community assessments and surveys and leadership development.
• To influence good policy development.
• To advocate for rural needs and help the “rural voice” be heard.
   

Work Plan

The Rural Partners Work Plan is a plan of action for both the leadership and membership of the organization. The plan is meant to be a dynamic, fluid document able to respond to the challenges and opportunities presented to rural Illinois and the partnership during the year.

Each year our membership and our board of directors complete a Work Plan. This plan addresses activities that will take place during the year.

This Work Plan includes eight goals to be addressed throughout the year. The following describes each goal, along with the persons responsible, activities, and desired outcomes.

Rural Partners Goals for 2010

1. Produce a minimum of four newsletters per year.
2. Homeownership Forums will be held in counties to solicit collaboration between all communities within the county and identify lead participants.
3. Keep our membership informed of changes as they occur in local, state or federal government.
4. Keep our members informed about training and funding opportunities as soon as the information is received by Rural Partners.
5. Do cursory searches for funding potential and technical assistance resources for member initiatives. This is a service for members that is provided upon request.
6. Update and expand Rural Partners’ website and investigate opportunities with social networking, blogs, Twitter, etc. to enhance communication and assistance.
   

DESIRED OUTCOMES:
Educated and informed individuals are more effective in their capacity as leaders. Expanding and expediting access to information, whether it is training programs or funding opportunities, will increase the chances for success of their initiatives.



2.  Statewide Economic and Community Development Conference
Responsible Persons:  Rural Partners Board, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, and the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council.

ACTIVITIES:

1. Rural Partners and its collaborative partners - the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs and the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council - will convene a two-day conference in March to bring together community leaders to gain knowledge on rural trends, data, education, information and practical examples of successful endeavors in economic and community development.
2. Convene the annual meeting for Rural Partners with the election of officers.
3. Actively seek additional exhibitors to increase educational opportunities for attendees.  Provide a certificate or other recognition to exhibitors to thank them for supporting the conference and Rural Partners.
4. Conduct two workshop sessions to get grass roots input on the subjects of business development, energy, broadband, local foods and tourism to have information to contribute to the twelve state regional conferences to build partnerships and regional collaboration.
   

1. Identify potential revenue sources through committee research and member input.
2. Identify new initiatives that can generate membership fees including corporate memberships.
3. Continue an annual membership drive.
4. Continue efforts to restore federal funding authorized by the Farm Bill.
5. Explore state funding opportunities

1. During the 1st quarter of 2010, the conference planning committee will plan the conference program; during the 2nd quarter, speakers will be finalized; and the program will take place in June, 2010.
2. Convene conference/workshop as an opportunity to bring rural leaders together with the highest quality experts on leadership into a hands-on capacity-building format.  The training is designed for active participation by attendees.

DESIRED OUTCOMES:
This program has two purposes: 1) to give rural leaders an increased capacity for leadership and the tools for building local leadership; and 2) stimulate the development of local leadership development organizations and leadership training in rural Illinois.

5. Serving as the "Voice of Rural Illinois"
Responsible Persons:  Rural Partners Board, Board Committees and rural stakeholders from across the state.

ACTIVITIES:

1. Organizations with statewide policies often seek a rural voice that can guide them as they develop training, design policy and programs, and implement grants. Rural Partners strives to participate in as many venues as possible to provide a rural perspective shared as early in the process as possible. Nationally, Rural Partners participates on the board of Partners for Rural America. In Illinois, we are represented on the boards of the Peace Corps Fellows Program at WIU, the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council and Extension Partners. Illinois Rural Partners is represented on the Child Care Task Force, Rural and Small Cities Housing Task Force, Illinois TIF Association, IL Telecommunications Association, Illinois rural health associations, Illinois Association of Regional Councils and many others. Our board members and our general membership represent rural interests across the state.
2. Develop and implement open forums to gather input on rural needs to inform policy development.  Information obtained will be used to direct the rural goals and initiatives for the state.

DESIRED OUTCOMES:
Information received from these venues allows Rural Partners to help guide policy and ensure that rural Illinois issues are clearly defined and speak with one voice.



6. Grant Station - a Federal,  State, and Private Grant Notice Publication for Rural Communities.
Responsible Persons: Grant Station and Rural Partner

ACTIVITIES:

1. Distribute the electronic grant newsletter provided to members of Rural Partners as a membership benefit. Those members without e-mail will receive the information by fax.  We also provide Grant Station to members of the Illinois Rural Health Association and the Township Officials of Illinois. We are increasing the availability of contacts to each organization member.

DESIRED OUTCOMES:
Access to grant information, not otherwise readily accessible to rural residents, will result in the funding of additional economic and community development initiatives in rural Illinois.



7.  USDA/Partners for Rural America/Rural Partners Cooperative Agreement – Collaboration and Partnership Building
Responsible Persons: Rural Partners Board. USDA Rural Development, Partners for Rural America and Others 

ACTIVITIES:

1. Work with USDA Rural Development and others to establish stronger partnerships with key institutions at the multi-state, state and regional level.
2. Gather grass roots input at the Rural Community and Economic Development Conference on business development, energy, broadband, tourism and local foods.
3. Encourage communities to work together on regional initiatives.
4. Develop regional consultation plans, facilitate and encourage attendance at regional summits and develop strategic implementation plans.
5. Implement the plan in Illinois. 
   

DESIRED OUTCOMES: 

1. Strengthen regional partnership building.
2. Improve regional collaboration.
3. Implement actions and key tasks from the regional plans.
4. Enhance USDA agencies’, Rural Partners’ and other organizations’ rural policy program delivery, implementation of regional strategies, partnership building and strategic planning.
5. Publicize successful initiatives discussed at the four regional conferences.

8. Investigate Commitment of Rural Partners Funding for Projects and Initiativeson 
Responsible Persons:  Rural Partners Programs and Services Committee and Rural Partners Board

ACTIVITIES:

1. Investigate how Rural Partners could contribute financially to innovative projects, initiatives and technical assistance needs.
2. Determine if Rural Partners has adequate resources to undertake this action, and if so, determine the amount of funding to be made available, size of awards, criteria for awards, etc.
3. Track community successes and provide follow up information and service.