News
Rural groups oppose changes in transit funding
February 2, 2012Members of the National Rural Assembly’s Transportation Policy Group are concerned that proposed changes in the way the nation funds transit programs will hurt rural America.
The House Ways and Means Committee could vote Friday (February 3, 2012) to bar transit programs from receiving 20 percent of the federal motor fuels tax from the Highway Trust Fund. The move would leave transit funding levels in doubt and reverse a system that has been in place since Ronald Reagan was president.
“Rural communities rely on predictable funding levels to plan and deliver transit services,” said Kathleen Moxon, director of Redwood Coast Rural Action and chairperson of the Rural Transportation Policy Group.
“Changing the source of public transportation funding to a new and uncertain revenue stream will subject public transit programs to the vagaries of political whim on an annual basis,” Moxon said.
Read the report from the National Rural Assembly in St. Paul
December 20, 2011Rural America has a role to play as the nation addresses challenges around how we sustainably feed, fuel, and connect with one another. This year's gathering of the National Rural Assembly in St. Paul focused on building a more inclusive nation where all the people and all the places can make a difference.
We think you will find the report from the gathering useful and inspiring as you continue to work on behalf of rural communities through your organizations, networks, and through the National Rural Assembly. Click here to read the report.
Webinar: Online Fundraising for Networks
December 16, 2011Online fundraising has seen real growth in the last few years not only with PayPal and NetworkforGood, but also through Facebook and Twitter campaigns.
Webinar: Resourcing Your Network
November 21, 2011No matter where you are in your planning for network sustainability, it helps to have a solid checklist of items to consider as you prepare.
Learning to Tell Stories with PlaceStories
November 2, 2011Representatives of rural policy networks from across the country met in Washington, DC, in mid-September to learn how to create multimedia stories about their work. The participants practiced their story-telling and multimedia skills by sequencing and then narrating digital photographs. To make the pieces, the participants used thePlaceStories software, a digital story production tool that places the finished stories on an interactive map. The software’s mapping feature allows users to learn from others in their own community, or to search globally for stories related to their interests.
Groups support continuation of stewardship contracting
October 18, 2011Residents of rural America want to do our best to be good stewards of the private and public lands that have been entrusted to us.
Elouise Cobell: “We will never give up”
October 17, 2011Elouise Cobell, a tireless advocate for the Blackfeet Nation and for tribal and rural communities across the country, passed away October 16, 2011, in Great Falls, Montana.
Rural Broadband Summit & Hearing in Kentucky featuring USDA's Jonathan Adelstein
September 30, 2011We've reached a critical juncture in the debate over the future of wireless Internet in America. Improving connections for rural communities has become a central point of debate over AT&T's proposed take over of T-Mobile. The Justice Department has sued to stop the deal, in part because of concerns about service to rural. Now is the perfect time to discuss whatwill work to connect millions of underserved Americans to high-speed Internet.
Here are the details:
What: Rural Broadband Summit & Hearing, Oct. 11–12
Summit Info: Oct. 11, 1–7 p.m., Letcher County Cooperative Extension Service, 478 Extension Drive, Whitesburg, Ky.
Hearing Info: Oct. 12, 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Appalshop Auditorium, 91 Madison Ave., Whitesburg, Ky.
Rural Environmental Justic Policy Paper
September 28, 2011At the 2009 National Rural Assembly, environmental justice (EJ) was raised as a critical issue for rural America.
Webinar: Creating Intentional Social Media
September 21, 2011How much do you know about social media? Does your organization use Facebook, Twitter, or other social media platforms to generate buzz, connect with target audiences, or raise money? With so many choices at your fingertips it can be overwhelming to decide how to use these tools in a strategic and efficient way. The National Rural Assembly produced this webinar to help you take those first steps towards articulating social media goals for your organization.
