Chuck Schroeder, Executive Director April 16, 2015 Leadership Summit, Nebr. Bankers Assoc. The Rural Futures Institute at NU: Impacting Hope

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu The Vision… The RFI will be an internationally recognized leader for increasing community capacity as well as the confidence of rural people to address their challenges and opportunities, resulting in resilient and sustainable rural futures.

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu UNL UNO, UNMC NCTA UNK  Bold  Innovative  Collaborative  Transdisciplinary  Agile  Reflective A University-wide Institute…

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu The Objective…  Build local leaders who envision communities that are vibrant economically, socially, culturally, and  Provide a legitimate choice for young adults seeking the BEST place to launch careers, build families, and be active citizens in an environment where they can make a difference.

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu Rural Community Issues…  Job Creation (entrepreneurship, small business development)  Leadership  Youth Engagement  Education  Healthcare  Natural Resource Conservation/Sustainability  Workforce Availability

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu Rural Community Issues…  Transportation  Telecommunication  Immigration  Housing  Community Infrastructure  Law Enforcement  Quality of Life

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu Research and Engagement ($100,000)  Address critical challenges and opportunities  “Seed grants”  Support transdisciplinary work Teaching and Engagement ($25,000)  Foster civic engagement in both students and community partners  Involves students working with communities The RFI Grant Programs… > Beginning Year 3

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu  24 transdisciplinary, community-focused projects under way with RFI Grant Support  $1.4M invested  Collaboration with: 14 Universities and State Colleges (Community Colleges soon to be added) 13 Nonprofit organizations 9 local, state and federal agencies  Involving people in more than 100 communities Early Impacts…

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu Projects focused on… Economic Development Healthcare Community Planning and Marketing Leadership and Civic Engagement Justice System

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu A collaboration with the Heartland Center for Leadership Development, UNL Extension, community leaders and RFI The Pilger Project

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu  Regional Rural Forums – Nebraska City Broken Bow Scottsbluff 2014 REGIONAL FORUMS

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu  Network of nearly 400 young professionals (ages 21-40) outside Lincoln and Omaha - No officers, no dues – all about connecting, thinking and working together  Theme: you.me.NE. “ Encourages self-reflection and realizing what it takes to dig deep and find the true meaning of existence. Then thinking about our neighbors and their needs, and finally, thinking about the collective whole, Nebraska, and those who call it home.”  CYN Summit – 2014 edition held in Kearney, Nov. 7  200+ attendees; 46 communities represented Website: CYN.nebraska.edu Facebook: Twitter:

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu Here’s what we know...  There is a strong cohort of young adults – nationally and internationally – looking to locate in smaller communities “... where they can make a difference.”  It’s about more than a job – it’s about quality of life for a family  We have to market our communities

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu Here’s what we know...  Youth WANT to stay in/return to a small community  2500 Rural Nebraska 7 th to 12 th graders surveyed –  56% want to live in a rural area in the future  71% have never had an adult talk to them about it!  We have to talk to them about opportunities

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu A Couple of Ways the RFI is trying to help...  Neligh project  “This is my Neligh” videos viewed by inquirers in 49 states and over 30 countries!  Marketing Hometown America project – Nebraska Extension led  8 Rural Communities in Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota  An Asset-Based Community Development Approach to Rural New Resident Recruitment  Considering: Nebraska Rural Youth Institute - Collaboration between RFI, NCF, EAEP, NHRI, others

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu National Rural Futures Conference – Oct , 2015

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu An Essential Partnership… ExtensionRFI  UNL/IANR  Nebraska mission  Local community presence  Multi-campus  Multi-sector collaboration  National/global mission  Transdisciplinary grants program CVI Extension, RFI and Community Vitality

RuralFutures.nebraska.edu Hope Inspires Vision… Thanks for your support as we head down this untraveled road!