News & Tools

View the latest updates from the Rural Democracy Initiative, including press mentions, grantee spotlights, news about our programs, and helpful tools.

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Press

Rural Democracy Co-Authors Op-Ed for America’s 250th

A 250th anniversary op-ed shows how rural organizers are reclaiming power and keeping “We the People” alive.

Program

Calling on Philanthropy to Partner with Rural America

At the 2026 GEO Conference, Rural Democracy’s Peter Martin joined a panel on how philanthropy can reclaim and renew democracy.

Grantee Spotlight

Winning Critical Funding for Rural Schools

After federal cuts stalled needed school repairs, rural Michigan organizers built a local strategy that won 20.5M in long-overdue repairs.

Grantee Spotlight

Small Businesses Stand Up for Immigrant Neighbors

In rural North Carolina, more than 250 small businesses are standing with immigrant workers so families feel safer on main street.

Grantee Spotlight

Building Local Power in Arizona and Pennsylvania

Small rural groups in Arizona and Pennsylvania are building power in tough territories and winning protections for their communities.

Grantee Spotlight

Winning Elections in Rural Virginia

Year‑round organizing in rural Virginia helped flip 13 House seats and secure statewide wins rooted in everyday community concerns.

Grantee Spotlight

Cost of Living Conversations Spark Georgia Win

Small, trusted groups in rural Georgia turned cost‑of‑living conversations into new voter engagement and meaningful election wins.

Grantee Spotlight

Elevating Trusted Voices in Rural Communities

Farmers and small business owners share experiences that shape policy debates on pesticides, tariffs, and health care.

Grantee Spotlight

Upholding Democracy and Ballot Access in Maine

Maine organizers defeated a voter‑restriction measure, protecting absentee options that rural, young, and disabled voters rely on.

Announcement

2025 Impact Report

Our 2025 Impact Report shows what can happen when rural communities have the resources and leadership to drive change.

Press

Rural Democacy in The New Yorker

Committed and trained leaders fuel highly effective grassroots efforts

Press

Widespread coverage of Rural Policy Action Report

One hundred eighty radio stations covered the report’s release, focusing on priorities like education and health care.

Press

Building Bridges and Building Power

Inside Philanthropy highlights Rural Democracy’s work.

Press

Changes to rural postal service will delay mail and disenfranchise voters

Rural Democracy provided analysis to media outlets.

Press

Editorial: Congress’ cuts to Medicaid could devastate rural hospital staffing

In the small border city of Nogales, Dr. Ed Paul sees well-trained, hardworking doctors and nurses.

Press

National media coverage for rural health care advocacy

KFF Health News, The Hill, and The New Republic talk with Rural Democracy about a new federal program.

Press

Editorial: “Washington could learn from us”

“We know the value of hard work, investing in locally driven solutions, protecting our collective freedoms, and respecting our connection…

Press

An immigration success story in the heartland

Will Washington stand with our communities? Or will misguided policies get in the way?

Announcement

New rural policy report provides roadmap out of Washington deadlock

Forty groups contributed to the report, which showcases the broad support for the tools and opportunities we need to build…

Grantee Spotlight

Missouri Ballot Victory Proves It Pays to Be Bold

The workers went all in, packaging two ambitious worker priorities into the single ballot initiative.

Announcement

Rural Dashboard Updated with 2024 Results

You can use this tool to answer the tricky question, “how do we define rural?”

Program

Rural organizers champion powerful policy at Summit

“Rural people are leading with creativity, grit, and vision,” said Caitlin Cromwell with Northern Plains Resource Council.

Press

Budget bill will hurt rural America

The bill would make huge cuts to essential programs in exchange for tax breaks benefitting the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.

Press

Inspiring solutions for working families

Rural leaders and advocates gathered in Des Moines to discuss how to meaningfully improve people’s lives.

Press

Summit underscores importance of public investment

Rural advocates nationwide came together to envision a policy future that champions people-powered solutions.

Grantee Spotlight

Seniors Fight for Quality Care

Addition Action and Big Sky 55+ are proving that rural seniors can be champions for democracy.

Grantee Spotlight

Cultural ties vital to Native civic engagement

RDI supports grantees that are taking barriers head on with culturally resonant outreach.

Grantee Spotlight

Shifting Margins to Win Races

Our coalition will need to reproduce the results from these grantees and boost turnout from undercontacted groups.

Grantee Spotlight

Building Local Power First

In its first year, Berrien Forward successfully elected 25 of their 26 endorsed candidates.

Grantee Spotlight

Defeating Voter Suppression

Collective Renaissance’s voter outreach was critical for delivering big wins.

Grantee Spotlight

Election Protection with Rural Drop Boxes

Voters were preparing to cast their ballots, when the county manager decided drop boxes would not be deployed.

Grantee Spotlight

Montana Rural Voters Win 16 Races

Was this the year to break the legislative supermajority, which had wielded power so dangerously?

Announcement

New Report Calls for Grassroots Rural Investment

“Our grantees will be quick to point out that organizing starts with listening,” says Executive Director Sarah Jaynes.

Grantee Spotlight

Building Power by Solving Problems

Down Home North Carolina was in the middle of a massive electoral mobilization. Then Hurricane Helene hit.

Grantee Spotlight

In Nebraska, Paid Sick Leave Benefits 250k Workers

The ballot initiative victory demonstrated the power of building robust coalitions.

Press

Small Businesses Need a Fair Tax System

Small businesses knit together the social and economic fabric of many rural areas.

Press

Podcast: How to Unite across Geography

Jaynes highlighted the practical concerns that dominate voting behavior among these voters.

Program

Record Wisconsin Turnout Foreshadows Rural Electoral Power

The impressive outcome of the 2024 primary in Wisconsin evolved from years of rural organizing across the state.

Press

Rural Poll in the New York Times

Harris cut Trump’s lead to 18 points among rural likely voters by late September.

Announcement

New Rural Poll Results

Our second electoral poll studies attitudes of rural voters towards candidates and policy issues.

Press

The Importance of Young Voters in The Daily Yonder

Youth made up 10 to 15% of all votes cast in swing states during the 2022 midterm elections.

Press

Chronicle of Philanthropy Highlights Funding Collaboratives

Only 7% of philanthropic funding goes to rural places.

Program

Record Turnout Powers Wisconsin Ballot Victory

Wisconsin grantees like the Wisconsin Farmers Union mobilized record voter turnout to stop a dangerous constitutional amendment.

Press

Opinion: We must help communities that have been left behind

Two years after the landmark legislation went into place, the IRA and similar federal funding have produced immense benefits for…

Program

Building Power in a Big Battleground

The powerful moment emerged in 2023 when locals in rural Oxford, North Carolina captured an opportunity.

Press

Blue Tent Praises RDI’s Election Impact

“The Rural Democracy Initiative is an all-important hub of these exciting efforts.”

Press

The Importance of Rural Voters

Sarah Jaynes’s op-ed in Newsweek makes the case for engaging rural voters during this election.

Program

Early Investment Spurs Civic Engagement

We know the importance of staffing up to run outreach efforts well ahead of election day.

Press

Sustainable Coalitions Key to Rural Youth Voter Turnout in Wisconsin

“63% of rural youth are infrequent or uncommitted voters.”

Announcement

Analyzing the Farm Bill

See how the House and Senate proposals meet the priorities of rural communities.

Press

Montana Grantees Tapping into Young Voter Turnout

Montanans aged 18-35 make up more than a quarter of potential voters.

Press

Local Ohio News Highlights Rural Youth Voter Fund

In rural Ohio, the Pike County News Watchman is taking notice of RDI’s efforts around young voter engagement.

Press

RDI Poll Points to Rural Voters’ Role in Pa. Election

Rural voters tend toward economic populism, and they overwhelmingly resist government interference in private decisions like abortion.

Press

Rural Democracy Initiative in The New York Times

Rural voters tend to be “economic populists” who overwhelmingly agree the government shouldn’t call the shots on abortion.

Press

Executive Director Calls for Small Town Investment

We’re actively advocating for deepened philanthropic support for these often-overlooked areas.

Program

Rural Poll Results

The results of a new survey of small-town and rural Americans demonstrate that rural people are economic populists and support…

Press

Building Civic Infrastructure in Rural Places

“When you increase investment is when you’re seeing those kind of unlikely alliances and really positive results,” said Sarah.

Press

Blue Tent Recommends RDI

Blue Tent strongly recommends the Rural Democracy Initiative and believes donors should make it a priority.

Courtroom with text Rural Warrant Clinics

Grantee Spotlight

Improving Rural Courts

Too often, people accused of minor offenses are incarcerated.

Grantee Spotlight

From Organizing to Governing Power

Pennsylvania United has been building progressive organizing infrastructure to create communities that work for everyone.

Grantee Spotlight

Grantee helps media organizations pivot into better local coverage

Pasa la Voz–an independent Spanish-language newspaper serving coastal Georgia and South Carolina–started as a Facebook page in 2018.

Press

The Organizers Forging a Rural Action Plan

Barnraiser covers our Rural Policy Action Report

Press

Leading Philanthropy to Invest in Rural

Rural Democracy Initiative Executive Director Sarah Jaynes spoke with Solutions Insights Lab about our unique approach.

Grantee Spotlight

‘People Power Is how We Win’

Iowa CCI rallies Iowans to protect communities from dangerous pipeline projects.

Grantee Spotlight

Rural Ohio Turns out for Democracy and Reproductive Rights

RDI grantees RuralOrganizing.org, Red Wine and Blue, and Freedom BLOC reached thousands of rural Ohioans in 2023.

Grantee Spotlight

Pro-Democracy Local News

COURIER is building trust in rural communities and changing the landscape of rural media.

Grantee Spotlight

Rural Youth Building Power

In 2020, three friends founded Este Poder, a youth Latine-led organization building power for their rural East Texas communities of color.

Grantee Spotlight

Decade of Organizing Bears Fruit in Minnesota

The progress Minnesotans saw in 2023 resulted from a decade of organizing efforts by ISAIAH and Faith in Minnesota.

Grantee Spotlight

Reining in Unchecked Corporate Greed

Work by Farm Action and Institute for Local Self-Reliance led to major policy wins in 2023.

Program

Winning Jobs, a Narrative that Works

RDI consultant Bobby Clark shares the latest research and message testing on the economy and inflation.

Press

Rural Pa. Mayor Gets Creative to Support Local Grants

Meadville Mayor Jaime Kinder talks with Public News Service about RDI’s work.

Press

Rural Democracy Initiative in The Hill

Sarah Jaynes calls for policies that support the small businesses, farmers, workers, and caregivers.

Press

Rural Democracy Initiative in Cardinal & Pine

The newsroom reports on RDI’s Rural Policy Action Report and interviews RDI-grantee CURE about a major policy victory.

Press

Report Offers Roadmap for Growth in Rural Georgia

RDI’s 2023 Rural Action Policy Report contains input from approximately 50 organizations advocating for improvements in rural communities.

Press

Main Street Alliance discusses Rural Policy Action Report

Leaders who participated in RDI’s Rural Policy Action Report process included Wisconsin organizers with Main Street Alliance.

Press

RDI on NPR

Sarah Jaynes highlights the importance of rural voters to establishing governing majorities.

Press

RDI in Barnraiser

Rural groups are building multi-racial majorities to build power, win elections, and implement local-led solutions.

Program

Building Multi-Racial Power (and Winning!) in Rural Communities

Rural Democracy Initiative hosted a panel at Netroots Nation, the country’s largest conference of progressives.

Program

Grantmaking for Shared Prosperity and Policy Solutions

Highlights from our Summer 2023 grantmaking.

Press

Rural Democracy Initiative in Nonprofit Quarterly

Nonprofit Quarterly recommends supporting RDI.

Press

Roadmap for Rural Renewal in The Daily Yonder

RDI convened more than 50 diverse rural leaders from across the country.

Press

Rural Democracy Initiative Convenes Rural Advocates to Take on Monopoly Power

The 2023 Rural Policy Action Summit helped more than 50 rural organizers come together.

Press

Rural Voices Reflect on Policy Summit

Public News Service covered RDI.

Grantee Spotlight

Youth Organizing in Georgia

In 2022, we supported Collective Renaissance Georgia (CRG) to expand their scope and impact dramatically.

Grantee Spotlight

Policy Victory in Rural Texas Leads to Statewide Shift

Mano Amiga organizes alongside immigrants and low-income residents in the rural I-35 corridor in Guadalupe, Caldwell, Hays, and Comal counties.

Grantee Spotlight

Migrant Workers Helped Flip the State House in Michigan

In 2022 Michigan won sweeping victories at the state and local level.

Program

Celebrating Wisconsin and Democracy

“The rural and small-town vote is critical to winning statewide in Wisconsin,” RDI Executive Director Sarah Jaynes said.

Grantee Spotlight

Youth Campaign to Protect the Right to Abortion Care

Loud Light organizers know the dangers of extremism.

Program

The Farm Bill & the Rural Democracy Initiative Network

RDI grantees, partners, and donors participated in a lively and fast-paced discussion on the 2023 Farm Bill.

Grantee Spotlight

Protecting Public Schools

SOSAZ empowers parents, teachers, and community members.

Program

Rural Democracy Initiative Kicks off 2023 with Webinar

There are no off years for RDI.

Program

Rural Democracy Initiative Builds Power for 2023 and Beyond

Highlights of our early 2023 grantmaking.

Grantee Spotlight

Swiftly Mobilizing in East Palestine

River Valley Organizing has documented local experiences of the environmental disaster in East Palestine.

Grantee Spotlight

Alaska Grantees Strengthen Democracy

Alaskans transformed their civic landscape in 2022.

Press

RDI in The Forge

Rural Democracy’s Sarah Jaynes outlines the strategic lessons behind this year’s rural gains.

Press

RDI in Associated Press

People in rural communities are concerned about flooding, the water crisis, extreme weather, and other impacts of climate change.

Program

2022 Election & Changing the Political Landscape of Rural America

Long-term organizing matters.

Program

The Midterm Elections and What’s Ahead

We changed electoral outcomes and built power that will endure past the election.

Press

RDI in Newsweek

In Newsweek, Erica Elelson cites Rural Democracy’s election coverage and the importance of engaging working families.

Program

2022 Election Analysis

As we look ahead, we know there are no “off years.”

Press

RDI in Rolling Stone

Rural Democracy Initiative is featured in Rolling Stone.

Program

Stories from the Field

With the Midterm Elections just one month away, RDI held a briefing for our funding partners.

Program

Safety and Security Support

We recently held a training for our grantees.

Program

Vote Tripling Workshop

Our friends at the Vote Rev Action Fund reviewed how to launch a vote-tripling campaign.

Engaging Working People in the Midterm Elections with a graphic of a group of people

Program

Engaging Working Families in the Midterm Elections

We recently hosted a donor briefing.

Grantee Spotlight

Co-Governance in Action

RDI grantee Faith in Indiana has replicated its co-governance model in Gary, Fort Wayne, South Bend, and Indianapolis.

Program

Building Grantee Capacity

This summer we’re piloting two new programs to increase our impact.

Program

Grants Engage Voters ahead of 2022 Elections

RDI grants support organizations at a critical moment.

Announcement

Moving from Rage to Action

Most Americans, including those in rural areas, support comprehensive health care.

Program

Rural Voters Surge to Polls

Voters in Enfield, North Carolina chose a new direction in the May 2022 election.

Press

Inside Philanthropy Highlights Rural Democracy Initiative

70% of rural residents don’t have a college degree.

Press

Inside Philanthropy Advises Giving to Rural Democracy Initiative

Founder and editor David Callahan writes about RDI.

Program

Grants Boost Civic Engagement

Highlights from our Spring 2022 grantmaking

Press

Today’s Edition Podcast Interview

Serious engagement with non-metro voters is essential.

Program

Directing Federal Funds to Your Community

RDI grantee United Today, Stronger Tomorrow led a workshop for RDI grantees and partners.

Press

Rural Democracy Initiative Editorial in The Daily Yonder

Sarah Jaynes discusses the tectonic shifts we are seeing in rural America.

Grantee Spotlight

Helping Rural Schools to Thrive

WPEN is a non-partisan organization focused on the goal of creating thriving public schools.

Grantee Spotlight

Connecting Voting with Everyday Issues

Native Peoples Action Community Fund teamed up with The Mobilization Center to build lasting relationships with Alaska Native communities.

Program

Innovations in Rural Civic Engagement

RDI hosted The Fight for our Democracy: Innovations in Rural Civic Engagement.

Grantee Spotlight

Transforming Local Government

After mobilizing Western Pennsylvania voters in 2020, Pennsylvania United had momentum.

Grantee Spotlight

Organizing for Sustainable Rural Power

To learn more about Rural Electric Cooperatives and the transition to clean energy, see our Rural Policy Action Report.

Press

The Great Battlefield Podcast Interview

Working with rural groups around the country, we have unique insight into the tactics and strategy of rural civic engagement.

Program

2021: Highlights, Lessons, and Challenges

2021 has been a momentous, often stressful, and exciting year.

Program

Racial Justice in Rural Communities

Groups around the country are leading powerful racial justice organizing in rural communities.

Grantee Spotlight

Federal Assistance To Fund Rural Solar

The Northern Plains Resource Council organizes across Montana.

Program

Watch Clips from the Force Multiplier Fundraiser

Sharing the latest research with grantees.

Announcement

Historic Federal Funding in National Infrastructure

Leaders in the federal government are currently negotiating a historic investment in the nation’s infrastructure.

Announcement

Executive Order Promoting Competition a Historic Win for Rural Communities

The order calls for new and better rules to lower prices, increase wages, and promote innovation.

Press

Rural Margins Matter

RDI Director Sarah Jaynes notes five key observations about the 2020 election.

Program

Rural Democracy Initiative’s COVID-19 Response

We’re in continuous contact with grantees.

Grantee Spotlight

These Progressive Women Are Reshaping the Politics of the Northern Plains

LEAD began where many good ideas do—at a happy hour.

Grantee Spotlight

Farmers and Ranchers Rally against Corporate Power

Family Farm Action and allies rallied farmers, ranchers, and rural communities against corporate power.

Grantee Spotlight

How Free Haircuts Are Transforming Communities in Rural Appalachia

IAO offers services to low-income families, youth, and seniors through various programs based on needs identified through community engagement.

Learning from our work with partners and grantees, RDI creates and curates tools to showcase best practices and address priority needs.

Network Tool

Donations to the Rural Democracy Initiative ensure thousands of rural leaders and advocates continue to receive tools and support to create real change in rural America.

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