Building Local Power in Arizona and Pennsylvania

Big Results in Tough Territory

In rural northern Arizona, it was hard for many community members to feel connected to local democracy. City councils had few candidates, voter turnout was low, and many neighbors doubted that organizing could shift power in conservative communities. Changing that meant starting small—one conversation, one candidate, one town at a time.

Neighbors Step Up to Lead in Arizona

In 2023, two organizers saw this gap as an opportunity, and they formed the Rural Organizing Initiative (ROI) to increase local democratic participation, starting with recruiting and training rural candidates to run for local offices. Between 2022 and 2024, the number of city council candidates jumped from three to eight, and voter turnout increased 12 percent. In 2024, they knocked on more than 5,300 doors and held regular community “hospitality hours” about local concerns. With ROI organizing, the Cottonwood council flipped to a pro‑democracy majority.

Cross-Partisan Wins in Prescott

In 2025, ROI focused on Prescott, one of the most conservative communities in the state. They supported pro‑democracy candidate Jay Ruby, who won a hard‑fought seat on the City Council with a cross‑partisan campaign centered on water conservation and revitalizing the local economy. ROI’s relationship focused organizing and deep canvassing were essential to Ruby’s 170‑vote win. In just a few years, ROI has become a critical presence in a region where many once believed pro‑democracy organizing had little chance of success.

Defending Communities in Pennsylvania Coal Country

Rural groups need tailored support to build capacity at all stages of growth, and Pennsylvania’s Center for Coalfield Justice (CCJ) shows what long‑term investment can do. For decades, CCJ has been a powerful voice for environmental and economic justice in coal country. Rural Democracy’s initial grant in 2020 supported CCJ’s first nonpartisan voter engagement campaign, and since then we’ve backed their voter education work and statewide efforts highlighting the political influence of fossil fuel companies.

CCJ organizing at public hearings led Cecil Township to adopt a 2,500‑foot setback between homes and fracked gas well pads. This was a concrete win for local health and safety, which was immediately threatened by oil and gas companies. To protect these gains, Rural Democracy enthusiastically supported the launch of the 501(c)(4) Coalfield Justice Action. Cindy Fisher, a key champion of the ordinance, was the only township supervisor up for re‑election in 2025. She put the setback fight at the center of her campaign despite fierce industry opposition and won by more than 800 votes.

Through bold investments in growing groups like ROI and established leaders like CCJ, Rural Democracy helps grantees achieve big wins even in the face of difficult odds — proving that small rural organizations can deliver outsized results for their communities.