RDI’s Rural Map and Dashboard is built on census tracts and draws from city shape files, Daily Yonder county codes, and population density. Users can sort by state, county, and congressional district. The dashboard includes benchmark election results, plus partisan, ideology, and issue scores.

In April and May, Rural Democracy Initiative’s (RDI) 501c3 Heartland Fund and 501c4 Rural Victory Fund committed over $2.4 million in grants to 37 groups to build on the momentum of our network’s 2022 rural wins. These groups are defending against emboldened attacks on democracy, healthcare, core freedoms, and economic security, and also maximizing opportunities with new state governing majorities, cross-partisan partnerships, and federal funding.

The federal government has made historic investments in rural communities, and many of these programs will be implemented over the next several years. Now, more than ever, it’s important to ensure the rules, regulations, and outreach are designed to truly benefit our communities.

In late April 2023, Rural Democracy Initiative met with over fifty rural advocates in Omaha, Nebraska to identify key federal and state policies designed to support rural people and the places they live. It was incredibly invigorating to spend time with these remarkable leaders from around the country.

RDI sees a huge opportunity for youth organizing—and Georgia has a high share of young voters, nearly half of whom are people of color.