In The Daily Yonder, RDI Executive Director Sarah Jaynes writes about the growing diversity or rural leadership and calls for more progressives to invest in their future.

The Heartland Fund, Rural Democracy Initiative’s nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, is launching an ambitious Rural Climate Partnership to mobilize rural-led solutions to climate change. This new initiative will help create lasting jobs and build rural communities strong enough for young people to want to make homes there, shifting the narrative about climate in rural America to one of opportunity. 

When regressive forces sought to create anger over COVID protections and curriculum that acknowledges the history of racism, the Wisconsin Public Education Network (WPEN) responded by supporting communities and school districts across the state.

Native Peoples Action Community Fund (NPACF) teamed up with The Mobilization Center to build lasting relationships with Alaska Native communities. The groups reached out to Alaska Native peoples and held thousands of long-form, deep-canvass phone discussions on climate change, representation in government, hunting and fishing rights, and youth engagement.

Our Democracy is under attack. After attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, anti-democratic forces are now placing deliberate barriers to voting, drawing election districts to prevent competitive elections, and stacking how elections are regulated and certified. These barriers disproportionately impact the civic engagement of certain communities, including rural, tribal, and people of color. In the face of these urgent challenges, groups are developing innovative and effective ways to engage voters, shape policy, and save our Democracy.