A Reflection in Print of a Year of Rural Philanthropic Advocacy- 2018

With the new year beginning, Philanthropyworx and the Rural Philanthropic Analysis Project continues to push forward towards more and better rural philanthropy. Over the course of 2018, the project has been able to produce and highlight the many innovative leaders and practices that fuel rural philanthropy and rural community engagement. Interesting and promising dialogue has been sparked throughout the duration of this work and this momentum is building. Of the more than 25 pieces that were produced for national sites and the Campbell blogs, the team would like to take a moment to recognize the most viewed–

1. Stanford Social Innovation Review-  What Rural America can Teach us about Civil Society

There are misconceptions when it comes to civil society and where ideas and norms are drawn and hatched. Many believe that urban is the force always directing and guiding rural, but this is not true. This SSIR piece presented five lessons to be learned about rural civil society.

2. National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy- Rural Needs to Represented

With the 2020 Census approaching it is vital to ensure that rural citizens are accurately represented. Maximizing the rural count allows for just allocation of funding. In this piece, we worked with the Blandin Foundation on how to be involved in creating and supporting a rural census strategy.

3. National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy- Risk-Its Personal

The  article addressed the topic of risk and how philanthropy can better support innovation. Uncertainty is not comfortable, but the best learning can often come from taking risks. This piece focuses on fear that foundation staffers often experience when putting themselves in the line of fire. Recommendations are provided for ways to break the cycle of aversion to risk.

4. Inside Philanthropy- Three Mega foundations and Rural

Health Conversion foundations have been key players in rural philanthropy for the past 40 years. There are three mega-foundations that have recently been formed- or announced. The article discusses the opportunity for some great rural philanthropic work and hopes that these new funders learn from the work of existing high-impact rural funders.

5.Daily Yonder- Equity It’s Not Just Urban

Rural Equity has consistently been neglected by the social justice community. The piece uses the 2018 Policy Link equity conference as a jumping off point to highlight rural exclusion.

6. Grantcraft- Eight Ways to Engage in Rural

Rural communities influence various determinants that allow urban life to operate successfully. The Grantcraft piece describes eight opportunities for urban funders to engage with rural communities.  

7. Exponent Philanthropy- Equity

There are longstanding perceptions that Rural America is a monoculture and equity (and inequity) are NOT concerning. The piece defines four dimensions of rural equity that aren’t often part of philanthropic equity discourse.

8. Health Affairs- Shifting Work for Social Determinants of Health

Allen Smart and Karen Minyard collaborated in a piece that focused on a recent southern funder meeting that began to shift how health funders unnecessarily limit their thinking about how and why Social Determinants of Health partnerships are formed.  There are many opportunities for non-health funders to be part of the population health improvement lens on both the private and governmental sides.