Growing Wealth/Civic Participation

Persistently poor regions too often have too little organized philanthropy or access to other forms of investment with which to sustain transformative work that builds alternative rural economies. This calls for the creation of new and alternative forms of philanthropy and other forms of community investment in which ordinary people and marginalized groups who live and work in rural communities can participate. In its most inclusive sense, philanthropy begins locally and is understood as civic participation in which all can help to shape their community's future.

NRFC's distinctive grantmaking strategy is aimed at supporting those community-based initiatives that are working to alleviate poverty, create wealth and achieve equity through asset-based economic strategies that build upon cultural diversity and work to overcome historic barriers of race, class and power. In this way, NRFC's own grantmaking seeks to reflect and build upon community-based models for creating wealth and expanding civic participation.

NRFC utilizes its partnerships with current and past grantees and other strategic partners to engage low-wealth communities and communities of color to develop and adopt cultural- and place-based strategies empowerment, wealth creation and rural transformation.