As the face of American agriculture becomes more sustainable, rural communities also are working to better their own lot. Community development aims to empower rural Americans to improve infrastructure such as utilities, housing, community facilities, and to diversify their economic base without undermining their rural assets. These programs initiated or funded by the Foundation for Rural Sustainability offer the research, tools, and resources needed to assist rural Americans pursue their own course of sustainable development.

 FUNDING AND PROJECT PRIORITIES 2008

Areas of particular interest:

• Providing access to education, technology and resources for rural small farms and rural enterprises.
• Providing resources and support for woman-owned small farms
• Enhancing opportunities for rural woman entrepreneurship
• Research, education and promotion of sustainable and organic crop production
• Developing markets for sustainably-grown crops
• Developing year-around family-wage rural jobs
• Improving consumer awareness of the benefits of sustainably-produced crops
• Transfer of sustainable research results to real-time rural end-users

 Contact us: Staff at The Foundation for Rural Sustainability