An initiative of The Ford Family Foundation

1. An initiative of The Ford Family Foundation In collaboration with

2. An Experiment in Rural Capacity Building Creating vital rural communities by building capacity

3. The Ford Family Foundation of Roseburg, Oregon • Founders – Kenneth and Hallie Ford, Roseburg Forest Products • Mission – Successful citizens and vital rural communities • Corpus -- $600 million (July 2009) • Serves communities under 30,000 population in Oregon and Siskiyou County, California

4. The Ford Family Foundation of Roseburg, Oregon • Scholarship Programs • Ford Scholars • Opportunity Scholars (single parents) • Restart Scholars (over age 25) • Sons and Daughters of RFP • Grant Programs • Responsive capital grants • Proactive grants • Ford Institute for Community Building 4

5. Vitality, a balance of dimensions: • Public safety • Health and human services • Environment and natural resources • Economy • Arts and culture • Education 5

6. Governance Education Health & Human Services Public Safety K-12 schooling, occupational education, life long learning, access to secondary education, school activities, sports, 4-H Medical care, mental health care, children and families, substance abuse, disability services, seniors, low income housing Law enforcement, justice, fire protection, emergency services, natural hazards management, waste disposal A vital rural Community is recognized for: Natural Resources & Environment Economy Arts & Culture Geology, soil, water, air, plants, animals, natural systems, energy, scenic and natural places Business, business services, agencies, workforce, employment, transfer payments, land ownership, taxation Music, visual arts, performing arts, entertainment, events and celebrations, special places Infrastructure Organization

7. Institute Theory of Change Tupelo Model Vitality Community Collaborations Effective Organizations Community Leaders Human Development

8. Major strategies to build capacity • Build capacity at leader, organization and collaboration levels • Engage diversity within communities: all ages, interests, ethnicities, etc. • Engage all communities not just a sample • Commit to perpetual relationship • First, “raise all boats” (stage 1) then move to communities to action on dimensions • (stage 2) • Build networks: local, regional, statewide 8

9. Expected outcomes Capacity • Increased public engagement and civility • Greater number of community leaders and volunteers • More effective community organizations • More collaborations on projects and programs • Clearer community vision and priorities • Improved governance • Greater resource development – organizations and community are more attractive to other investors 9

10. Expected Impacts • Improved means to impacts • Public facilities and infrastructure • Programs and policies • Improved indicators for dimensions • Environment and natural resources • Economy and business • Community: health and social services, public safety, education, arts and culture 10

11. Institute programs methods Ford Institute Leadership Program Community Collaborations Training Leadership Development Training Effective Organizations Training Community Collaboration Grants LeadershipDevelopment Grants Assistance Grants Program Organization Development Grants Resources Program Publications Community Vitality, Select Books, Institute Update Conferences Regional, sub-regional Regards to Rural Web sites TFFF Web Site, RIPPLE, Rural Communities Explorer

12. Ford Institute Leadership ProgramTraining Year 3 1 0 2 4 Leadership Development Cohort 1 20 to 30 participants nominated by a community committee. Class identifies all community organizations, who are invited to next class. Effective Organizations No limit to number of participants. Those not in cohort 1 are invited to join cohort 2 Leadership Development Cohort 2 20 to 30 participants from earlier class or nominated by cohort 1. Instructed by community trainers in part. Community Collaborations Engages all class participants and guests in class adapted to community situation. No limit to participants. Those not in cohort 1 or 2 invited to join next class Leadership Development Cohort 3 Same as cohort 2. Additional cohorts available on request, requires community trainers.

14. 52 Hub Communities and Regions Hub Communities Lower Columbia Walla Walla Rainier South Clatsop Milton-Freewater Hermiston Vernonia South Columbia Hood River County Wallowa County Pendleton Banks Gilliam County Tillamook County Forest Grove Morrow County Cornelius Estacada Sherman County Union County Newberg Mollala Wasco County West Valley Amity Dallas Woodburn Wheeler County Lincoln City Mill City/Gates Monmouth/ Independence Newport Baker County Jefferson County Scio Silverton South Jefferson Grant County South Lincoln Cascade Philomath East Linn Alpine Harrisburg Sisters Crook County Florence Junction City Ontario Region Coburg Fern Ridge Upper Mckenzie Vida CoastalDouglas Lowell La Pine Oakridge South Lane Bay Area Harney County North Douglas Coquille Valley Sutherlin Chiloquin Completed program (12) In Programnow (34) Start fall 2009 (4) Start spring 2010 (4) Future if ready (20+) Training by/with others (2) Roseburg Bandon Winston/Dillard South Douglas North Curry Bonanza Gold Hill Grants Pass Lake County White City/Rogue Illinois V. Klamath Falls Applegate South Curry Ashland Keno Merrill/Malin Tulelake Mid-Klamath Butte Valley Yreka Scott Valley Weed South Siskiyou

16. Leadership Development Training Description • 16 community leadership topics • 48 hours in class – facilitated discussion • 12 hours in conference with other communities • Classes offered in the community • Meets Friday afternoon/evening and Saturday morning/afternoon, once a month • Catered meals provided • Class project with $5,000 match • Pre-class now available in Spanish (soon available for Native Americans)

17. Effective Organizations Community Collaborations Training Description • Effective Organizations • 24 hours in class, offered in the community • Open to ALL organizations • Additional coaching available after class • Access to Assistance Grants available after coaching • Community Collaborations • 24 hours in class, offered in the community • Designed with past class participants to fit community situation • Typically involves a community gathering

18. Outputs to date • Classes started in 2003, now in 14th semester • Completed 106 Leadership Development classes with 2,450 graduates • Over 400 graduates under age 19 • 250 graduates now qualified as community trainers • Awarded 300+ assistance grants to community organizations valued at $1.2 million • OSU – “Meeting our marks for outcomes”

19. Future of the Experiment • All 80 hubs complete 5-class series by 2016 with 4,000 plus leadership class graduates. • Communities move to Stage 2 support with on- request classes, grants and resources. Leadership class graduates will increase at 500/year. • Rural Development Initiatives continues as collaborator for further training and support for action. 19

20. Future of the Experiment • Network continues to develop with a variety of conferences and RIPPLE forum site at www.ripplenw.org • OSU Rural Studies evaluates impacts – see data base at Rural Communities Explorer, at www.oregonexplorer.info/rural. • OSU Family and Community Development continues outcomes evaluation. 20

22. How to participate? • Visit www.tfff.org to learn about The Ford Family Foundation and the Ford Institute for Community Building. • To engage your community in the program or to discuss assistance grants contact Joyce Akse, Associate Director, at 541-957-5574 or jakse@tfff.org. • For information about specific communities, classes, and resources contact Yvette Rhodes, Program Manager at 541-957-5574 or yrhodes@tfff.org.

23. Thank You Tom Gallagher, Director Ford Institute for Community Building Contact: 541-957-2563, tgallagher@tfff.org 23