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June 5, 2024
State and Federal Government Leaders Focus on Michigan Rural Prosperity
This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced an expansion of Michigan’s Rural Readiness Program which provides resources to rural communities, helping them apply for federal funding to improve housing, energy, roads, economic development and other rural priorities. In a meeting at the White House, Governor Whitmer, Secretary Vilsack and Michigan Labor and Economic Development Director Susan Corbin discussed the capacity building resources that the Rural Readiness Program makes available to rural MIchigan communities including funding, training, and technical support.
The MI Rural Readiness Program is informed by rural communities through the Office of Rural Prosperity's community engagement efforts and the work of the USDA Rural Partners Network. As an umbrella program, the Michigan Rural Readiness Program includes a variety of rural funding and support initiatives.
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Announcing the Rural Readiness Network
The Rural Readiness Network is the newest component of the Michigan Rural Readiness Program. The Network provides a platform for local teams committed to advancing local rural priorities to participate in curated activities including roundtables, trainings, communities of practice and engage with local, state, federal, philanthropic, and technical assistance partners at network convenings. Local teams that regularly engage with the Network may be eligible for additional supports including microgrants, readiness coordination and coaching, and grant navigation.
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Sarah Lucas, Office of Rural Prosperity Director, champions the network approach to capacity building: "The Rural Readiness Network will intentionally build connections between communities and partners, supporting the kinds of collaboration we know is critical for rural success. What's more, it will help communities tap into the experience and successes of peers and partners, creating the kinds of skills, knowledge, and leadership that are needed to capture new opportunities and adapt to changing trends."
Invitation to Join the Rural Readiness Network
Building prosperity is a collaborative effort and so the Office of Rural Prosperity is asking rural community leaders to identify their partners, form a multi-sector 'Local Readiness Team', and join the Michigan Rural Readiness Network to advance local priorities with intentional, curated support.
How to Join the Rural Readiness Network
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1. Form a Local Readiness Team that is committed to advancing local priorities and select a team lead.
2. Complete the brief online Local Readiness Team Introduction form by July 20th to receive an invitation to the first Network Convening.
3. Receive your invitation and RSVP to the Network Kickoff Event to be held in early August 2024.
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Learn More at the Rural Readiness Network Virtual Launch Event
You can learn more about the Rural Readiness Network and how it creates opportunities to build rural capacity by attending our virtual launch event on Wednesday, June 12 at 10AM. Topics to be covered include network structure, forming a Local Readiness Team, network activities and opportunities, and more. Mark your calendar and visit https://www.michigan.gov/ruralreadiness or click on the link below to join the live event.
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