Life in rural America is all about community, whether it’s sharing resources, checking in with neighbors, or getting involved in local issues because someone needed to step up. But when it comes to reimagining what rural can be in the 21st century, these same places can feel isolated, disconnected from the strategies and resources they need to thrive.
That’s where CORI’s Rural Innovation Network comes in.
The Network is a one-of-a-kind community of practice that connects rural leaders with peers from around the country who are engaged in similar work. The Network offers access to rural economic development experts who can support communities in their efforts to build customized solutions to pressing challenges.
Expert insight, best-in-class programming
Network members have access to the services, tools, and capacity to create sustainable change and scale their economic revitalization efforts. From entrepreneurship support and developing tech talent training programs to critical data insights and federal funding assistance, the Network provides access to the resources that rural communities need to thrive.
The city of Wilson, North Carolina already had the fundamental building blocks for a tech economy but recognized that people in the community didn’t have the necessary skills for emerging tech jobs.
Our team built customized solutions that helped create tech talent development programs that are tailored to the community.
“CORI has helped us provide numerous educational opportunities including a Microsoft training certification and … workforce development,” said Ashley Harris, Exchange Community Manager at the city of Wilson. “We are excited about the workforce development opportunities and working with CORI to develop that.”
By partnering with leaders from government, business, and philanthropy, our team meets communities where they are and supports their long-term goals. In Kirksville, Missouri, we worked to help key stakeholders identify opportunities for growth and development.
“CORI was the best mentor that you could ask for,” said Anastasia Tiedemann, Executive Director of Kirksville Regional Economic Development, Inc. “They were able to bring together our community members, dissect what we have, what we need, and what things we should focus on.”
A community of practice
Peer connections are invaluable for finding strategies that are proven to work in rural places. In Independence, Oregon, having connections to other rural places has impacted the way they approach obstacles.
“I am able to bring back actionable items to implement in our community. It’s been such a resource, a network of people that I can connect with and talk with,” said Kate Schwarzler, Executive Director of Indy Idea Hub. “They have the same sort of problem-solving that we are also trying to do. And I’ve really just walked away with some amazing resources.”
Similarly, Chris Maggiolo, Deputy Executive Director of the Black River Innovation Campus in Springfield, Vermont, shared that the Network has become an integral part of how they serve their community.
“The friends and colleagues that I’ve met as part of this network are now an important part of our day-to-day where we can bounce ideas off each other or work with each other to develop initiatives and programs that benefit not only our communities but communities throughout the country,” Maggiolo said.
Join the Network!
Interested in seeing what’s possible in your rural community?
Get in touch with our team to learn how joining the Rural Innovation Network could benefit your community, and gain access to nationwide networking and peer learning opportunities as well as customized consulting from our team of experts!