Rural Philanthropy Resource Network
Rural Charitable Research Initiative
The Rural Philanthropy Roundtable

      

Rural Philanthropy Roundtable

A Perspective on Rural Philanthropy and Community Investment

Rural society may not garner adequate attention from our nations leading philanthropists and large-scale funders. A preoccupation with the pressing urban agenda, a lack of knowledge of the opportunities and challenges facing rural and a lack of connection are the likely barriers to engagement. Research undertaken by the Foundation for Rural Living in partnership with the Imagine Canada (Formerly the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy) highlighted the small scale of rural nonprofits, the lack of infrastructure to drive strategic philanthropic pursuits and limited levels of investment.

The Foundation for Rural Living (FRL) with funding support from The Ontario Trillium Foundation launched the Rural Philanthropy Roundtable (Roundtable) in the spring of 2004. This consultation engaged private foundation, corporate and community leaders, and rural practitioners in a dialogue to gain a leadership perspective on rural, share knowledge and garner ideas for future change. The aim is to improve understanding, stimulate rural investment and link philanthropic interest to effective rural grant making and community opportunity.

The Roundtable is unique and a first for Canada. The National Rural Funders Collaborative (US), Southern Rural Development Initiative (12 State, US) and The Thomas Sill Foundation (Manitoba) are models and inspiration for the program.

A position paper describing the social, cultural and economic concerns in rural and among rural nonprofits titled Cultivating Rural Prosperity: A Case for Investment, Inspiration and Investment helped to build knowledge, provoke good discussion with rural stakeholders and motivate change.

A series of individual and small group consultations captured rich feedback from a wide range of funders, practitioners and rural experts and aided the development an agenda for dialogue. These consultations culminated with a full-day facilitated gathering of leaders on September 28th, 2004.

Roundtable participants considered how rural is perceived and who cares about it, how perceptions impact investment, key challenges and opportunities and specific strategies and actions for change. A report of this consultation was endorsed by Roundtable members and published and many of the strategies for change are being pursued.

Corresponding Documents

 © Foundation for Rural Living, 2005