One town's impressive fundraising built its community center; they have a podcast to help others learn how

Photo from Cedar River Complex website

Like many rural towns, Osage, Iowa, had a wish list: getting the pool repaired, plans for community theater and fair space for the agriculture society. "There were many needs for new facilities," Andrew McCrea of Farm Journal reports. Steve Cooper, mayor of Osage, told McCrea: "The groups knew they couldn't all get what they wanted immediately. There were simply too many needs and not enough private funds to go around. Someone suggested they band together and perhaps create a facility with everything they needed. An architect was hired to design a plan. . . . He came up with a cost of around $12.5 million, and when that figure surfaced, I thought, 'Well, it was a good try."

Osage's population was around 3,000, and the community leaders were skeptical that millions could be raised. McCrea writes, "The local Osage Education Foundation heard about the plan and the price tag. Perhaps they should share the story with those at the alumni banquet since it attracts people from near and far. The message resonated, and Cooper was amazed by the giving, which came in at $7.5 million. Cooper told her: "We have a list of people who were donors to this, and some of them gave as little as ten dollars, but it seemed like everyone wanted to be a part of this."

The residents' rally added up to Osage building the Cedar River Complex. "It includes an indoor pool, fitness center, walking track, basketball courts, 600-seat theatre, museum and more," McCrea reports. "About 2,400 people have memberships for the pool and fitness center. The 600-seat theatre, which is part of the same complex, is also quite a draw. . . . The four Broadway-style shows produced each year bring people from across the country. Perhaps the biggest impact is what the CRC has done for the present and future of this community." Cooper told McCrea: "This has not been a burden on anybody's taxes. This facility has not only been able to get built but has been able to maintain sustainability on its own. . . . I hear from people that say they moved back–not just because of the CRC, but just because of the attitude of the community and wanting to be in their hometown."

Osage may seems like a "one-off" to some people, but its residents don't think so. They encourage other communities to band together "to make [their town] a great place to call home," McCrea reports. To that end, they've created a podcast, "Farming the Countryside," which shares insights and how-tos for other rural towns looking for guidance and encouragement.

Motorcyclists trying to raise awareness about suicide with cross-country trek from North Dakota to Texas

Route of the motorcycle ride

Tomorrow, more than 50 bikers from around the U.S. will kick off a four-day, 1,700 cross-country motorcycle ride in an effort to "bring greater attention to the tragedy of suicide in this country, to break the silence that surrounds it, and to start a discussion on how to prevent it," The Canadian Record of Texas reports.

The "Wish You Were Here Ride" is the brainchild of North Dakotan Mike "Cisco" Maples, who lost his son to suicide four years ago. "An hour before he killed himself, he was laughing and joking with us," Maples said. "There were no warning signs. I still can’t wrap my head around why."

Maples, an Army veteran, said he's also lost friends to addiction and PTSD, and began researching mental health statistics. He discovered it's the top cause of death for young Americans, but that stigma often keeps people from reaching for help, the Record reports.

"Nobody is talking about this ... I decided we’ve got to do something," Maples said. "Being a parent … nobody talks about the person who has died by suicide. It is an uncomfortable subject … because it is an unnatural death."

That's why the bike ride will cut through the middle of the U.S., starting from West Hope, N.D., on the Canadian border, to Tres Laredos City Park on the Mexican border. "We are riding right down the middle of America to help raise awareness for suicide prevention," Maples said. "The heartland… it’s America. It’s everywhere. What better way to go."

The ride will function as a fundraiser, too; all money raised will go to support the ND Suicide Prevention Coalition.

Local community foundations create funds for local news

Report for America has issued a report that identified what it called "a major new trend – the creation of 'Community News Funds' – and outlined how the new funds can be created," Sam Kille reports for Report for America. "The new strategy involves community foundations working in conjunction with local news leaders in creating a single, permanent fund that draws upon donations from multiple sources, to support local news for years to come."

Several case studies in the report show how such funds are making a difference in communities. That matters more than ever when the pandemic has accelerated rural newsroom closures. The seven communities in the report that use variations on the community news fund model have raised $15 million in three years, Kille reports.

In addition to a specifically rural example—the Traverse City Record-Eagle in Michigan—the paper highlights a newsroom that covers statewide issues in Pennsylvania, and one that covers the state's Lancaster County (which has a substantial Amish population).

Farm Aid to host 35th anniversary virtual festival on Sept. 26

Farm Aid announced recently that the organization will mark its 35th anniversary with a virtual festival. Farm Aid 2020 On the Road will air on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 8-11 p.m. ET on Farm Aid's YouTube channel, AXS TV, and Fans.com, according to the Farm Aid website.

"The goal of the virtual festival is to raise critical funds for and awareness of the organization and its mission, which it typically does through ticket sales to the annual in-person music and food festival. Farm Aid accepts donations year-round at www.farmaid.org/donate," according to a press release.
The festival will include performances from more than 20 artists, including Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, and more. Farmers from across the country will also share their stories about why they farm, how they stay resilient, and what they believe is the future of agriculture.

"This pandemic and so many other challenges have revealed how essential family farmers and ranchers are to the future of our planet,"  said Farm Aid President and founder Willie Nelson in a statement. "Farm Aid 2020 is going to give the whole country a chance to learn about the important work of farmers and how they’re contributing to our well-being, beyond bringing us good food."

Quick hits: USDA says don't plant random seeds from China; what rural hospitals can teach their urban peers

Here's a roundup of stories with rural resonance; if you do or see similar work that should be shared on The Rural Blog, email us at heather.chapman@uky.edu.

Commentary: lack of indoor plumbing in marginalized communities is a too-often neglected environmental justice issue. Read more here.

A popular Instagram account raises funds for LGBTQ+ people in Appalachia, but it's not clear where the money actually goes. Read more here.

USDA warns people not to plant any random unsolicited seeds they get from China. Read more here.

What rural hospitals can teach their urban counterparts about patient engagement. Read more here.

Commentary: researchers need to use a combination of measurements to get the clearest picture of broadband's impact on the economy. Read more here.

Kansas community turns to crowdfunding to raise money for a local grocery store

The mostly agricultural town of Plains, Kan. (Wikipedia map), has been holding on steady while other small towns in the area have struggled to survive. But many in this town of one-square-mile muncipality believe its future relies heavily on whether or not the town can acquire something it hasn't had since 2001—a local grocery store, Mitch Smith reports for The New York Times. 

In an effort to get that grocery store supporters have turned to crowdfunding through Kanstarter.com, Smith writes. Local residents have formed a nonprofit foundation that has "lined up about $400,000 through tax credits, grants, donations and fund-raisers. With about $5,100 more, they will have enough money to finish buying the empty land on Grand Avenue where, one day soon, they hope to build."

Supporters believe a grocery store will lead to further development and help increase the population in a county where numbers have been steadily dropping, Smith writes. Jeanne Roberts, who is leading the effort to bring a grocery store to Plains, told Smith, “A grocery store is the heart of the town. In small towns, it’s the social gathering place. And when you don’t have that social gathering place and you’re going outside, then you don’t feel connected.”

Overall, Plains is about one-third of the way to its fund-raising goal, Smith writes. "But even if donors raise enough money to buy the property in Plains, organizers will still need roughly $1 million more to build, equip, stock and staff a store. It is a lofty goal, a fact acknowledged even by the project’s most optimistic supporters." But that hasn't stopped residents from continuing to fight to bring a grocery store to their small town. (Read more)

Digital conversion endangers rural theaters; Colorado using grants, fundraising to help owners

More and more multiplexes seem to be opening, some featuring 20 or more screens, IMAX capability, stadium seating, and concession stands that offer restaurant-quality goods.  Most rural theaters can't compete with all that, but still hold a charm that harkens back to the old days when going to the movies was an event and the theater was an important local gathering place. But as we have noted before, the future of rural theaters is in jeopardy. (Kickstarter photo: The Rogers City Theater in Rogers City, Mich., has started a campaign to raise money to convert to digital)

"By the end of this year, an industry-mandated conversion to digital projectors will make it nearly impossible for many small, one or two-screen theaters in isolated towns across America to continue to operate," Stephanie Garlock reports for The Atlantic Cities. Digital-only benefits movie studios, because "the picture is generally clearer, and, more significantly, the financial and logistical costs of distribution are radically lower. A single copy of a 35mm feature film costs studios upwards of $1,500, while copies on digital hard drives run at about a tenth of that, with prices falling fast. Eventually, satellite transmission could make getting first-run films to theaters across the globe virtually hassle-free."

But the cost to theater owners is great, coming in at an estimated $50,000 per screen, Garlock writes. And if theaters don't convert, they won't get any first-run features, limiting them to small, independent films and older movies. As many as 20 percent of theaters, many of them in rural areas, are in danger of closing, because they can't afford to convert to digital. (Read more)

Colorado has a plan to save its rural theaters. State grants have awarded $200,000 to help save 13 rural theaters -- many of which only have one screen -- and officials hope a fundraising campaign will give the owners enough to pay for the rest of the conversions, Bente Birkeland reports for public radio station KUNC.

"It’s unusual for the state to give out grants to this type of mom and pop business, but government officials say it's not just about the theaters. It’s about preserving rural downtowns and the communities themselves," Birkleand reports. Jeff Kraft, state director of business funding and incentives, told her, “We’re able to use some of our incentive funds to make an existing business go over a onetime transition obstacle. All of them are really central to having a vital downtown experience in their communities. And they help make it more attractive to workers and business.” (Birkeland photo: The Sands in Brush, Colo., received a $20,000 grant, but needs another $30,000 to convert to digital)

Downtown Colorado Inc., "a statewide non-profit focusing on building vibrant commercial areas, is also helping theater owners who aren’t used to fundraising," with a campaign called Save Our Screens, Birkeland writes. The idea is to "engage theater owners in regular conference calls to address issues and questions, and develop training for fundraising, technology, and ownership models," according to Downtown Colorado. The group is also using case studies, by "collecting stories of theaters that have converted to identify best practices." According to Downtown Colorado, 58 percent of the state's theaters have converted to digital, 13 percent are in the process of converting, 26 percent have not converted, and 3 percent of theaters have closed. (Read more)

Those who raised and gave money to save Calif. parks are upset, want refunds after stash revealed

Coe Park supporters with a $279,000
check for the state three months ago.
(Preservation Fund photo)

When cash-pinched California officials announced last year that they couldn't afford to keep 70 California parks open, neighbors held bake sales, children collected nickels, cities dug into their reserves, and nonprofits rallied big donors. Most of those 70 parks at risk were in rural areas where fundraising could be a monumental, heartbreaking task anyway. With the recent disclosures of a largely unknown $54 million pile sitting in state parks accounts, the Los Angeles Times reports that the can-do spirit has been replaced by a how-could-they indignation.

The fallout from the revelation, so far, has been the forced resignation of the state's parks director who many believe knew, or should have known, about the fund. Now, Steve Chawkins and Chris Megerian report, local governments are demanding their money back, "saying they were duped at a time they could little afford it." Ventura County alone is asking for an immediate refund of $50,000 which it desperately needs for a sewer line.

An unexpected outcome of the fracas is that organizations that support parks tell the Times that the affair has tainted their already ongoing pleas for donations. "There was a sense of betrayal," said Carolyn Schoff, head of the California League of Parks Associations. "We're the ones in the trenches raising funds for state parks and now there's a dark shadow over us." State officials have urged the public to bear with them as they try to make sense of the situation. In a letter to parks donors, Secretary for Natural Resources John Laird and Janelle Beland, acting director of state parks, said they were "as outraged as you are about this news." (Read more)

To keep parks open, states seek corporate sponsors

Amid increasing budget pressures from the recession, Georgia is among a handful of states looking to corporate sponsorship to help fund state parks. "According to preliminary survey results from the National Association of State Park Directors, a growing number of states are trying out or considering corporate sponsorship or exclusive distribution deals as a way to help close budget gaps," Melissa Maynard of Stateline.org reports. "State parks have traditionally resisted any type of commercialization, says Phillip McKnelly, the association’s executive director, and the interest in pursuing corporate partnerships is a relatively new phenomenon driven by the severity of funding crises in state park systems."

In Georgia Verizon Wireless will sponsor the annual Boy Scouts volunteering in state parks by providing "funding for tools and supplies as the scouts perform service projects around the state," Maynard writes. In exchange, the park service will recognize Verizon in publicity materials and on the Georgia Department of Natural Resources website. "Every interstate has these huge brown signs that tell you ‘Red Top Mountain State Park,’" department Commissioner Chris Clark told Maynard. "And at the bottom, we'd love to have 'Chick Fil-A,' or whatever else, as a simple way of marketing."

Clark told Maynard he hopes the sponsorships may eventually allow the department to improve services like wireless Internet service and expand its programming. Many park advocates say the turn to corporate sponsorship is welcomed if it keeps parks opens and as long as it's done tastefully. "There is general agreement that people don't want to see a NASCAR approach to branding the parks," Andy Fleming, executive director of Friends of Georgia State Parks, told Maynard. "Everybody understands that there's a line that we don't want to cross, in terms of compromising the naturalness of the experience. But the reality is that there's a big gap between the amount of funding and the needs of the system." (Read more)

Rural towns fall back on charity to celebrate July 4

The latest victims of the economic crisis are communities forced to cancel Fourth of July festivities across the country, particularly in small towns with limited resources. Eli Saslow reports for The Washington Post that more than 40 communities have already called off events, but some citizens in Shippensburg, Pa., are not letting the traditions end without a fight.

Every year since 1940, the town of 5,600 people has celebrated its self-proclaimed “Best Day of Summer” with free soft drinks, local high school football and lots of fireworks. But this year, the events would cost $5,300, even at a special discounted rate, and that may be too much in the wake of budget cuts and lost sponsors. Instead, Kip Fordney, head of the parks and recreation department, is going door to door to raise money for the fireworks. The nostalgia, patriotism and town pride keep her going. "It's like Woodstock," she told Saslow of the annual festivities. "Everybody's happy, and everybody's a little bit wild."

What was once seen as a civic necessity is increasingly being viewed as wasteful, but Saslow writes that the elimination of the Fourth of July is especially painful in small towns. “Unlike in Washington, where tens of thousands will fight for position on the Mall, these are places that represent what Independence Day means in most of America -- a hillside covered with friends and neighbors, a few dozen fireworks set off by the volunteers from the fire department, a sweet, small-town sense of community on a warm summer night.” (Read more)

Southern Rural Development Initative is closing next week, after 16 years of rural advocacy

The Southern Rural Development Initiative, a non-profit organization aimed at combating poverty and racism in the South and creating economic opportunities in rural communities, will be closing next Friday after 16 years. The organization not only helped communities find areas where economic development were possible , but built "connections among them and to federal and national resources, both public and private," writes Todd Cohen for Philanthropy Journal.

The problem "wasn't as much driven by the economy as by the priorities in philanthropy at this point," says Alan McGregor, the executive director of the Raleigh-based organization. "As we got more focused on a strategy and more focused on community-based organizations, we seemed to have fewer places to go for money," he says. "There are fewer funders who have that specific focus, working on grassroots community-based change in poor rural places." (Read more)

Rural giving to presidential candidates scarce, but mostly Democratic

Only five percent of contributions presidential candidates got in the first quarter of the year came from people who listed addresses in counties outside metropolitan areas, but "surprisingly, most of those donations have gone to Democrats," reports the Daily Yonder, a new rural news site with a political bent.

In the first quarter, 17 candidates raised $114.3 million. "Of this sum, only $6 million came from people living in rural communities," write geographer Tim Murphy and Daily Yonder co-editor Bill Bishop. "Democratic candidates took in 55 percent of the $6 million raised from rural residents in the first quarter of 2007; 45 percent of the total went to Republicans. The Democrats' lead in rural fundraising is the mirror opposite of the presidential vote outcomes of 2000 and in 2004; in both elections, Republican George W. Bush won nearly 60 percent of the rural vote, support that was crucial to his victory."

The leading rural money-raisers were former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican, followed by former U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Democrats. "Romney, who headed the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, raised just over $214,000 in the first reporting period of 2007 from Summit County, where many of the athletic events took place," the Daily Yonder reports. Romney's total rural cash in the quarter was just under $1.15 million, 5.47 percent of his $20.98 million total.

Edwards' figure was $1.07 million, 7.61 percent of his total. Richardsdon's $895,699 was 14.3 percent of his $6.246 million total. Richardson got "hefty contributions in the southeastern counties of his home state. Members of the oil and gas business have been active in raising money for Richardson in the area around Hobbs, Roswell and Carlsbad, according to New Mexico press reports." Richardson recently resigned from the board of Valero Energy, the nation's leading refiner.

The Daily Yonder says it will report the states and rural counties that gave the most to presidential candidates later this week. Fund-raising reports for the second quarter are due in mid-July, though most campaigns will give their total fund-raising numbers on or soon after July 1. (Read more)