Partners for Rural Impact

What’s working in your rural library? Share it with the Rural Library Network!

Partners for Rural Impact is now accepting session proposals for the 2026 Rural Library Network eSummit, taking place virtually on December 2.

Rural libraries across the country are developing creative programs, building strong partnerships and finding locally rooted ways to expand opportunity. The eSummit is a chance to share those ideas and experiences so others can learn from them and put them to work in their own communities.

We’re especially interested in hearing from rural libraries with insights to share on STEM programming, community partnerships, AI and other innovative practices.

Have a program, strategy, partnership or lesson learned that could benefit other rural library leaders? Consider submitting a proposal and adding your voice to the conversation.

Submit a session proposal: cvent.com/c/abstracts/648d2fa1-984c-47c7-9548-7ccfe28a4a12
Deadline: October 22

And don't forget: registration for the free eSummit is open!

🔗 Learn more & register: bit.ly/RLN2026
📅 December 2 | 11:30 AM-5:30 PM ET

Have an idea for a session at The Rural Summit 2027, but not sure if it’s the right fit?

Bring your questions to our upcoming office hours on Thursday, Oct. 1, from 1-2 PM ET.

🔗 Join office hours or submit a proposal: https://cvent.me/mrMa5A

Whether you’re wondering what makes a strong session or have questions about the submission process, this is your chance to connect with the Summit team before you submit.

We’re looking for sessions that give rural leaders practical ideas they can put to work, from tools and evidence-informed models to lessons learned in communities across the country. Presentations, panels, roundtables and workshops are all welcome, and we especially encourage sessions that get attendees involved and leave them with actionable takeaways.

Proposals are due by Friday, Oct. 30, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Help lead a conversation shaped by rural knowledge, experience and ideas.

Data and evidence are powerful tools for helping communities understand what’s working, make informed decisions and build stronger systems that put young people on a path to economic mobility.

That’s why we’re excited to support Results for America in the launch of its new book, Do What Works: Smarter Government, Better Results.

Through real-world bright spots and practical lessons, Do What Works explores how leaders can use evidence to turn ideas into action and deliver meaningful results for the people and communities they serve.

For rural leaders working across sectors, evidence can be a powerful tool for turning shared goals into measurable progress.

Add Do What Works to your fall reading list and grab your copy here: go.results4america.org/book-2026

Want to help shape a growing movement for rural communities?

The call for proposals for The Rural Summit 2027 is now open!

We’re looking for rural leaders, practitioners and partners to share the tools, insights and evidence-informed approaches making a difference in their communities, from early childhood and education to health, workforce development, community schools and beyond.

Breakout sessions will give attendees opportunities to learn from one another, exchange ideas and leave with strategies they can bring back to their own communities. Sessions can take the form of presentations, panels, roundtables or workshops, and we especially encourage interactive proposals with actionable takeaways.

📍 Omaha, Nebraska
📅 April 11-14, 2027

🔗 Submit your proposal: cvent.me/mrMa5A

Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis and are due Friday, Oct. 30. Join us in Omaha and help lead a national conversation.

Have an idea but aren’t sure if it’s the right fit? Join us for virtual office hours to ask questions about topics or the submission process:

📅 Oct. 1 | 1 PM ET | teams.microsoft.com/meet/289947713640463?p=CFxrxBZ4rAqmbL9Mzp

Arts help young people explore who they are, connect with their communities and imagine what’s possible for their futures.

That’s why arts education is part of PRI’s place-based work. In Appalachian Kentucky, the Appalachian Teaching Artist Fellowship invests in local artists while expanding opportunities for rural students to experience the arts.

This year, four regional artists — Cheryl Morris, Kellene Turner, Tiffany Beth Fricke and Kelcey Moore — are receiving paid professional development, mentorship from experienced teaching artists and hands-on experience bringing high-quality arts programming into rural schools.

Through workshops and practicum experiences, fellows will strengthen their skills as educators while working alongside students at schools in Eastern Kentucky.

It’s place-based work in action: recognizing community strengths and investing in local talent to create more opportunities for young people to learn and grow.

We can't wait to see these talented fellows create meaningful arts experiences for students across Appalachian Kentucky.

The Appalachian Teaching Artist Fellowship is facilitated by PRI and supported in part by awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Full-Service Community Schools program of the US Department of Education.

What does it take to lead a rural school district today?

PRI Senior Advisor Dr. Amon Couch joined Dr. Melissa Sadorf, Executive Director of the National Rural Education Association, on the latest episode of The Rural Scoop to talk about the many roles rural superintendents play, from instructional leader and community convener to crisis manager and advocate.

Drawing on his own experience as a rural superintendent, Amon shares lessons on building strong cross-sector partnerships, creating cradle-to-career opportunities, navigating crises and advocating for the programs, systems and funding rural young people need to thrive.

His experience reflects what we see across rural America: rural communities have the leadership to build stronger futures for their young people. When that local expertise is matched with strong partnerships and sustained investment, communities can build the systems and opportunities that put more young people on a path to economic mobility.

It’s rural brilliance in action and an example of what it means to work for rural, with rural.

Watch or listen:
YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=TqW2RTmqA9w
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/5BQ3YUVyXhm1X7RrBhj4k9

Thank you to Dr. Melissa Sadorf and NREA for the conversation and for continuing to elevate rural voices and leadership!

Grants people and finance people don’t always speak the same language. Johna Rodgers, GPC, has learned that the hard way.

PRI’s Vice President of Funding Infrastructure recently shared lessons from 30 years of bridging that divide during a National Grants Management Association (NGMA) webinar that drew more than 1,000 registrants.

Following the session, NGMA invited Johna to share some of her biggest takeaways from 30 years of working between the two worlds.

From finding your organization’s “grants-lator” to knowing when to ditch the email and make the call, Johna shares practical ways teams can communicate better, build trust and avoid costly mistakes.

Read “Bridging the Language Barrier Across Departments: Five Things I Wish I’d Known Before Finance Made Me Cry” by Johna Rodgers from the National Grants Management Association:

Bridging the Language Barrier Across Departments: Five Things I Wish I'd Known Before Finance Made Me Cry - NGMA I recently spoke to NGMA members about a subject near and dear to my battle-scarred heart: Getting grants people and finance people to speak the same language across their respective hallways and tasks. I’ve spent 30 years and raised $400+ million while living between these two departments, and I ...

Strong place-based partnerships depend on leaders who can bring people across sectors together around a shared vision for their communities.

The EdRedesign Fellowship for Cradle-to-Career Partnership Leaders is designed to prepare rural leaders to build and lead those partnerships by strengthening the skills, relationships and collaboration that make locally driven change possible.

Applications for the 18-month, tuition-free Fellowship are now open!

📅 Apply by Oct. 6, 2026

Learn more below.

Applications are now open for the EdRedesign Fellowship for Cradle-to-Career Partnership Leaders!

This 18-month, tuition-free Fellowship is designed for new and aspiring leaders of cradle-to-career place-based partnerships who are committed to advancing equity and expanding opportunity for children, youth, and families.

Through immersive learning, executive coaching, peer networking, and real-world application, Fellows will strengthen their ability to:

🌐 Lead across sectors, programs, and cradle-to-career models
📊 Use data while authentically centering youth and family voice
🤝 Align human, financial, and technical resources around shared goals
🧭 Lead partners without formal authority

The Fellowship includes in-person cohort convenings, virtual learning sessions, peer learning groups, StriveTogether Training Hub modules, executive coaching, mentoring, and a community-based project.

The Fellowship is grounded in real-world practice and created in partnership with Partners for Rural Impact, Purpose Built Communities, StriveTogether, and the William Julius Wilson Institute at Harlem Children's Zone.

⏰ Applications are due Tuesday, October 6, 2026, by 11:59 p.m.

Learn more and apply: https://bit.ly/C2C-Fellowship-Application-2026