Podcasts about rural innovation

In this episode of Work in Progress, I head to CES 2025 to explore how tech innovations are creating more job opportunities and economic mobility in Rural America, and how they are transforming farming. I caught up with Matt Dunne, founder and executive director of Center on Rural Innovation, and Jeff Runde, engineering director at AgTech giant John Deere, who share their insights in this episode. Rural America: Center on Rural Innovation is Creating Tech Companies The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) is working to close the technology opportunity gap in Rural America by helping communities develop technology jobs and innovation-based companies. "The biggest challenge for rural founders and aspiring rural technologists is isolation," says Dunne. "It's really nothing else. It's not their capacity, their tenacity, or even their innovative ideas, it's being able to connect them to the advisors that can give them the information that they need to be able to be successful, as you might find in a Palo Alto or a Cambridge, Massachusetts." Dunne explains that for the past eight years CORI has been helping attract venture capital to founders in towns in Rural America. In the podcast, he details how that work has transformed Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and Winston, North Carolina, creating good-paying tech jobs. Rural America: AgTech is Changing Farming At CES, I also saw firsthand how tech is changing the agricultural industry. The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates there are roughly 2.4 million farm jobs that need to be filled annually. Runde showed me John Deere's new driverless tractor, the Autonomous 9RX Tractor, which he says can help the American farmer plan, plant, and harvest their crops. It's huge and combines advanced computer vision, AI, and cameras to help the machines navigate their environments. In the podcast, Runde explains how farmers can operate the controls from a mobile device and what it means for productivity and the economy in Rural America. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 349: Matt Dunne, founder and executive director, Center on Rural Innovation, and Jeff Runde, engineering director, John DeereHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this replay episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Jessica Morrison, the Executive Director of Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative, one of the partners in the newly established Career Launch Southwest initiative, which serves as a vital link between employers and the workforce of the future. She was previously the Director of Career and College Counseling at Animas High School in Durango for six years. In June 2021, the school won the Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) Award from the Colorado Department of Education for its Sophomore Inspire Week program.This episode concludes our series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.This is the final episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.Some Questions I Ask:Tell us more about Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative. (01:21)How do you create partnerships? (04:39)What are the challenges and successes in working with higher education partner institutions? (07:50)What is your funding model and how do you make it work for school districts? (11:51)What are the credentials you are currently offering to high school students and what are the outcomes of the program? (15:22)What advice can you give to leaders about starting the collaboration process? (24:30)How are you sharing your success stories? (30:14)In This Episode, You Will Learn:All about the Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative (01:34)Southwest Colorado Educational Collaborative's partnerships (04:56)Challenges and successes in higher ed partnerships (08:14)Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative's funding model (12:07)Credentials and outcomes of the program (15:53)Advice to leaders interested in collaborating on workforce development(25:17)Strategies for sharing success stories and elevating thought leadership in education (30:40)Quotes:“I want all of your listeners to understand that these pieces take time—this is not for a school district that is faint of heart. I've worked in K-12 institutions as well as on the federal government side, and I know how important data is. What are the numbers? How many students are earning industry credentials? But laying the groundwork takes years, so it's looking at all of the different components to then determine what are the steps that need to be put in place along the way.”“As you're building out this dream of consolidating resources in order to do more or bring more to a region, you can also be doing some more low-hanging fruit like priming students to be ready, which pushes your partners to get to the place of shared courses.”Stay in touch with Jobs for the Future:Career Launch Southwest WebsiteSouthwest Colorado Education Collaborative WebsiteEmail: info@swcoedcollaborative.orgStay in touch with Sarah Williamson:Free Case Study GuideSWPR GROUP WebsiteLinkedInStay in touch with Chad Bolser:LinkedInAbout "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:Transformational Leadership Secret websitePurchase the print or ebook

Friday (September 20) is the final deadline for early-stage female entrepreneurs in rural areas to apply for the 10th cycle of the ACORNS business development programme. ACORNS is this year celebrating the 10th anniversary of the initiative, which is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, under its Rural Innovation and Development Fund. Charlie McConalogue T.D., Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, launched the latest cycle of the programme last month. As in previous years, there has been significant interest in the programme, but there is still time for those interested to apply for one of the 50 available places. The deadline for applications is midnight on Friday, September 20. ACORNS 10 is completely free to those selected to participate. It will run from October 2024 to April 2025 and will include six monthly round table sessions, a workshop on understanding financials, and briefings by various business development agencies. All round table sessions are facilitated by a Lead Entrepreneur, who has first-hand experience of starting successfully growing a business in rural Ireland. A survey carried out at the end of the last cycle, ACORNS 9, revealed that participants increased their total turnover over the course of the six-month programme by €1.2m, from €2.8m to €4m (+43%). All participants surveyed said that they would recommend participating in ACORNS to others. Participants also reported doubling their total workforce to 133, with 59 full-time and 74 part-time staff employed at the end of the cycle - an increase of 67. There were also four new exporters over the cycle. Any woman with a new business based in rural Ireland - or an idea for a new venture they want to get off the ground - can get more information and register to receive an application form at www.acorns.ie. Based on a belief that entrepreneurs learn best from each other, ACORNS is centred on interactive round table sessions facilitated by successful female entrepreneurs who have started and grown businesses in rural Ireland. These are known as ACORNS Lead Entrepreneurs, and they give their time free of charge to encourage and support the new business owners. Each of the Lead Entrepreneurs give their time to the programme on a voluntary basis, as they believe in the philosophy of 'entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs'. This year's voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs are Alison Ritchie, Polar Ice; Caroline Reidy, The HR Suite; Eimer Hannon, Hannon Travel; Larissa Feeney, Kinore; Mary B Walsh, Ire Wel Pallets; and Triona MacGiolla Rí, Aró Digital Strategies. Fitzsimons Consulting, which specialises in entrepreneurship and growth, developed the initiative. Founder Paula Fitzsimons says: "ACORNS 9 produced positive results for the early-stage entrepreneurs who took part in the programme. Participants' total revenues increased by more than 40% during the six-month cycle, while the total workforce doubled to 133. We're grateful for the support of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and his Department as we continue our mission to provide appropriate tailored support to enterprising women in rural Ireland." Eligibility Criteria for Participation on ACORNS To be considered for ACORNS, applicants must: Have set up a new business which has generated sales no earlier than the end of June 2021 or be actively planning a new venture and have made good progress towards getting the new venture off the ground. Indicators of actively planning a business would include organising the start-up team, sourcing equipment / facilities, money saved for the start-up, writing the business plan, etc. They must own or part-own the business and be living in a rural area, that is in an area outside the administrative city boundaries of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. If selected, applicants must be available to attend the launch Forum and first round table session on October 21 and 22, 2024. They must expect to become an employer w...

Niamh Dooley on her business venture Biasol and being a participant of the ACORNS programme which is funded through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine. Visit Acorns.ie if interested, the deadline to apply is September 20th.

In this episode of Work in Progress, Josh Elder, vice president and head of grantmaking for Siegel Family Endowment, joins me to discuss the importance of tech connectivity in creating access and opportunity to jobs in rural America. We also talk about the overall impact technology is having on society, education, and the way we do our jobs. For more than 10 years, the Siegel Family Endowment, a private family foundation, has supported a wide range of grantees that are focused on understanding and shaping the impact of emerging technology on society. Of late that conversation has be more and more about artificial intelligence. "The way that we've been thinking about it is understanding how AI is impacting work today, both in terms of the impact it is having on employers, but – and this is where we want to elevate this conversation – the impact of AI on workers," Elder explains. He says the big questions they are examining with their grantees are whether AI is being done to workers or is AI being done with workers. "Oftentimes when you hear about AI in the workforce, everyone immediately jumps to thinking about is AI going to replace people? Is AI going to displace people and reduce jobs? And we know we've seen some of the early stats and some of that is happening." He adds that as AI tools and products continuing to evolve, it is important to make certain the workers' voice is being listened to and integrated into those tools "to really mitigate some of the harms and the bias that we unfortunately are seeing day-to-day with more and more emerging technology taking place and impacting workers, especially marginalized workers in the workforce." Early on, our conversation in the podcast turns to jobs in rural America and the importance of access to a solid tech infrastructure, connectivity, and broadband. "If you don't even have the fundamental elements of connectivity, you're already facing obstacles and challenges that are putting you behind. That's something that we've really been looking at – especially in places like rural America – to really create the connectivity and digital infrastructure that's needed to then connect to both the physical and social infrastructure that you're going to (need) in the workforce," says Elder. As rural America faces a "brain drain" of younger adults moving out of their communities to find jobs, that digital infrastructure takes on more importance. "I speak as someone who grew up in rural America. I felt like I had to move out in order to be able to find the opportunities or pursue opportunities for things that I was interested in. I know some of that, unfortunately, is still the case. "What we are trying to do, especially with CORI (Center on Rural Innovation) and others, is look at how can you create a rural innovation ecosystem and hubs that can provide more opportunities, either for entrepreneurship or for other companies to be developed, that can actually support and provide opportunities for citizens there and also grow talent pipelines. "There's amazing talent that exists in these rural communities. They often just don't have connection to the opportunities to be able to build out for success. We're really interested in looking at the connection between education, workforce, and infrastructure needed to be able to scale these opportunities at a rapid rate," says Elder. Josh Elder goes into much more details on how Siegel Family Endowment is working with grantees to address these issues, the importance of building equitable access to jobs and education, and how we all should have a voice in tech's impact on society. You can listen to the podcast here, or get it wherever you get your podcasts. Episode 329: Josh Elder, vice president & head of grantmaking, Siegel Family EndowmentHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Tr...

In this replay episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Aaron Black. He is currently the Superintendent at Randolph Eastern School Corporation in Union City, Indiana, and is spearheading the Rural Alliance Zone 32. Aaron was named a semifinalist for the Yass Innovation Prize 2023 from the Yass Center for Education (formerly the Center for Education Reform). The prize recognizes leaders in sustainable, transformational, outstanding, and permissionless education.This is the third episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.Some Questions I Ask:Tell us something about yourself and Randolph Eastern. (02:22)What do you do in Randolph Eastern and what trends do you see on a national scale? (05:47)What made you decide to start the Rural Alliance Zone 32? (07:32)What is your funding model and how would you advise other superintendents about joining a collaborative? (09:16)What credentials students are looking for and what are you offering? (11:31)What are students' experiences within your program? (15:15)What are your goals in the next five years? (18:33)How do you share your story? (20:10)In This Episode, You Will Learn:All about Aaron Black (02:35)His role at Randolph Eastern and trends he sees (06:02)The start of rural collaboratives in Randolph County (07:59)His advice to other superintendents about joining rural collaboratives and about funding models (09:39)Credentials students look for and what Randolph Eastern offers (11:57)Student experiences with the program (15:46)Goals in the next five years (18:48)How to emulate the way Aaron shares his story (20:22)Quotes:“We start with kindergarteners, taking career exploration trips and being very intentional about getting them out in front of employers and learning how the world works. We do that with every grade level, and it culminates at the high school.”“We know [students] have their skills and interests, right? We know what their passions are. But we're not telling them, ‘Hey, you're going to be a nurse your entire life.' We're saying, ‘Hey, check out this health care pathway. It may be a perfect fit for you.'”“Success looks like student participation and access. … The win is in five years if the numbers multiply five times by student participation and if we continue to attract schools to help us figure out this access issue.“Stay in touch with Aaron:LinkedInTwitterThe UC Experience PodcastWebsiteStay in touch with Sarah Williamson:Free Case Study GuideSWPR GROUP WebsiteLinkedInStay in touch with Chad Bolser:LinkedInAbout "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:Transformational Leadership Secret websitePurchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Lauren Marie Hall Riggins, a senior manager at Empower Schools, a national nonprofit that partners with communities and educators to reimagine local education systems. Lauren is currently the Director of Youth Poet Laureate at VOICES Corporation, an organization offering culturally sustaining programs for young people, where she also serves as a board member and consultant. She is an experienced educator, researcher, and nonprofit leader with many notable achievements.This is the second episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.Some Questions I Ask:Can you tell us more about Empower Schools? (01:34)What workforce issues are being addressed in the traditional CTE space? (04:04)What opportunities have you developed with higher education partners, and what challenges have you encountered? (07:05)How do you address funding in K-12 education collaboratives? (10:54)What credentials are you looking to offer in these collaborations, and how do they enhance students' futures? (14:19)How do the collaborations address student transportation? (19:21)What are your goals in rural collaboratives, and do you have to be rural to be part of them? (25:08)What other places across the country have built impressive collaborations to support students? (28:43)How do you share your powerful story of success? (31:33)In This Episode, You Will Learn:All about Empower Schools (01:46)Workforce issues traditional CTE addresses (04:19)Opportunities and challenges with higher education partners (07:35)Strategies for funding K-12 collaboratives (11:09)Pros and cons of credentials (15:41)Creative approaches to student transportation (19:34)Aspirational goals for education collaboratives anywhere (25:29)Which other states have built impressive collaborations (29:02)How Lauren shares her organization's success (31:49)Quotes:“I joke with my friends in the education innovation scene—excuse my language if we can't use this term—but someone needs to make transportation sexy. Why is no one innovating transportation?.”“We've created a situation where we have thousands and thousands of students across the country who have insane amounts of post-secondary debt and no real career prospects. … Post-secondary is important, but let's marry it with very intentional academic supports and a clear path that kids have explored and feel good about—and that leads to a family-sustaining wage.”“Rural collaboratives are a really unique way of maintaining community identity and collective efficacy, the sense that a group of people feel like they can do something well together, take care of their kids, [and] create a really strong regional economy.”Stay in touch with Lauren:LinkedInEmail: lhallriggins@empowerschools.orgStay in touch with Sarah Williamson:Free Case Study GuideSWPR GROUP WebsiteLinkedInStay in touch with Chad Bolser:LinkedInAbout "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:Transformational Leadership Secret websitePurchase the print or ebook

In this replay episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Michael Gonzalez, executive director of the Rural Schools Innovation Zone out of Premont,Texas. He was also a former principal at Premont Collegiate High School. This is the first episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.Some Questions I Ask:What is the Rural Schools Innovation Zone? (01:16)Please tell us more about the three school corporations involved. (07:06)What are the challenges and successes in dealing with the higher education system? (09:27)How do you recommend the funding model to other education organizations and districts? (12:58)What are the outcomes of the zone and how are you growing this? (16:59)How do you address the potential barrier of transportation? (22:01)What about other logistics like bell schedules? (24:12)What advice can you give to school leaders about starting a real collaborative? (26:08)How do you share your story to the community and the whole educational sphere? (27:45)In This Episode, You Will Learn:All about the Rural Schools Innovation Zone (01:31)The participating schools (07:41)The successes and challenges in dealing with the higher education system (09:49)Recommendations for the funding model (13:10)Student outcomes and growth (17:31)Ideas for handling transportation  (22:10)Making the logistics work (24:48)Mike's advice to school leaders looking to start a collaborative (26:17)His way of sharing this story to the community (27:59)Quotes:“Be a champion for your community. Be a champion for the kids that are there that are underserved for a wide variety of reasons, whether it be resources or parity or scarcity, whatever the right word is. The local champions need to come to the forefront [and] advocate for the right things to do for kids. Start with your local school boards, your principals, your students, your superintendents, and then take it to the next step from there.”“You can live in your community and take advantage of other resources and other programs away from your community but come back and still have community pride.”“I'm trying to get to those organizations that reach the older members of the community that don't have kids in school so they can understand what we're doing, because they're the ones going out and voting.”Stay in touch with Michael:RSISZ WebsiteLinkedInEmail: mgonzalez@thersisz.orgText: (361)-522-0261Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:Free Case Study GuideSWPR GROUP WebsiteLinkedInStay in touch with Sarah Williamson:Free Case Study GuideSWPR GROUP WebsiteLinkedInStay in touch with Chad Bolser:LinkedInAbout "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:Transformational Leadership Secret websitePurchase the print or ebook

In this edition of Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast Don Macke with e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems hosts Matt Dunne, the founder and Executive Director of the Center on Rural Innovation. Matt is a leading rural development thought leader, innovator and practitioner working across the United States. This podcast edition focuses on Matt's personal journey into this work, and an exploration of the Center's work and resources. The Center's mission is our best promo for this podcast… “Advancing economic prosperity in rural America through the creation of inclusive tech economy ecosystems that support scalable entrepreneurship and tech job creation.”

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Jessica Morrison, the Executive Director of Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative, one of the partners in the newly established Career Launch Southwest initiative, which serves as a vital link between employers and the workforce of the future. She was previously the Director of Career and College Counseling at Animas High School in Durango for six years. In June 2021, the school won the Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) Award from the Colorado Department of Education for its Sophomore Inspire Week program.This episode concludes our series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.This is the final episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.Some Questions I Ask:Tell us more about Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative. (01:21)How do you create partnerships? (04:39)What are the challenges and successes in working with higher education partner institutions? (07:50)What is your funding model and how do you make it work for school districts? (11:51)What are the credentials you are currently offering to high school students and what are the outcomes of the program? (15:22)What advice can you give to leaders about starting the collaboration process? (24:30)How are you sharing your success stories? (30:14)In This Episode, You Will Learn:All about the Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative (01:34)Southwest Colorado Educational Collaborative's partnerships (04:56)Challenges and successes in higher ed partnerships (08:14)Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative's funding model (12:07)Credentials and outcomes of the program (15:53)Advice to leaders interested in collaborating on workforce development(25:17)Strategies for sharing success stories and elevating thought leadership in education (30:40)Quotes:“I want all of your listeners to understand that these pieces take time—this is not for a school district that is faint of heart. I've worked in K-12 institutions as well as on the federal government side, and I know how important data is. What are the numbers? How many students are earning industry credentials? But laying the groundwork takes years, so it's looking at all of the different components to then determine what are the steps that need to be put in place along the way.”“As you're building out this dream of consolidating resources in order to do more or bring more to a region, you can also be doing some more low-hanging fruit like priming students to be ready, which pushes your partners to get to the place of shared courses.”Stay in touch with Jobs for the Future:Career Launch Southwest WebsiteSouthwest Colorado Education Collaborative WebsiteEmail: info@swcoedcollaborative.orgStay in touch with Sarah Williamson:Free Case Study GuideSWPR GROUP WebsiteLinkedInStay in touch with Chad Bolser:LinkedInAbout "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:Transformational Leadership Secret websitePurchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Aaron Black. He is currently the Superintendent at Randolph Eastern School Corporation in Union City, Indiana, and is spearheading the Rural Alliance Zone 32. Aaron was named a semifinalist for the Yass Innovation Prize 2023 from the Yass Center for Education (formerly the Center for Education Reform). The prize recognizes leaders in sustainable, transformational, outstanding, and permissionless education.This is the third episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.Some Questions I Ask:Tell us something about yourself and Randolph Eastern. (02:22)What do you do in Randolph Eastern and what trends do you see on a national scale? (05:47)What made you decide to start the Rural Alliance Zone 32? (07:32)What is your funding model and how would you advise other superintendents about joining a collaborative? (09:16)What credentials students are looking for and what are you offering? (11:31)What are students' experiences within your program? (15:15)What are your goals in the next five years? (18:33)How do you share your story? (20:10)In This Episode, You Will Learn:All about Aaron Black (02:35)His role at Randolph Eastern and trends he sees (06:02)The start of rural collaboratives in Randolph County (07:59)His advice to other superintendents about joining rural collaboratives and about funding models (09:39)Credentials students look for and what Randolph Eastern offers (11:57)Student experiences with the program (15:46)Goals in the next five years (18:48)How to emulate the way Aaron shares his story (20:22)Quotes:“We start with kindergarteners, taking career exploration trips and being very intentional about getting them out in front of employers and learning how the world works. We do that with every grade level, and it culminates at the high school.”“We know [students] have their skills and interests, right? We know what their passions are. But we're not telling them, ‘Hey, you're going to be a nurse your entire life.' We're saying, ‘Hey, check out this health care pathway. It may be a perfect fit for you.'”“Success looks like student participation and access. … The win is in five years if the numbers multiply five times by student participation and if we continue to attract schools to help us figure out this access issue.“Stay in touch with Aaron:LinkedInTwitterThe UC Experience PodcastWebsiteStay in touch with Sarah Williamson:Free Case Study GuideSWPR GROUP WebsiteLinkedInStay in touch with Chad Bolser:LinkedInAbout "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:Transformational Leadership Secret websitePurchase the print or ebook

On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast Shawnee Caruthers is joined by Michael Gonzalez, Executive Director of Rural Schools Innovation Zone, a first-of-its-kind partnership made up of five school districts and five institutions of higher education in South Texas that, like our New Pathways campaign, help students find success in what's next.  Links: Rural Schools Innovation Zone Michael Gonzalez LinkedIn Progressive Policy Institute  

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Lauren Marie Hall Riggins, a senior manager at Empower Schools, a national nonprofit that partners with communities and educators to reimagine local education systems. Lauren is currently the Director of Youth Poet Laureate at VOICES Corporation, an organization offering culturally sustaining programs for young people, where she also serves as a board member and consultant. She is an experienced educator, researcher, and nonprofit leader with many notable achievements. This is the second episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.Some Questions I Ask:Can you tell us more about Empower Schools? (01:34)What workforce issues are being addressed in the traditional CTE space? (04:04)What opportunities have you developed with higher education partners, and what challenges have you encountered? (07:05)How do you address funding in K-12 education collaboratives? (10:54)What credentials are you looking to offer in these collaborations, and how do they enhance students' futures? (14:19)How do the collaborations address student transportation? (19:21)What are your goals in rural collaboratives, and do you have to be rural to be part of them? (25:08)What other places across the country have built impressive collaborations to support students? (28:43)How do you share your powerful story of success? (31:33)In This Episode, You Will Learn:All about Empower Schools (01:46)Workforce issues traditional CTE addresses (04:19)Opportunities and challenges with higher education partners (07:35)Strategies for funding K-12 collaboratives (11:09)Pros and cons of credentials (15:41)Creative approaches to student transportation (19:34)Aspirational goals for education collaboratives anywhere (25:29)Which other states have built impressive collaborations (29:02)How Lauren shares her organization's success (31:49)Quotes:“I joke with my friends in the education innovation scene—excuse my language if we can't use this term—but someone needs to make transportation sexy. Why is no one innovating transportation?.”“We've created a situation where we have thousands and thousands of students across the country who have insane amounts of post-secondary debt and no real career prospects. … Post-secondary is important, but let's marry it with very intentional academic supports and a clear path that kids have explored and feel good about—and that leads to a family-sustaining wage.”“Rural collaboratives are a really unique way of maintaining community identity and collective efficacy, the sense that a group of people feel like they can do something well together, take care of their kids, [and] create a really strong regional economy.”Stay in touch with Lauren:LinkedInEmail: lhallriggins@empowerschools.orgStay in touch with Sarah Williamson:Free Case Study GuideSWPR GROUP WebsiteLinkedInStay in touch with Chad Bolser:LinkedInAbout "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:Transformational Leadership Secret websitePurchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Michael Gonzalez, executive director of the Rural Schools Innovation Zone out of Premont,Texas. He was also a former principal at Premont Collegiate High School. This is the first episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.Some Questions I Ask:What is the Rural Schools Innovation Zone? (01:16)Please tell us more about the three school corporations involved. (07:06)What are the challenges and successes in dealing with the higher education system? (09:27)How do you recommend the funding model to other education organizations and districts? (12:58)What are the outcomes of the zone and how are you growing this? (16:59)How do you address the potential barrier of transportation? (22:01)What about other logistics like bell schedules? (24:12)What advice can you give to school leaders about starting a real collaborative? (26:08)How do you share your story to the community and the whole educational sphere? (27:45)In This Episode, You Will Learn:All about the Rural Schools Innovation Zone (01:31)The participating schools (07:41)The successes and challenges in dealing with the higher education system (09:49)Recommendations for the funding model (13:10)Student outcomes and growth (17:31)Ideas for handling transportation  (22:10)Making the logistics work (24:48)Mike's advice to school leaders looking to start a collaborative (26:17)His way of sharing this story to the community (27:59)Quotes:“Be a champion for your community. Be a champion for the kids that are there that are underserved for a wide variety of reasons, whether it be resources or parity or scarcity, whatever the right word is. The local champions need to come to the forefront [and] advocate for the right things to do for kids. Start with your local school boards, your principals, your students, your superintendents, and then take it to the next step from there.”“You can live in your community and take advantage of other resources and other programs away from your community but come back and still have community pride.”“I'm trying to get to those organizations that reach the older members of the community that don't have kids in school so they can understand what we're doing, because they're the ones going out and voting.”Stay in touch with Michael:RSISZ WebsiteLinkedInEmail: mgonzalez@thersisz.orgText: (361)-522-0261Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:Free Case Study GuideSWPR GROUP WebsiteLinkedInStay in touch with Chad Bolser:LinkedInAbout "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:Transformational Leadership Secret websitePurchase the print or ebook

George Halford talks with Michael Aikens, Director of Center for Rural Innovation at Tennessee Tech. Michael talks about getting his since of entrepreneurship in high school, applying for an ad in a local paper and it leading to his current role in economic development, and helping the more rural counties throughout the state with their tourism branding Listen to the latest Local Matters Podcast… Presented by Office Mart Visit them at 215 S Jefferson Ave in Cookeville to see what they can do for your office News Talk 94.1 · Presented By Office Mart

Ben Rodgers meets with Jodi Pitts, from the Center of Rural Innovation and the BRC's Program Director. They look at Jodi's role with the Center of Rural Innovation at Tennessee Tech, how long the BRC has been around with services that help small business owners, and her role in helping SPDC with interns that are focused on accounting and marketing. Listen to the latest Local Matters Podcast… Presented by Office Mart. Visit them at 215 S Jefferson Ave in Cookeville to see what they can do for your office News Talk 94.1 · Presented By Office Mart

Today, we're headed to Vermont to hear stories about extraordinary rural communities throughout the US.Austin Danforth is the chief storyteller in charge at the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI), not that he would call himself that. But I definitely do.Austin is putting his prior career as a sports reporter and photographer to use to reshape the narrative around tech ecosystems, innovation, and entrepreneurship in rural America.Austin and the team at CORI have produced the incredible video series The Rural Edge, as well as community case studies, reports, and tools that I, personally, have found super useful in my own work developing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Shenandoah Valley.Naturally, I wanted to get Austin on the show to share with us how CORI does what they do, and how they do it so well. He's spilling the beans on the process of developing stories, how it differs from his life as a journalist, and how and why CORI has committed funding and resources to telling these vital stories.Austin Danforth is a native Vermonter who spent more than a decade as a sportswriter and photographer before jumping into nonprofit communications with the Center on Rural Innovation. He's an avid storyteller and connection-maker who loves to experience new places and figure out what makes them tick. Listen to the full episode to hear: How Austin thinks about shaping narratives and making CORI's work meaningful and accessible  Why it's been vital for CORI to partner with funders who believe in their mission to change the narrative about rural entrepreneurship The tightrope walk between audience and engagement in storytelling How Austin and CORI think about metrics and return on investment for storytelling work Learn More About Austin Danforth: Center on Rural Innovation Twitter: @eadanforth Connect with Austin on LinkedIn Learn More About Anika Horn: Website: www.socialventurers.com  Instagram: SocialVenturers Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator Resources: Wright Thompson Tim Layden The Rural Edge EcoMap Technologies

Tiffany Anton sits down with Andrea Kruskza from Tennessee Tech's Center for Rural Innovation. The duo discusses what the Center for Rural Innovation is, how owning her own business has helped her grow as an employee in other jobs, and the importance of Eagle Works as it highlights entrepreneurship and helping kids develop a business. Listen to the latest Local Matters Podcast… Presented by Office Mart. Visit them at 215 S Jefferson Ave in Cookeville to see what they can do for your office News Talk 94.1 · Presented By Office Mart

Magaly Blas (Mamás del Río) and Molly Pyle (Center on Rural Innovation) share their efforts to improve maternal and newborn health and provide technology entrepreneurship opportunities in rural communities. This discussion was recorded during the “Innovations for Remote Communities” session of S/GWI's virtual event, The Innovation Station: Frontiers, on March 9, 2023, and is moderated by Dr. Aubrey Paris, S/GWI Senior Policy Advisor. (The views expressed in this episode are those of the featured innovators and do not necessarily reflect the views of S/GWI, the Department of State, or the U.S. Government.)  

37. ROAD TRIP: Bridging the Digital Divide – published 1/30/23 Grace Simrall (City of Louisville), Ana Chammas (County of Miami-Dade), and Breyana Ray (Center on Rural Innovation) use their public sector and nonprofit experiences to reflect on efforts to overcome the digital divide, especially for marginalized communities. This discussion was recorded during the “Bridging the Digital Divide” session of The Innovation Station ROAD TRIP: Fort Worth, a virtual event convened by S/GWI and the State Department Subnational Diplomacy Unit on October 28, 2022, and is moderated by Delphi Cleaveland, S/GWI Special Assistant. (The views expressed in this episode are those of the featured innovators and do not necessarily reflect the views of S/GWI, the Department of State, or the U.S. Government.)

Today on Vermont Viewpoint, Pat McDonald hosts! Up first, she'll speak Matt Dunn, the founder and director of Center on Rural Innovation. They'll talk about “Unleashing the Potential of Rural America”. Kicking off the second half of the show, she'll speak with Elliott Greenblott of the AARP Fraud Watch. And lastly, she'll speak with Amy White, the Vice President of M&T Bank. They'll talk bout M&T bank and its Holiday Cards Challenge for our Military.

In October's VermontBiz you'll see why the future is rural as we profile Matt Dunne and the non-profit Center on Rural Innovation. Dunne is one of the leaders in a growing national movement to develop rural entrepreneurship and help end the digital divide. The non-profit has helped communities raise $18 million to help towns manifest their visions. VermontBiz focuses on Travel and Tourism with a look at an optimistic forecast for the ski industry. Last year was strong and with the easing of restrictions on the Canadian border, enthusiasm is high! Our Economic Report shows economic indicators improving in Bennington County, where business owners are basking in the “great national migration” to Bennington. We also introduce you to the mother daughter duo behind Vivace Vermont. Learn how Sophia Manzi , a painter, and her mother Gail Borden, a quilter, combined their talents to create wearable art (and vibrant homegoods). All this and more is in the October Issue of VermontBiz. Serious Business, serious news. For a subscription, call 802-863-8038 or go to vermontbiz.com/subscribe.

On this episode of the Future of America podcast, Rachel Riley sits down with Matt Dunne of the Center on Rural Innovation to discuss the challenges and opportunities related to economic development in Rural America. Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 33:22) >

Read more > Listen to the podcast (duration: 33:22) > On this episode of the Future of America podcast, Rachel Riley sits down with Matt Dunne of the Center on Rural Innovation to discuss the challenges and opportunities related to economic development in Rural America.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this fourth installment of the fabulous series we're doing in collaboration with and supported by the Ascendium Education Group, Michelle interviews three professionals with hands-on experience collaborating with employers to help rural learners: Dani Douglas, a Research and Policy Associate at the Center on Rural Innovation; Dr. John Fitzsimmons, President of The Foundation for Maine's Community Colleges; and Joshua Howe, Deputy Executive Director for Workforce Training and Remote Working for the Maine Community College System. Douglas discusses why rural places should care about having tech jobs and businesses in their communities and success stories in rural areas. Fitzsimmons talks about the role of the Maine Advisory Council on remote work and the importance of certification in this space. Howe provides an overview of the Remote Work for Maine program, and the kinds of jobs for which workers are being trained. This episode and the entire six-part series is sponsored by the Ascendium Education Group, whose philanthropy aims to remove systemic barriers faced by certain learners, specifically first-generation students, incarcerated adults, veterans, students of color, and rural community members. For more information, visit ascendiumphilanthropy.org   

The rural landscape known as the Pennsylvania Wilds covers approximately 25% of the state's land acreage, yet is home to just 4% of the population. The former lumber capital of the world boasts 29 state parks, eight state forests, two National Wild and Scenic Rivers, some of the darkest skies in the country, and the largest elk herd in the northeast. It is also home to hundreds of small businesses — both those you'd expect (outdoor recreation outfitters and woodworkers) and those that might surprise you, such as high tech manufacturing and artisanal printing. We spoke with Ta Enos, founder and CEO of The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship about her long relationship with the area, and how an exciting partnership with Ben Franklin Technology Partners provides an additional boost to local innovators.

Be sure to sign up for our Smart Update newsletter to get a weekly round up of what's innovative in learning.  On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast Nate McClennen is joined by Kim Alexander and Alton Frailey from Collegiate Edu Nation (CEN).  Kim is the CEO of Collegiate Edu Nation and has spent most of his career at Roscoe Independent School District where he served as superintendent from 2003 to 2019 before transitioning to lead CEN. Kim has done so much in Roscoe to promote early college and STEM to support disadvantaged rural students. Alton has been in the education world for 35 years, serving as a superintendent for two districts in Texas and one in Ohio. Alton is involved in numerous boards and community organizations both locally and nationally. and He is currently President of Alton L. Frailey & Associates, LLC, specializing in leadership development, community engagement, school board team building, and executive coaching. Let's listen in as they discuss rural innovation in Texas schools and more about CEN. 

In this episode Will and Neil sit down with Sandi Curd, Promise Zone Coordinator for the Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation (KHIC).  Listen as she talks about the key to coordination for the Promise Zone (1st Rural Promise Zone in the U.S.) and the innovative approaches of the KHIC in Appalachia.   In addition, find out how Appalachia dominates the FBS!  Oh yeah, you'll also get to hear about Neil's chickens...yet again.  

Ryan and Josef talk about the importance of startup communities and the importance of innovation in rural communities, including St. Cloud, MN. Molly shares her experience working with incubators, builders, and startups with Singularity University and how that led to her position as the Entrepreneur Ecosystem Development Lead at CORI, where she works with communities to build the infrastructure necessary to help entrepreneurs succeed. Molly paints a picture of a rural America in decline, and explains the transformative value generated by tech startups and productive tech startup ecosystems.    She explains that the key to any ecosystem is putting the entrepreneur at the center, and calls out Red Wing as a startup community that is really executing- as well as every rural community they work with. "That's the stories that need to be told. Those are the underdogs that we need to be uplifting. Those are the people flying under the radar that I could talk about all day." "We have so much more to go as a country in terms of entrepreneurship, in terms of innovation than just what we see in these five major metro areas."

On this episode, we hear from Matt Dunne, founder and executive director of the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI), a nonprofit action tank that started in 2017 to close the rural opportunity gap for broadband services. We discuss the impact the digital divide has had on the rural US over the past 20+ years and how the Center on Rural Innovation works with communities to help them build out broadband, among other things. In addition, we discuss why rural America does need fiber infrastructure, despite what some industry stakeholders would have you believe, and which state and federal policies are and are not working when it comes to helping rural communities get connected.

The 7th episode of “Ideas for the Future of Vermont” focuses on “Strengthening Business Vitality by Advancing Entrepreneurship, Investment, Workforce and Rural Innovation”. The panel guests are: Jon Copans, Program Director, Vermont Council on Rural Development; Monique Priestley, the Founder […] The post Ideas For The Future Of Vermont – Strengthen Business Vitality and Innovation – Podcast 05.06.21 appeared first on GNAT.

CDI 2021 Keynote Speaker Matt Dunne of the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) joins us to share insights about himself, his organization, and how every small town can unlock its potential using innovation as a key. CORI uses progressive public, private, and philanthropic partnerships and strategies to achieve sustainable economic success in rural America.

Join Tennessee Tech President, Dr. Phil Oldham, when he sits down with Dr. Amanda Powell to talk about all the great work going on in the Tennessee Tech's iCube lab along with Mr. Michael Aikens who discusses all the great work the Center for Rural Innovation is working on at Tennessee Tech.

My guest this week on the Work in Progress podcast is Matt Dunne, the founder and executive director of the Center on Rural Innovation. The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) is a national nonprofit that Dunne describes as an “action tank dedicated to closing the urban-rural economic divide.” He says the focus is on building […] The post Creating job opportunities by closing the urban-rural digital divide appeared first on WorkingNation.

In this final episode of our four-part series, Rural Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities, Michelle chats with three experts about innovative programs in rural higher education: Matt Dunne, founder and executive director of the Center On Rural Innovation; David Tandberg, senior vice president for policy research and strategic initiatives at the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO); and Leslie Daugherty, an education designer at the Education Design Lab. The Lab’s focus is on ensuring that learners’ needs and goals are front and center, using a human centered design approach, She describes the Lab’s  latest project, called BRIDGES, which is conducted in partnership with Ascendium and five rural community colleges, and is dedicated to creating pilot programs for sustainable growth and economic agility for these institutions and their learners. It’s important to talk to  learners and  uncover the “why” behind quantitative  analysis to enable innovative programs to truly succeed and be inclusive, she notes. Tandberg discusses how his organization deploys empirical research to advance policy objectives in higher education in United States. State leaders should broaden their perspective of rural institutions of higher education and view them as “stewards of place,” where they can become key actors in economic and cultural development in rural areas. Dunne talks about how globalization and automation had a disproportionate, detrimental effect on rural areas following the 2008 recession and how his organization is building digital economy ecosystems to deal with this disparity. He also notes that in implementing these critical ecosystems, it was essential that the rural area have an institution of higher education, which could engage in the community, as is happening now in the exciting collaboration between Colby College and the town of Waterville, Maine. To access the Center on Rural Innovation’s report, Higher Ed’s Role in Rural Innovation Ecosystems, visit https://ruralinnovation.us/rural-ihe-report/ This episode and the entire Rural Higher Education Series is underwritten by and produced in collaboration with Ascendium Education Group, a nonprofit organization committed to helping learners from low-income backgrounds reach their education and career goals. For more information, visit ascendiumphilanthropy.org. The series is also produced in collaboration with MDRC, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research firm committed to finding solutions to some of the most difficult problems facing the nation. Learn more at www.mdrc.org.

Next Monday (September 21) is the final deadline for early-stage female business entrepreneurs in rural areas to apply for the latest cycle of development initiative ACORNS. This is the 6th year of the Government-backed ACORNS programme, which is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, under its Rural Innovation and Development Fund. A total of 50 new entrepreneurs will be selected from those who apply but applications have to be completed and submitted by Monday, September 21. There is no charge to those selected to participate. The initiative will be run on a part time basis over six months from October 2020 to April 2021. More than 250 female entrepreneurs have taken part in the ACORNS initiative to date and, this year, new business owners need the support being offered more than ever in the current challenging times. Any woman with a new business based in rural Ireland — or a well-developed idea for a new venture they want to get off the ground — can get more information and register their interest at www.acorns.ie. ACORNS is based on peer support and collaborative learning. Each participant will have the opportunity to learn from successful female entrepreneurs – ‘Lead Entrepreneurs’ who act in a voluntary capacity. As they are all based in rural Ireland, the Lead Entrepreneurs are all running successful businesses in rural Ireland and will share their insights and experiences with the participants to address the issues and challenges they face when starting and growing a business. The voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs this year are Anne Reilly of Paycheck Plus, Co Louth; Caroline McEnery of The HR Suite, Co. Kerry; Mary B. Walsh of Ire Wel Pallets, Wexford; Eimer Hannon of Hannon Travel, Co. Meath; Larissa Feeney of Accountant Online, Co Donegal; and Triona MacGiolla Rí of Aró Digital Strategies, Co Galway. Fitzsimons Consulting, specialising in entrepreneurship and growth, developed the initiative. Founder Paula Fitzsimons says: “ACORNS is a real grassroots movement, illustrating the strength of peer support, with entrepreneurs supporting one another. Psychological isolation is reduced, confidence is increased, and new networks are formed. This initiative has never been more vital than in the current climate and I am delighted the programme continues to be offered thanks to the support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the contribution of the voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs.”

August 28, 2020 (pre-recorded Aug. 25): Has COVID-19 sparked an urban exodus? Matt Dunne of the Center for Rural Innovation discusses rural employment and potential population growth in the time of COVID. Theme music by http://rhtt.net (Red Heart the Ticker)

In Part IV of our four-part series on rural economic and community development, produced in collaboration with and supported by the Thomas USAF Group, Michelle chats with Matt Dunne, Founder and Executive Director of the Center on Rural Innovation and Anna Johnson, who has led the agricultural policy portfolio at the Center for Rural Affairs for almost four years. Dunne discusses how the Center on Rural Innovation’s Action Tank enables rural communities and entrepreneurs to create digital economy ecosystems that build jobs for the future, including those involving coding and software. Johnson describes how the Center for Rural Affairs does small business lending and community inclusion work in Nebraska, as well as farm bill advocacy and agricultural policy development. Dunne discusses how the Center on Rural Innovation’s mapping program addresses the rural economic gap that developed after the economic crisis of 2008 by enabling policymakers to determine broadband needs, identify health care gaps, and locate valuable resources, such as nearby colleges and universiti4es. Recently, Dunne notes, the Center helped provide a Health Preparedness Index that enables decision-makers to determine where a community could be overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnson also talks about the work her organization does with farmers and the how small farmers have been impacted by the lack of broadband access. This episode is sponsored by Thomas USAF Group, www.thomasusaf.com.  

The Agri Food Comms-Cast delves into the ‘story behind the story' of the biggest news reports and campaigns in the agricultural and food sectors. With a rural spin, this podcast episode looks at how businesses and communities in the countryside have adapted to life in lockdown. LEAF chief executive, Caroline Drummond explains how Open Farm Sunday went virtual this year and the opportunities and challenges this brought to her, her marketing team and the farmers involved in making the event a success. Strategic marketing consultant and founder of the Rural Business Awards and Rural Business Group, Anna Price, then explores how SMEs in the countryside have responded to the pandemic and the pros and cons for enterprising rurally based businesses, including community support and the ongoing connectivity challenge. And finally, Andrew Price, head of rural research at Knight Frank, gives an overview of how COVID-19 has impacted rural estates, while providing exclusive insight into a new rural report being launched later this month.

The following is a conversation between Matt Dunne, Founder and Executive Director of the Center on Rural Innovation, and Denver Frederick, the host of the Business of Giving. The Work of the Center on Rural Innovation Lack of Universal Broadband Limits Telehealth And Home Schooling An Inclusive Rebuild Must Include Rural America

A mobile phone charger powered by a bike and a windmill-operated washing machine are just some of Tanzanian Bernard Kiwia's inventions. And many of the ideas from his innovation hub are eco-friendly.

The Lean Dairy Farm author Jana Hocken and Rural Innovation Lab chairman Matt Hocken join us from Manawatu on how to work smarter not harder. To watch to the full-length interviews and to contact the show visit www.sarahperriam.com

In this episode, we speak with Alex Kelley the Center on Rural Innovation's, Broadband and Future of Work Program Manager. Alex provide insight into how the COVID crisis is affecting CORI's mission and their municipality partners. He helps us understand some of the best practices he's seeing in the marketplace, We dig into the digital economic ecosystems he's helping create, and we talk about the future of work. More on the Center for Rural Innovation at: https://ruralinnovation.us The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) is an action tank dedicated to addressing the challenges of rural American economies. Our work centers around three activities: building models for economic development that make sense for the 21st century, creating data and mapping tools so that rural stakeholders can do more impactful work, and directly investing in rural startups to empower communities to build wealth and jobs.

Live from DIG SOUTH 2019: The Future of Corporate-Startup-Government Partnerships: How to Build Sustainable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems via Collaboration As a business or entrepreneur, can you contribute to big companies like Google while located outside The Valley? Say, from Vermont? In today's world of Fiber Internet and video conferencing, it's easier than ever to do so. Matt Dunne, Founder and Executive Director for the Center on Rural Innovation joins South Pod Host Jon Yarian to talk bridging the economic gap by helping rural communities develop digital economy ecosystems that can grow and thrive.

A growing population, opportunities in a variety of industries and sectors, focus on experience and food, and a drive to find new and better ways of doing just about anything? If you think this describes a trendy metropolis, think again. Rural Ireland is creating a range of innovative rural development strategies that bring together residents, industry, civil sector and academic institutions on projects that range from implementation of broadband internet access, to agro-tourism, to intellectual capital vouchers. In this episode of Rural Routes you'll hear from Dr. Felicity Kelliher at the Waterford Institute of Technology on rural innovation in Ireland. The Rural Routes team at the Harris Centre also needs your help. We are conducting an evaluation of the show and we would very much appreciate if you could fill out the survey at the link below. It will help us understand how we can make Rural Routes better. Survey link: https://mun.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5jMMYzRSnQoYNtr Dr. Felicity Kelliher profile page: https://www.wit.ie/about_wit/contact_us/staff_directory/felicity_kelliher The Harris Centre: https://www.mun.ca/harriscentre/ Rural Policy Learning Commons: http://rplc-capr.ca Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation: http://crrf.ca

This week we spoke with Dr. Felicity Kelliher to learn about how Ireland fosters rural innovation. Kelliher is a co-chair of the RIKON research group from the South East of Ireland that explores and nurtures growth for small businesses.New to the pod? Every week Helen Murphy, a rural newspaper editor and entrepreneur, invites guests to share fresh thinking, success stories and lessons learned. Be sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date on all things rural innovation! Thanks for listening!

Welcome back to Rural Spark – the podcast that explores and celebrates rural innovation! Join Helen Murphy, rural newspaper editor and entrepreneur, as she invites guests to share fresh thinking, success stories and lessons learned. This week, Rural Spark sits down with a conversation with former Google executive, Matt Dunne. Matt and Helen discuss Matt's Vermont organization's work to establish rural innovation hubs across the U.S., and his thoughts on Canada's capacity for rural innovation. Subscribe to make sure you stay up-to-date on rural innovation in Canada. Thanks for listening!

My guest this week is Nancy Warner, the executive director of the Initiative for Rural Innovation and Stewardship. IRIS, as it is called, has been one of the most effective community building organizations in North Central Washington. They focus on discovering and sharing stories of community success in dealing with challenges as a way of inspiring civic resilience.   On Thursday, Nov. 15, IRIS will be hosting its annual success summit in Pateros where we will learn how that town recovered and was made stronger after the devastating wildfire of 2014. The annual Success Summit is one of the most inspiring events available to the residents of North Central Washington.  Attending the event will restore your faith in community, in your neighbors and you will come away with a greater sense of what is possible. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

With all the headlines about the lack of broadband in rural America, you'd be forgiven for thinking that all small towns are stuck in the dark age of dial-up internet. WIRED OPINION ABOUT Matt Dunne (@MattDunneVT), a former Vermont state senator and previously head of community affairs at Google, is founder of the Center on Rural Innovation. The untold story of rural broadband is that over the past seven years, independent broadband networks have proliferated.

Michael Aikens moved to Cookeville to work at Tennessee Tech University where he now serves as the Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Director of the Center for Rural Innovation, and just recently named the head of Tech Tomorrow, TTU's strategic planning body. In this episode, Aikens shares the vision behind Tech's Innovation and Entrepreneurship department - promoting problem solving, creativity, and a hands-on approach to learning. Aikens also dives into the honest reality of working alongside millennials, the challenges that many of his students face, and the marriage that can exist between entrepreneurship and the higher education system. Fantastic listen for anyone looking to be challenged in their mindset and growth potential!