Founded in 1985, Practical Farmers of Iowa includes a diverse group of 1,500 farmers and friends of farmers. Corn, soybeans, beef cattle and hay are the top enterprises for PFI farmers, although many have other operations, including fruits and vegetables. Our nonfarmer members believe that farmers can provide multiple benefits to society, including food and fiber, but also clean air and water and biodiversity on the land. Our mission is to advance profitable, ecologically sound, and community-enhancing approaches to agriculture through farmer-led investigation and information sharing.
WORC is a regional network of seven grassroots community organizations that include 10,000 members and 38 local chapters. WORC helps its member groups succeed by providing training and coordinating issue work.
WORC’s mission is to advance the vision of a democratic, sustainable, and just society through community action. WORC is committed to building sustainable environmental and economic communities that balance economic growth with the health of people and stewardship of their land, water, and air resources.
The National Catholic Rural Life Conference was founded in 1923 under the inspiration of Bishop Edwin Vincent O'Hara. Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, the organization is comprised of dedicated bishops, laity and religious who are joined in a common effort to serve the rural church, rural people and their communities.
The Toolkit is a set of resources that supports face-to-face training for residents and community leaders. The computer-based component (the "Organizing Game") is used to introduce concepts, prompt discussion, and allow residents to practice skills in a safe, non-threatening environment. The initial focus of the Toolkit is teaching Doorknocking, an organizing technique that's particularly effective in moving issues within a local community.
The mission of Strong Towns is to support a model for growth that allows America's towns to become financially strong and resilient. The American approach to growth is causing economic stagnation and decline along with land use practices that force a dependency on public subsidies. The inefficiencies of the current approach have left American towns financially insolvent, unable to pay even the maintenance costs of their basic infrastructure. A new approach that accounts for the full cost of growth is needed to make our towns strong again.
The Daily Yonder's special reports bring you overviews of the big issues now facing small communities -- health, employment, broadband access, education, and economic development. We're tracking how national policies are reaching (or ignoring) rural communities. The Daily Yonder is published on the web by the Center for Rural Strategies. Editors Julie Ardery and Bill Bishop have written for national magazines, for newspapers in Kentucky and Texas and authored books on American politics, art and culture.
