Partners for Rural Transformation

04/09/2026

PRT recently released a new case study on DreamBuild, an innovative modular housing model solution developed by cdcb that’s helping expand homeownership in rural communities.

What started in South Texas is now scaling into Arkansas and beyond, where PRT Partners are adapting the model to fit local needs, workforce, and regulations while keeping the core approach of putting community first intact.

It’s a powerful example of what it looks like to move from a single solution to a replicable, community-driven model that builds both housing and local industry.

Read the full Press Release and Case Study here:
https://www.ruraltransformation.org/case-study/case-study-a-solution-to-rural-americas-housing-crisis/

03/13/2026

Our partner, Oweesta Corporation, is hosting a webinar with Mission Driven Finance and Huurav Energy on Energy financing models that help Tribal Nations protect ownership, sovereignty, and long-term community benefit.

📅 March 17, 2026
🕖 7:00 AM Hawaiʻi | 10:00 AM Pacific | 1:00 PM Eastern

Energy sovereignty starts with financing.

Join .corp & Huurav Energy for a live conversation on how Tribal Nations can finance energy and infrastructure projects while protecting ownership, sovereignty, and long-term community benefit.

📅 March 17, 2026
🕖 7 AM Hawaiʻi | 10 AM Pacific | 1 PM Eastern

03/09/2026

Join us this Thursday, March 12, at 3 PM ET to explore concrete Opportunity Zone recommendations that states can act on NOW. We'll share actionable strategies for governors, state policymakers, regional development hubs, and local nonprofit leaders to strengthen and expand rural investment.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XxQxsGCjSZqGeOMHD1Fflg?fbclid=IwY2xjawQb6PlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFCcjlmTHlNa3lXY2J4QU52c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHnubjY8cBeflTqj4KEPGaLk-L8kFzd2I6L9ZdQl94iCAj1n_fgV_ByPIyes0_aem_8a_KU2Biu0glYSltz3W8ug #/registration

Speakers for this event include PRT's Emily Burleson, MSW, Senior Manager, Advocacy & Research; Diane Standaert, Senior Policy Advisor at Hope Policy Institute; and Seth Leonard, Program Manager at the Center for Rural Multifamily Preservation, Housing Assistance Council.

03/05/2026

National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders (NAAHL) recently released a policy brief on the importance of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), along with a video explaining the role CDFIs play in expanding access to capital. The video highlights Bill Bynum, CEO and Founder of Hope Credit Union and PRT partner, speaking at the November 2025 NAAHL & CAHL Policy and Practice Conference. By combining deep local expertise with partnerships from large lenders and targeted federal tools, CDFIs finance affordable housing, small businesses, community infrastructure, and disaster recovery across urban, rural, and Tribal communities nationwide.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

02/27/2026

PRT, the Housing Assistance Council, and Hope Policy Institute are releasing recommendations to help states secure Opportunity Zone 2.0 designations and drive real investment in rural America.

Join us for a webinar on March 12 at 3 p.m. ET to walk through the guide and what it means for state policymakers, regional development leaders, and rural nonprofits.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XxQxsGCjSZqGeOMHD1Fflg #/registration

02/24/2026

The Partners for Rural Transformation (PRT) recently released its annual Year in Review, reflecting on 2025 and looking forward to what the Partnership will accomplish in the new year.

In 2025, across our Partners, we provided more than $809 million in loans to rural communities nationwide, and nearly 75 percent of all loans went to low-income borrowers. This included more than $290 million into persistent poverty communities that face discrimination, extractive economies, and chronic disinvestment.

Learn more here: https://www.ruraltransformation.org/blog/prt-releases-2025-a-year-in-review/

02/19/2026

The Partners for Rural Transformation is a coalition of six community organizations working to launch economic development and deploy capital in rural communities facing persistent poverty. We are accomplishing this through our track record of $2 billion investment across our regions, millions of rural Americans served, building trust through on-the-ground solutions, and implementing innovations.

Learn more about what we have accomplished and where we are going (link in the comments)

02/10/2026

In rural spaces across the country, people are working together to build, to support, and to strengthen their communities. Partners for Rural Transformation is scaling that effort up, securing capital, and building capacity as these communities chart their own futures. Today, we are announcing our vision for empowering rural communities as we work to bring an end to persistent poverty. This is what partnership looks like, and we want the broader community of practitioners, funders, and policymakers to be a part of our plan for:

Capital Mobilization: $10 billion in capital deployed through our Partners in rural regions of persistent poverty by 2030.
Systems Change: Adoption of policies and practices by private, public, and philanthropic sectors that more agilely deploy capital in rural communities.
Community Empowerment: Investments that deliver community-driven outcomes and empower communities to be self-led and independent.

See the link in the comments for more information.

02/10/2026

Our partner, Communities Unlimited, is looking for a new Director of Community Sustainability! See the link in the comments for more information.

We looking for our new Director Of Community Sustainability!

The Community Sustainability program brings CU’s services together at the community level. The team works directly with local leaders to conduct community assessments, develop leadership capacity, and design practical strategies that address infrastructure, entrepreneurship, housing, broadband, and food access.

This work currently supports nearly 100 communities, with additional communities preparing to engage.

If you're passionate about rural communities and want to contribute to their success, take a look to see if we're a fit!

02/10/2026

Partners for Rural Transformation had the opportunity to meet with City Mayor Al Gameros, Assistant City Manager Linda Oddonetto, and Director of Economic Development Melissa Steele to hear firsthand about how PRT Partner Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC)’s partnership with the city has catalyzed remarkable progress for the community over the last decade. The story of Globe reflects the challenges – from COVID to recent devastating floods and the strength of local leadership and community progress we see in rural communities across the country. RCAC had already been working alongside Globe for more than a decade when September’s flood hit, and that commitment never wavered. After hearing Globe’s history and seeing the passion of its leaders, the PRT team did what it does best: shared ideas, resources, and nearly 250 years of collective experience in rural communities. This event reinforced the value of PRT’s collaborative, place-based approach.

02/06/2026

Our partner, Jim King, CEO of Fahe, recently spoke at the Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), where he emphasized the critical role of storytelling and partnerships in addressing the housing crisis—echoing the call to action behind Fahe’s Housing Can’t Wait campaign.

In Appalachia, funding doesn’t come easily. Communities are spread out, incomes are lower, and resources are limited.

Last week at NAHRO, Fahe CEO Jim King spoke about what it takes to build housing where the math doesn’t work on its own. Fahe’s work focuses on staying with local partners over time and making sure funding and programs actually work together so homes can get built.

Decades of underbuilding and disinvestment have left families without safe, affordable homes. If we can make housing work in places where the odds are stacked against it, we can build models that work anywhere.

Read more from Jim’s remarks and reflections here:
👉 https://fahe.org/fahe-at-nahro-executive-leadership-convening/