Rural Development Initiatives

08/19/2026

If you didn't know, applications for CWL and RDI’s statewide leadership network are now open! This Oregon training is free and open to rural leaders who are interested in gaining leadership and policy advocacy skills. Come learn with others from across the state in a cohort style model that will focus on how to enhance the roles of women in leadership. This training will walk participants through understanding local government, defining and delivering your message, creating support around community issues and projects, and building your connections to rural leaders across the state.

This training has 4 virtual sessions, and a two day visit to the state capitol. Visit https://rdiinc.org/rural-civic-engagement-project for more information and to apply.

08/17/2026

Mark your calendars! September is Childcare, Early Learning, and Wellbeing for the Rural Visibility Project. This monthly focus topic is a mini month - information and resources will be shared, but no community conversation will be held at this time. If interested in helping host a community conversation on the topic, contact Kendra Schaffer at [email protected].

Information sharing will start on September 7 and continue throughout the month. Learn more at https://ruralvisibilityproject.org.

08/14/2026

Join CWL and RDI’s statewide leadership network through the Rural Civic Engagement Project! This Oregon training is free and open to rural leaders who are interested in gaining leadership and policy advocacy skills. Come learn with others from across the state in a cohort style model that will focus on how to enhance the roles of women in leadership. This training will walk participants through understanding local government, defining and delivering your message, creating support around community issues and projects, and building your connections to rural leaders across the state.

This training has 4 virtual sessions, and a two day visit to the state capitol. Visit https://rdiinc.org/rural-civic-engagement-project for more information and to apply.

08/10/2026

Washington's Small Business Administration is holding a webinar on August 12 from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM PDT focused on disaster loans. Small business owners and technical assistance providers for areas impacted by wildfires in Washington are encouraged to join. This webinar aims to proactively provide preliminary education and information to prepare the small business community for future recovery. https://ow.ly/Vsej50Zycba

07/29/2026

The City of Woodburn is hiring an Economic Development Director! Click the link to apply and learn more. https://bit.ly/4fIBfo5

07/27/2026

Our thoughts are with communities currently impacted by growing wildfires in the West. A resource for Oregon communities is Oregon Disaster Funders Network (ODFN), a network of organizations working to support communities through all aspects of the disaster lifecycle. ODFN also has a resource page that offers tools for before, during, and after a disaster. We hope everyone can stay safe at this time, and we will share disaster response and recovery resources relevant to the PNW region as we see them.
https://ow.ly/uG5a50ZtBKv

07/22/2026

Congratulations to the 25 small business owners who were awarded $30,000 Enhancement Grants through the Backing Small Businesses Grant Program from Main Street America and American Express. Recipients include Wildflour Restaurant in North Bend, OR.

In partnership with American Express, we are so excited to congratulate 25 small business owners across the country that have been awarded $30,000 Enhancement Grants through the Backing Small Businesses grant program!

The Backing Small Businesses grant program, supported by American Express, invests in locally significant small businesses with community reach. Through this program, 400 recipients were selected in 2025 to each receive a $10,000 grant to fund projects that promote long-term growth and increase local impact. Additionally, in May 2025, a special round of the program provided 100 grants of $10,000 each to meet the urgent and growing needs of small businesses recovering from natural disasters. Recipients from both rounds were eligible to apply for the Enhancement Grants.

Since launching in 2021, the program has provided over $15.52 million in grants to 1,755 small business owners across the country.

Meet the recipients here: https://bit.ly/4gJZ6Wt

07/14/2026

Engage in conversations about early childhood policy! See post for more details about the roundtables taking place OR fill out the survey.

07/09/2026

Storytelling from Resource Rural: check it out!

Hi Neighbor, Vastine Allen takes her grandkids fishing for bass and crappie in Osceola Lake. She grows okra and green beans and cucumbers in her garden and cans what she can before the kids eat it all. She dances with them. She takes her fiance to chemo. She has lived