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Annual Report
1999
2000
2001
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2003

Board of Directors and Current Staff

Rural Action
Annual Report 1999

From Carol Kuhre, Executive Director:

Rural Action is a vision/mission driven organization. Our vision is to create model strategies for the region that involve a broad base of citizens in building environmental, economic, and social sustainability.

The mission growing out of that vision is to promote economic, social, and environmental justice in Appalachian Ohio.

For the past year our board, staff, and members have been busy developing a new three-year strategy that is slated for adoption by our new board in July, 2000. The plan is based on three sets of core values and accompanying actions that read as follows: We understand that the health of our region depends on building sustainable communities. We will take stock of our bio-regional assets and renew our economy in a sustainable way. This statement is the bedrock upon which our conservation-based agriculture and forestry programs are based.

We believe that each person has the ability to make a difference. We will be inclusive, promote fairness, and seek social justice. Our community organizing and support initiatives, school-based programs, and arts and cultural heritage ventures are founded on the idea that each person has a gift to bring to the community renewal table.

We are interwoven with the Earth, its systems, and its biosphere. We will act as stewards of our world and as caretakers of the natural resources living things need. The environmental education and restoration initiatives we are honored to coordinate grow from these principles.

To honor these values and act responsibly requires humility and vigilance. We are one among many species, all of which deserve to live out their destinies. Our development must not eat away the natural capital, but rather be based upon the wise use of the interest derived from natural capital.

To deliberate upon our vision and values is a worthy activity, for only if groups ground their activity in something deeper than personal self-interest can their missions be sustained. Our recent deliberations resulted in the development of the following strategic goals for the next three years.

Heighten awareness of and increase the use of sustainable development practices in Appalachian Ohio.

Achieve organizational excellence for Rural Action and its members, employees, volunteers and collaborators.

Increase visibility and broaden the membership and the involvement of communities of interest, individuals, and organizations in Rural Action's activities and processes.

Provide stable and diversified funding to achieve organizational growth and excellence.

Sustainable Economies

The Sustainable Forestry program works with landowners, agencies and small businesses to develop sustainable practices, including cultivation of nontimber forest products such as mushrooms and medicinal herbs. We promote a holistic approach that ensures the productivity, health and biodiversity of our woodlands. In 1999, Sustainable Forestry was selected for Phase 1 of the Ford Foundation's Community Forestry Demonstration Program; organized or cosponsored educational programs with a total participation of more than 630 people; held a successful two-day conference, Income Opponunities from Your Woodlands, for regional landowners.

The Sustainable Agriculture program creates marketing opportunities by linking local farmers and producers with consumers. Projects include the subscription produce program, Good Food Direct!, food producers workshops, and support for local farmers markets. In 1999, the Good Food Direct! program's 4th year, its sales doubled ($6000 in 1998 to $13,000 in 1999) with an Internet catalog; the Nelsonville Farmers Market and Harvest Celebration; and the program received a grant from USDA to work with community food security issues

Sustainable Environments

Sustainable Communities

The Partners in Leadership Development (PLD) program and the Community Organizing and Support Initiative develop leadership capacity and the revitalizing power of community teamwork. Training, organizing, and continued support are offered via workshops for community-based action teams and mini-grants for their community projects. In 1999, we worked with 18 community teams: five new community teams emerged and began the first phase of development, including the Albany Citizens Committee, Chesrerhill Area Senior Citizens, Conserving Heritage in Vinton, Kilvert Improvement Committee, and Murray City Improvement Committee; six teams successfully completed PLD workshops and wrote mini-grants.

The Jobs Training Program provides training and work experience to help low-income individuals in Athens and Pike counties learn workplace skills and is funded by the Jessie Ball Dupont Foundation, Hitachi, and the Athens County Department of Human Services. Each assignee is offered training in the following areas: recep tionist/clerical, computer operation, word processing, filing, typing, custodial/maintenance duties, and housing repair. We also assist each Jobs Training Skills program member in identifying and overcoming obstacles to employment such as affordable, safe daycare and transportation barriers. In 1999, we had a total of 60 assignees. Of these, 34 obtained employment, including six Americorps VISTAs placed at Rural Action and Rural Action Development Corporation.

The Safe Pest Control program advocates pest control reform in schools, homes, and communities by educating regional school personnel, pest managers, and citizens about Integrated Pest Management (IPM). In 1999, five school districts stopped spraying affecting 9000 people during their work/school day; staff training workshops were presented in two districts; Ohio University Telecommunications students produced an introductory IPM video; and the project held meetings with eleven districts considering a switch to IPM.

The Environmental Learning Program helps students in Grades 1-8 in four rural school districts explore the wonders of nature. The project's goal is to increase ecological literacy and reinforce educational concepts through hands-on, environmental education activities, as well as to conduct in-service workshops for teachers. The program was founded in 1999, teacher and advisory committees were organized, and a curriculum prepared for launching in Spring 2000.

Rural Action's Arts and Cultural Heritage Program promotes community revitalization through local festivals, community murals, oral history collection, traditional music preservation and interactive drama. In 1999, community history murals were completed in Wilkesville, New Straitsville, and Pomeroy; several area traditional musicians' performances were added to our video/audio archives; and program members helped launch a new festival, Autumn in Appalachia, in conjunction with the Ohio Chile Pepper Festival (Glouster), as well as the first Hockhocking Folk Festival (Nelsonville).

The Rural School and Community Organizing Project is mobilizing a grassroots effort in rural Ohio to achieve school funding equity and school facilities that are safe, effective and community-based. In 1999, we began pre-development work in this area with Rural School and Community Trust.

Volunteerism/Support Services

The Center for Community Service at Ohio University collaborates with Rural Action to support partnerships between community-based organizations and the campus. The Center promotes volunteerism among students, placement of work-study students in service positions, and the integration of community service-learning into university curriculum. In 1999 the Center sponsored the Volunteer Fair; Residence Life Day of Service; Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service; National Volunteer Week; the Service-Learning institutes and contributed almost 200,000 hours of service to the community.

1999 RURAL ACTION FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Grant Income 81%
Donations 2%
Members Dues 1%
Other 16%

REVENUES Total $836,423.62

Projects 85%
Administrative 10%
Overhead 5%

EXPENDITURES Total $720,711.85

RURAL ACTION'S 1999 FUNDING SOURCES