WASHINGTON (June 18th, 2020)—Rural LISC is partnering with Ascendium Education Philanthropy on a new national collaborative to expand employment and incomes for people and businesses in rural communities.
Launched earlier this year, the Rural Works initiative includes a cohort of 10 seasoned workforce development organizations that connect unemployed and underemployed workers to the training, education and industry credentials they need to compete for quality jobs. Rural Works partners also build relationships with new employers, especially those in growth sectors, in order to expand the range of opportunities available to rural workers.
With a $1.3 million grant to Rural LISC, Ascendium is helping build the national capacity of the collaborative so that successful programs can be scaled up and replicated, and thereby support rural economic growth.
Rural Works’ partner agencies are tailoring workforce programs to local industries and employment challenges—including the COVID-19 unemployment crisis and the growth of remote and technology-based careers.
They particularly focus on communities working to overcome high rates of poverty and unemployment, including dozens of counties across Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
“When we invest in the rich culture and talent of rural communities, we broaden the pathways to opportunity for workers and for employers, which need access to a well-trained workforce to grow,” said Maurice A. Jones, president and CEO of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the nation’s largest community development organization, which oversees Rural LISC. “Rural Works is supporting innovative local partners that attract new businesses and jobs, raise family incomes and expand rural economies—all of which helps narrow the long-standing gaps in wealth and health that affect millions of Americans.”
Rural Works is part of LISC’s broad economic development agenda, including a robust investment commitment called The Rural Promise, focused on deepening the impact of community development throughout small towns, farming communities and coal country.
A well-trained workforce is central to that focus, as it not only connects workers to existing opportunities but also encourages employers to put down roots in rural communities, said Justin Burch, senior program officer who oversees Rural Works.
“The Ascendium grant is helping us fund a set of rural demonstration efforts that are building a more equitable ecosystem of employment to meet the demands of a 21st-century economy,” he said.
Visit Rural Works Partners for more on the partner organizations and the communities they serve.