Lessons from the Rural Community College Initiative

From 1994 through 2001, 24 sites across America tested a new concept in rural development. The Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI) demonstration supported college/community teams in economically distressed areas as they worked to move their people and communities toward prosperity. The demonstration's twin goals were equipping people for productive, rewarding work and increasing the region's capacity to provide that work through sustainable economic development. A new series of reports from MDC documents the RCCI's lessons about community change and the implications for development practitioners, philanthropy, and state and federal policymakers.

The demonstration phase of the Initiative was a partnership among the 24 participating community colleges, The Ford Foundation, and the American Association of Community Colleges, with management and technical assistance provided by MDC.

RCCI's focus on developing local solutions yielded a rich variety of strategies among the 24 sites, which included the nation's most impoverished rural areas - from the Deep South to Appalachia, the Southwestern deserts, and Indian reservations of the Northern Plains. Sites entered RCCI with varying levels of readiness and diverse community challenges. Each site articulated its own vision and designed appropriate projects to achieve it. As the managing partner, MDC endeavored to maintain a learning environment for the Initiative that encouraged risk-taking and celebrated innovation regardless of what path each site chose.

As they developed and fine-tuned specific strategies, RCCI sites produced a wealth of experience about revitalizing rural communities. While college/community teams led the change efforts in RCCI sites, the majority of the lessons learned can inform any community change effort in rural America.

In 2002, the RCCI was institutionalized as a program of the Southern Rural Development Center and the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development. For more information on the demonstration phase, see http://www.mdcinc.org/rcci/aboutrcci.htm. For more information on the current phase, see http://srdc.msstate.edu/rcci/. To order any of these publications or the video package, contact Linda McKinnie via email lmckinnie@mdcinc.org or call (919) 968-4531.

Reports on Lessons from the Rural Community College Initiative

STRATEGIES FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND INCREASED ACCESS TO EDUCATION:  a toolkit for rural communities and community colleges. Step-by-step strategic planning and team-building processes for developing the regional economy and increasing access to education are provided along with profiles of effective practices from many rural communities. Includes 10 videos, three guidebooks, and a notebook of resources. Created in partnership with the Ford Foundation and Video Dialog Inc. with development funding by the Ford Foundation. The toolkit introduction, which contains an in-depth description of the RCCI, the toolkit contents, and suggestions for use, are available online free. August 1998. $125.

Revitalizing Rural Communities: Lessons from the RCCI. Citing lessons from the RCCI experience, this paper promotes the incorporation of RCCI learnings into other rural community development efforts. It is designed to inspire similar efforts by other community colleges; inform practitioners, funders, and policymakers; and support the future work of RCCI sites to use in development and sustainability efforts.  PDF available online. Print copy: $10.00

Community Colleges and Rural Development: Strategies for Funders. This paper informs foundations and public agencies concerned with rural development about lessons from the RCCI experience. It highlights the potential for rural colleges to serve as catalysts for community renewal and offers insights about designing and managing effective rural development initiatives. Pdf available online. Print copy: $10.00

Expanding Economic and Educational Opportunity in Distressed Rural Areas: A Conceptual Framework for the Rural Community College Initiative. This paper describes the vision and core concepts of the RCCI. MDC has revised the conceptual framework three times since 1995, each time incorporating new concepts and ideas learned from research and from the RCCI experience. The final edition reflects seven years of experimentation and learning. Pdf available online. Print copy: $10.00

RCCI: Planting the Seeds of Change. This package includes two videos and companion guidebooks. The first set, Planting the Seeds of Change, describes the central principles of the RCCI and the resulting collaborative process and change efforts at Meridian Community College (MS) and Sitting Bull College (ND). Viewers watch how change happened over time in these two very different RCCI communities. Those considering undertaking a community development initiative will gain an understanding of the complex nature of this work and the personal commitment it entails. The second set, Leadership for Change, emphasizes the multiple levels of competencies community leaders need to undertake effective community change efforts. It also explores the methods and strategies of the RCCI as a structure for addressing those multiple-level needs. The report, Leadership for Change, is available in pdf online. Print/video copy: $40.00

Toward Rural Prosperity: A State Policy Framework in Support of Rural Community Colleges. This paper offers a framework to help community college advocates assess the alignment of state policies with the RCCI philosophy and mission. It discusses models for state support of community and economic development, educational access, workforce development, and technology; and it assesses how alternative funding and governance systems affect rural community colleges' capacity to serve their communities. The paper was written for MDC by J. Parker Chesson, Jr., and Sarah Rubin. Pdf available online. Print copy: $10.00

Preserving Access with Excellence: Financing for Rural Community Colleges. This paper analyzes the effect of community college funding trends on rural community colleges and their students. It makes the case for increased state and federal investment to expand the capacity of these institutions and expand access to education for low-income students. This paper was written for the RCCI by King Alexander, Stephen G. Katsinas, and Ronald D. Opp. Pdf available online. Print copy: $10.00