News release
RURAL PHILANTHROPY MODEL RECEIVES FUNDING TO HELP STRENGTHEN RURAL FABRIC
GUELPH, ONTARIO - November 23, 2005 - The Government of Canada is helping to develop more of the community skills needed for successful rural and social development. The Foundation for Rural Living will receive $900,000 through the Models for Rural Development and Community Capacity Building Program to establish the Rural Philanthropy Resource Network. The Network will help to improve the quality of life in rural communities by creating stronger and better equipped non-profit and voluntary sectors across Canada.
Brenda Chamberlain, M.P. for Guelph, made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Wayne Easter, Parliamentary Secretary with Special Emphasis on Rural Development. “Rural Canada has a great volunteer spirit, sometimes it’s just a matter of providing some tools. This initiative will benefit a number of Ontario communities through increased skills development,” said Mrs. Chamberlain.
“Rural non-profit organizations face struggles similar to their urban counterparts, with the added challenges of a smaller population base, fewer resources, and vast geographical distances,” added Mr. Easter. “This funding will help get rural groups, that are the backbone of communities, the specialized tools and support they need.”
The Rural Philanthropy Resources Network will develop a virtually accessible Resource/ Learning Centre and also provide assistance to community groups through the placement of rural development officers with local agencies, like the United Way, so that skills and strategies can be passed along.
The Foundation for Rural Living, an organization that is dedicated to improving investments for the revitalization of rural communities, will have the role of managing this Network. Partners include Community Foundations of Canada, United Way Canada, Imagine Canada, and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.
“The Rural Philanthropy Resource Network is about fostering and supporting the economic and social well-being of rural communities,” stated Mr. Easter. “By investing in stronger rural non-profit organizations, we are helping to build stronger rural communities.”
The Network was formally launched in November 2003 and has achieved successful results in both the Nipissing/North Bay region in northern Ontario and the Elgin/Oxford region in southwestern Ontario. This funding will allow for the outreach of the Network’s expertise to almost 30 community groups over the next three years.
The information gained through the Models for Rural Development and Community Capacity Building Program will contribute to the understanding of what approaches (models) to community development and capacity building work in rural, remote and northern communities. The information we collect will be useful for all levels of government in developing programs, services and policies for rural Canadians. The information will also directly benefit communities.
Further information on the Rural Philanthropy Resource Network is available at the Foundation for Rural Living’s website at http://www.frl.on.ca/frl/.
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For more information, please contact:
Rural Communications
Rural Secretariat
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Tel.: (613) 759-7968
Backgrounder
Models for Rural Development and Community Capacity Building
Across the country, communities, organizations and governments are carrying out different approaches to building sustainable rural communities. Which of them work best? Under what circumstances? Can they work in other rural communities?
These are the types of questions the Government of Canada wants to find the answers to through its research initiative called Models for Rural Development and Community Capacity Building (Models Program).
We are taking rural community development initiatives that worked well in one community or part of the country, and trying them in two or three other areas. We want to see if these initiatives will work in other communities and in what types of communities they will work (e.g., Do they work best in very isolated areas, areas that are closer to cities, or towns somewhere in between?) We also want to see what can be done to improve their chances of success, and what should be avoided.
The communities participating in our research will play a key role in designing, carrying out and evaluating the initiatives.
What we'll be doing with the information we gain
Federal, provincial and territorial governments develop many programs, services and initiatives for rural, remote and northern areas. The information we gain through our research activities will help government design rural initiatives so they have the greatest benefit to communities.
The information will also be useful for any individuals, organizations or communities interested in carrying out rural community development work. They can take advantage of ideas and lessons learned in other communities.
Getting more information on the Models Program
As more project models are set up in rural communities and we begin to see the results of these projects, we will be posting information on our Web site. For more information:
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