2001 Rural Impact Awards
During the National Rural Development Partnership's 2001 Spring conference, the Alaska, Maryland, North Dakota, and Vermont State Rural Development Councils (SRDCs) received Rural Impact Awards. Each of the winners was recognized for specific work that is significantly improving the quality of life in rural America.
Alaska Rural Development Council
The Alaska Rural Development Council formed in October 1992 to coordinate and focus public and private resources on the development needs of rural Alaska. During 2000, one of the issues the Council focused on was bridging the digital divide for extremely isolated rural areas of Alaska. The Alaska Rural Development Council is awarded this Rural Impact Award for its instrumental role in developing an innovative public-private partnership to use telecommunications to bring emergency medical services to 25 villages in remote western Alaska.
FORVM for Rural Maryland
The FORVM for Rural Maryland was formed in 1994 as a collective voice for rural Maryland. The FORVM brings together citizens, community-based organizations, federal, state and local government, as well as the for-profit and nonprofit sectors to address the needs of Maryland's rural communities. Last year, the Council's work culminated in the passage of the "Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance (MAE&RDA) Fund Act of 2000," which will help provide needed resources to rural communities. The FORVM for Rural Maryland is awarded this Rural Impact Award for exposing the metropolitan-rural resource gap and successfully advocating in the state legislature for programs to help fill that gap.
North Dakota Rural Development Council
The North Dakota Rural Development Council was created in 1993 as an informal network of local, state and federal leaders, and by 1998 it had grown to an unofficial membership of several hundred individuals. Today, it plays the role of one of the state's principle conveners and facilitators on matters of concern to rural areas. This past year, the Council has made a positive impact on rural North Dakota through its inclusive work with the tribes in heir state. The North Dakota Rural Development Council is awarded this Rural Impact Award for its efforts to bring tribes into the state's emergency management and preparedness system, produce increased emergency resources available to tribes, and make tribal governments better prepared to face any future emergencies.
Vermont Council on Rural Development
The Vermont Council on Rural Development was established in 1992 as a private/public partnership with a broadly based board of over 20 directors representing six partner groups. The Council holds as a central value the integration of the working landscape with the social, economic, cultural, and environmental fabric of Vermont. Last year, the Council has improved life in rural America through its work for the rural youth of Vermont. The Vermont Council on Rural Development is awarded this Rural Impact Award for productively engaging the youth of rural Vermont in a Teen Summit, and the subsequent inclusion of youth in key state-level decision-making processes.
