Our Approach
Rural leaders can and will unlock the prosperity flowing from clean energy and regenerative agriculture for the benefit of their communities. The Rural Climate Partnership provides hometowns across America with the tools they need to accelerate climate solutions and build healthy local economies.
The challenges facing rural America will not be removed overnight, nor will they be solved with urban strategies created for city dwellers. But a real understanding of how rural communities work, collaboration, and locally-led initiatives can help hard-working people, small businesses, and family farmers flourish as the world of energy and agriculture changes.
As a funding collaborative 100% focussed on rural America, the Rural Climate Partnership utilizes a place-based, sustainable job and economic development strategy to empower our communities to protect what we love about where we live. We’re in the business of creating bright spots, lifting up rural leaders, and preparing the ground for transformative progress.
Through grant-making and best-practices sharing, we center the resilience and economic prosperity of rural communities. Every family in America — no matter where we live — should have the opportunity and tools to build a good life. We point to the possible by telling rural stories of success and creating real partnerships for forging progress.
Our Goals
As a funding collaborative rooted in rural America, we provide grantmaking, technical assistance, policy advocacy, and narrative infrastructure to:
1. Build strong rural economies ready for transformations in the energy and agricultural industries
2. Accelerate locally-led climate solutions and reduce carbon pollution where it is created
3. Advance racial equity and environmental justice in our frequently overlooked diverse communities
Major Areas of Work:
Our road map to progress includes the following core areas of work:
Clean Energy
Accelerate clean energy deployment by supporting rural electric cooperatives and enabling small towns and local residents to save money with reliable renewable energy.
Regenerative Agriculture
Expand regenerative agriculture and other climate-smart farming, forestry, and ranching practices that stabilize crop yields, support family farmers, and make our food system more nutritious and resilient.
Narrative Transformation
Support narrative-shifting programs and combat misinformation by elevating the voices of local leaders embracing clean energy and regenerative agriculture.
Landing Federal Funding in Rural America
Ensure state and federal climate funding benefits rural communities through technical assistance and local advocacy.
Our supportive strategies include:
Electric Vehicles
Support availability of electric vehicles amongst residents of rural/small towns to reduce fuel costs and gasoline reliance.
Efficiency
Reduce energy costs and emissions via energy efficiency and electrification initiatives.
Resilience
Reduce climate disaster impacts and spur action to create resilient communities.
Just Transition
Support communities in transitional economies to move away from extractive industries and towards diversified economies.
Workforce Development
Create place-based, sustainable job, and economic development strategies.
Leadership
Prior to helping launch the Rural Climate Partnership, Josh built a successful career in public-interest communications and developed a reputation as a strategic coalition builder able to work across party lines and cultural divides.
Josh dedicated the last decade of his life to working with Indigenous Tribes to protect Bears Ears National Monument, a culturally rich landscape at threat from oil drilling and uranium mining. A climber and landscape photographer, Josh and his wife Kirsten live in the tiny town of Bluff, Utah, where he serves as a volunteer firefighter and EMT.
Interested in working together?
We’re eager to hear from you: where you are, the resources you need, and how we can partner on improving rural economies and communities through realizing the benefits of climate solutions.