Strategic Plan

RCAC’s programs and services deliver solutions to complex community needs. Our local presence allows us to develop partnerships with communities to identify needs, set goals, and select the best options to meet those goals. RCAC and our partners provide the tools to create change and growth, but the communities chart their own course. Collaboration, plus community effort will equal community change. How can we help you?

Decent housing, safe drinking water, education, financing, jobs, community facilities, leadership, families are the many facets to RCAC's work.

RCAC expands the knowledge base of the rural public through education and training. Our training expertise is in technical, financial, and administrative issues that affect rural communities. We take great pride in our professional trainer team's capacity and effectiveness. Our trainers maximize audience participation to keep trainings relevant and memorable.

RCAC's news and publications are a compilation of timely news, announcements and accomplishments produced for the rural development world.

High unemployment rates, sub-standard housing and poverty are commonplace in low-income rural communities. Many of these communities also face daunting challenges to access safe, clean drinking water and to develop other vital infrastructure. These issues are often overlooked in policy because rural communities lack the resources, training or social networks that are found in urban areas. Learn how you can advocate for the under-served population in the West.

Founded in 1978, RCAC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides training, technical and financial resources and advocacy so rural communities can achieve their goals. For more than 35 years, our dedicated staff and active board, coupled with our key values: leadership, collaboration, commitment, quality and integrity, have helped effect positive change in rural communities across the West. Learn more about who we are and how we operate.

2015 – 2019 Strategic Plan

We are pleased to announce that we have begun work under our 2015 – 2019 Strategic Plan, which includes our transition to an outcome based framework to better measure our impact and several new strategic directions.

The strategic directions are listed below:

Strategic Directions

To support our local partners, RCAC will pursue the following strategic directions:
Form regional collaborations to achieve economies of scale and take advantage of
new opportunities
Ensure communities, and especially schools, have access to and increase consumption of
safe drinking water
Expand the quantity and types of training available to rural communities and organizations
Diversify local nonprofit services to build more sustainable organizations
Enhance the skills of organizations that provide infrastructure, housing and other essential
services in Indian Country
Provide development services to increase housing opportunities in rural communities
Increase access to affordable mortgages for rural organizations and residents
Build partnerships with local economic development organizations to expand small
business lending

Read the plan outcomes and targets