b'Dear Friends, nature in which it was givenwith a simple mandate The year 2020 will go down in theto leverage those funds to pursue big, game changing history books as a unique yearideas that increase or expand our impact in rural and In-of unrest in our nation. A globaldigenous communities. It is a symbol of trust in RCAC and pandemic gripped America,a reflection of the RCAC legacy, beginning in 1978. The creating unthinkable health,vision of justice, equity and inclusion for rural and Native economic and human loss andcommunities was led by Bill French and Stan Keasling disruption. Our normal becameand fostered by the numerous Board and staff members one of fear, social distancing andwho have touched our work throughout the years. We masks, physically and emotionally. As we have seen be- are truly humbled. As we head into 2021, I challenged the fore when disaster strikes, rural and Indigenous commu- RCAC family to put forth their most aspirational ideas nities and people of color are disproportionately harmedfor consideration as we strategize how to leverage these and impacted. Systemic racism and the racial injusticefunds to advance and elevate our work. We created the underbelly of our country were also elevated by sense- Vector Fund to house the Mackenzie Scott grant and we less acts of violence, followed by protest and uprisingsintend to leverage this grant as we move forward with across the land. In the rural and Indigenous communitiesimplementation.of the West, where RCAC works, the exacerbated inequi- When I joined RCAC as CEO in late 2019, I was eager to ties in access to financial relief, healthcare and emergencyhit the ground running. When March 2020 hit and COVID services were evident amidst this pandemic. became a stark reality, it sometimes felt like I hit the Yet, as I reflect on the year that was, I know that RCACground sprinting during an earthquake! The Board and answered a call to action. I take immense pride in theSenior Leadership Team were invaluable resources as work that RCAC accomplished in 2020. We didnt expectwe navigated an uncertain and unprecedented environ-to process hundreds of paycheck protection loans, dis- ment. I am also grateful for the trust and support that our tribute personal protective equipment to Tribes and ruralstaff placed in me as a new CEO during a time of great communities, develop foreclosure and eviction preven- upheaval, and as we transitioned to a remote workforce. tion curriculum or move our full staff to remote work inGetting to know each of them, even through a video 2020. RCAC accomplished these tasks with resiliency andscreen, has been one of this years bright spots. professionalism. We showed that our organization adaptsAs I look ahead to 2021, we will face new challenges and to new challenges with innovative solutions.continue to meet pre-existing ones. But I firmly believe Through these efforts, we also demonstrated that our that the time is right for RCAC; we are in the right place housing, lending, community development and environ- with the right Board, leadership and staff to ensure Indig-mental core programs are more relevant than ever.enous and rural communities thrive. We look forward to continued collaboration and connection with our valued RCAC is learning and preparing for the ripple effectspartners and funders. ahead. COVID-19 still exists and will continue to affect our lives in 2021 but we are prepared to meet the challenges.Together with RCACs Board of Directors and SeniorSincerely,Leadership Team, weve created a Strategic Framework to guide our progress and ensure our continued resiliency during the next 18 months and on into the future.Despite all its challenges, 2020 ended with a silver lining for our organization. In late December, I had the honorSuzanne Anarde of announcing a $20 million unrestricted grant fromChief Executive Officer, RCACphilanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This grant represents one of the most significant investments ever made in our organization. As important as the investment size is the RCAC Annual Report | 3'