Strategic Plan 2004-2009
STRATEGIC PLAN 2004-2009
ORGANIZATION
The Missouri Rural Development Partners (MRDP), formerly known as the Missouri Rural Opportunities Council, was organized in November 1992 to become Missouri’s official state rural development council (SRDC). MRDP received formal federal designation in 2004 and joins with other SRDCs throughout the country and the National Rural Development Council to comprise the National Rural Development Partnership (NRDP) – coordinated by USDA Rural Development.
MISSION
MRDP’s mission is to “improve the quality of life, enhance opportunities, and help empower citizens and rural communities of Missouri by bringing together a coalition of public and private entities.”
GOALS
MRDP’s goals are:
Ø To identify/assess rural Missouri developmental needs, develop strategies, and facilitate actions for solution.
Ø To identify barriers which impede the solution of problems in rural areas.
Ø To assist in establishing strategies for interagency cooperation to deal with the problems facing rural areas in a coordinated fashion.
Ø To maximize the accessibility of resources and programs to rural Missouri.
Ø To motivate/assist rural communities and citizens to help themselves to stabilize, broaden, diversify, and invigorate their economic bases.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
In 2003, MRDP removed the direct administrative relationship the organization had with the State of Missouri Department of Economic Development – a relationship that existed since the organization’s inception. MRDP then partnered with the Missouri Association of Councils of Government (MACOG) – the statewide association of Missouri’s regional planning commissions and councils of governments – for administrative support and partnership services, and through this relationship hired a Planning Administrator.
Board Survey - In 2004, the MRDP Board began a strategic planning process to identify the critical issues confronting rural Missouri and establish the appropriate role and context for MRDP in helping to address these concerns. The planning process began with a survey of MRDP Board members and key partner agencies. The results of this survey are attached as Exhibit “A”. The survey presented a range of issues for consideration and showed a pronounced interest in addressing these systemic challenges through policy review and coordination. Survey results also showed recognition of the fundamental MRDP role of facilitation and coordination and, especially since leaving the MO Department of Economic Development, working with the existing service providers in the State, such as the regional planning commissions and other agencies, to implement direct programs and services.
Rural Issues Forums – In March 2004, MRDP hosted a series of seven Rural Issues Forums throughout the State. The forums brought together diverse groups of community leaders, public officials and general residents to discuss and identify the primary issues and concerns for their respective regions. The summaries of each of the Rural Issues Forums are attached as Exhibit “B”. The topics of concern raised at the forums ranged from infrastructure problems to public policy concerns. Break out groups focusing on the primary topics developed potential action items to begin addressing many of these challenges.
MRDP STRATEGIES
There exists a healthy and effective system of public service and program providers in the State. Missouri’s regional planning commissions provide a variety of services to their member local governments both on an individual basis and in a regional framework. The community action agency system and University of Missouri Extension offer critical assistance to rural communities in the State. And various State and Federal agencies play a key role in community development programs for rural Missouri. Other organizations throughout the State fill local community service needs all together forming a vital network of community development providers for local communities and regions.
Policy coordination and collaboration is a challenge in many public service environments. These challenges are often exacerbated among the different levels of government and the private sector. A neutral forum for policy discussion and greater coordination would be an effective way in order to effectively address many of the public policy concerns identified by Missouri’s rural communities and leaders.
MRDP’s role is to serve as the organizational structure where various levels of government along with the private for-profit and not-for-profit sectors can come together to jointly address areas of common concern. By facilitating this interagency and inter-sector discussion, the most effective public policy and strategies can be developed. Implementation of public policy and programs is best assigned to the existing network of service provider organizations/agencies in the State.
Based on the input raised through the Board Survey and Rural Issues Forums, and in line with the established goals and mission of MRDP and the National Rural Development Partnership, MRDP will be focusing on four strategic initiatives for the next several years to help strengthen public policy and programs for rural Missouri.
I. RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP INITIATIVE
Interest is growing in rural entrepreneurship, but there is much to be learned about what communities can do to increase the likelihood of entrepreneurial activity. Most of the research on entrepreneurship has been focused on urban areas, leaving a gap in rural implications for programs and policies that support entrepreneurship. In 1999, the Rural Entrepreneurship Initiative (REI) was created by a partnership to support locally driven research on the topic of rural entrepreneurship. The idea is to support a growing learning community that would increase knowledge related to entrepreneurship in Rural America. Partners of this effort include the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Rural Policy Research Institute, Partners for Rural America, Inc., National Rural Development Partnership and the Nebraska Community Foundation, Inc.
The Rural Entrepreneurship Initiative has three desired outcomes:
1. Strengthen Rural America through entrepreneurship;
2. Support learning that enables Rural America to build a stronger and more supportive environment for entrepreneurship;
3. Create and support a national learning community around rural entrepreneurship.
II. RURAL EDUCATION AND TELECOMMUNICATION
The mission of the Telecommunications & Education Initiative is to establish dialogue with key partner organizations and state government leaders exploring opportunities for enhancing the education and telecommunications environment in rural Missouri. The initiative will bring together the various and diverse interests engaged in rural education and in the telecommunications industry to identify the barriers for expanding educational opportunities for rural schools and students and develop potential policy changes that will help encourage removal of these barriers. Specific areas of concern include distance learning opportunities, broadband communication infrastructure, and existing regulatory and administrative structures.
III. RURAL HEALTH AND HUMAN NEEDS
The mission of the Health & Human Needs Initiative is to provide a forum for rural health care providers, workers and users to identify methods and strategies to enhance the provision of health care services to rural residents. A particular focus is to strengthen the collaboration amongst the various levels of public health providers and between the health care disciplines.
IV. RURAL COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The role of the Community Leadership Development Initiative is to facilitate, with input and assistance from key partner organizations and state government leaders, the development of strong and effective community leadership in rural Missouri. The initiative’s goal is to identify as many effective and productive leadership training and development processes as possible, and to then compare the methodologies in use with the hope of being able to provide insights into successful formats. Resultant products will be provided to rural communities to use both in the examination of their own leadership processes, and in the development of more effective local programs.
To implement the work of the above-mentioned four strategic initiatives, MRDP will form working committees comprising the various interest groups and affected agencies pertaining to the respective initiatives – with representatives of the five public and private sectors of the partnership. These working committees will prepare and submit work plans and goals that will be considered by the MRDP Board for inclusion in the MRDP annual work plans.
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Attachments: i. Exhibit “A” – Strategic Plan Board Survey Results
ii. Exhibit “B” – Rural Issues Forums Summaries
EXHIBIT “A”
STRATEGIC PLAN BOARD SURVEY
Please identify the top four rural issues in Missouri –
1. Rural Health Care
2. Rural Education
3. Rural Housing
4. Rural Infrastructure
5. Access to Capital
6. Leadership Capacity
7. <other>
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Rural Issue: LEADERSHIP CAPACITY
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Define the specific issue: Fundamental change is occurring at a rapid pace in rural America and it will take people with an ability to face challenges, see a vision for the future, think strategically, collect data and information, and enroll others at various levels into an action plan. • Leaders need rewards and if you try to succeed in a rural area, frustration often sets in. Good leaders relocate to areas near urban hubs where family financial rewards are better. • Leadership does not look at rural areas beyond their city or county boundaries. • With MoDED withdrawing support for the Missouri Community Betterment program and the budget cuts at the University of Missouri, leadership programs are in decline. • They don’t know that they don’t know. Rural areas miss lots of opportunities. •
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Identify the rural needs/challenges related to the issue: Those who are currently in leadership positions could use support and those who are potential leaders need training and encouragement. The ability to respond to rural issues effectively largely rests upon the strength of leadership. • Need to understand need to think regionally and globally and see how each piece fits together. \\ Getting people to come forward for leadership positions for the good of the community, not just because they have an issue to address. • Rural community leaders still need assistance with strategic planning and needs assessment. Often they do not know where to turn for technical support. • They’re not aware of opportunities and they can’t or don’t hire expertise to find them. They also lack the moxie to lead their communities to pursue opportunities. •
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Identify the potential strategies to address the needs/challenges: Offer and encourage leadership training on an ongoing basis, particularly for young people who demonstrate an interest in leadership. Leadership training could be offered both on-site and on-line. \\ Provide scholarships for people living in the community to take advantage of leadership programs and training in community economic development (i.e. Community Development Academy) similar to scholarships given to high school students. The difference is that the community will see a direct benefit from those who have committed to stay in the community. \\ Host educational workshops and invite the entire community to attend and learn more about issues impacting them. OSEDA has offered this in the area of demographics, for example. • Leadership training programs. \\ Raise leaders from the young people of the area. \\ Get community involved with local activities and programs. • MoROC and most especially the regional planning commissions can play a part in filling the vacuum. • Train them. Maybe pass legislation that requires they get training. Have RPCs and other service providers step in and do for them. • |
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Rural Issue: RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE
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Define the specific issue: Water and sewer systems are aging and may are failing. This threatens the health and environment not only for those in the community, but in a region. Depending upon the expanse of the watershed, this could cause serious problems in a multi-state area (i.e. Missouri River basin). • Is old and thus any industries, etc. wishing to relocate to these areas bears additional cost burdens. • Roads, or lack thereof, seems to be on everyone’s mind. • Inadequate or no water and sewer systems, high-speed net, roads, amenities thriving business requires.
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Identify the rural needs/challenges related to the issue: Many small communities are not well equipped to assess options and make choices related to upgrading water and sewer systems. Financing these systems also is a barrier, given that rate increases may meet political walls or exceed what residents can reasonably pay. \\ Public financing tools, such as the Community Development Block Grant program, are being threatened for reduction or elimination. These programs need to be enhanced. \\ Regional approaches, while beginning to occur, are more complicated to facilitate. • It goes without saying, without adequate transportation, rural communities cannot pursue an effective economic development strategy. • Bad infrastructure, poor climate for high-value business.
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Identify the potential strategies to address the needs/challenges: Wide promotion of the Rate Maker program, and other information that can assist communities in making the appropriate choices to meet their water and sewer needs. \\ Work with state and federal agencies, not-for-profits and legislatures to make the case that rural infrastructure programs are valuable and necessary. \\ Promote regional approaches to water and sewer. • Toll roads might be part of the answer. It seems to have worked with the new bridge on the Lake of the Ozarks. \\ Special taxing districts might also work. Kirksville seems to have used this strategy successfully and the Hwy. 36 corridor is trying to do the same. • Build infrastructure, market other attributes of particular places to compensate for lack of infrastructure targeting business that does not need the infrastructure that is lacking.
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Rural Issue: ACCESS TO CAPITAL
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Define the specific issue: Those starting a business have less access to venture capital than those in an urban/suburban area. \\ Locally-owned banks many times are replaced with branch offices that don’t make loan decisions. • Related to rural infrastructure, the low tax base does not allow the upgrades needed to attract activities that will generate additional revenue streams for the rural areas. • Demise or reduction of grant programs for community projects, relative poor credit rating of private individuals and businesses compared to urban counterparts.
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Identify the rural needs/challenges related to the issue: Small businesses have fewer financing options when they need to expand, or meet a temporary cash flow shortfall. • Rural areas often lack economies of scale and financial and management wherewithal.
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Identify the potential strategies to address the needs/challenges: Rural Community Development Corporations or revolving loan funds could work in partnership with lenders to provide financing to qualified businesses. • Rural communities need to band together when possible to improve economies of scale (regionalize some infrastructure and management functions), add funding back to the grant programs.
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Rural Issue: RURAL HEALTH CARE
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Define the specific issue: Getting doctors and medical services into rural areas on a full-time basis. • With rural hospitals consolidating or closing, access to health care is a major problem. Doctors find urban practice more lucrative.
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Identify the rural needs/challenges related to the issue: Elderly population in rural areas, so more demand for medical services. \\ New businesses want health care to be local and good. \\ Rural areas do not attract doctors. • Adequate health care is deficient at every level. There is a shortage of doctors and facilities. \\ This is a serious quality of life issue. Many retirees would like to return to the small town life, but if they suffer from any illness, they must move to urban areas just to be close to their doctor.
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Identify the potential strategies to address the needs/challenges: Have been trying to find answers for 10 years and still don’t have a clue on how to get started toward a solution. • I have heard of few strategies proposed to help this situation. Several areas of Missouri suffer health conditions rivaling third-world countries (infant mortality rates for example).
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Rural Issue: RURAL EDUCATION
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Define the specific issue: Education, more than ever, is for life. Jobs requiring little skill are being replaced with jobs requiring more education and skill.
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Identify the rural needs/challenges related to the issue: Many rural communities do not have access to educational opportunities for adults within a short driving distance. Whether it is earning a degree or learning a vocational trade, the distance and costs associated with the drive is a barrier for many to add to their skill base.
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Identify the potential strategies to address the needs/challenges: Opportunities for adult education could be expanded with distance learning or Internet-based courses.
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Rural Issue: RURAL HOUSING
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Define the specific issue: “Affordable” housing is unavailable. I have been told that if an individual has $250,000 to spend, that individual can find housing. Houses that cost under $100,000 and rental property are in short supply.
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Identify the rural needs/challenges related to the issue: Rural communities will be unable to attract new investment to the community without housing for new workers. Lack of low-cost housing is even constraining business expansions.
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Identify the potential strategies to address the needs/challenges: This really does seem an issue that more money would mitigate. Both Rural Development and Missouri Housing Development Commission are under funded. \\ In certain areas, I have heard of construction labor shortages. A young person believes that he/she can make more money in the urban areas.
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Rural Issue: PERCEPTION
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Define the specific issue: When someone goes into a rural area with the intent to try and help they are perceived as outsiders and must spend large amounts of effort to just be accepted. This drains the energy need for actual real improvements.
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Rural Issue: TRANSPORTATION
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Define the specific issue: Four-lane highways need to be completed in north Missouri (Hwys. 63, 36, 61 & 65).
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Identify the rural needs/challenges related to the issue: Lack of money. \\ Lack of political clout. \\ Huge cost of projects because of number of miles to complete.
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Identify the potential strategies to address the needs/challenges: Local funding & participation. \\ Build coalitions with St. Louis & Kansas City.
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Rural Issue: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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Define the specific issue: Maintaining a level of retail, service, commercial and industrial businesses in the community to provide jobs and maintain quality of life for citizens.
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Identify the rural needs/challenges related to the issue: Getting businesses (services & retail) to think in terms of needed businesses today, not last year’s ideas of what the downtown used to look like. \\ Getting businesses to take a chance and move to a rural area.
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Identify the potential strategies to address the needs/challenges: Training and leadership for new business leaders. \\ Marketing of area as included in a regional program.
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Other comments/suggestions for the future role of MoROC:
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Comments/Suggestions: Find “niches” – things not being done or done well by other organizations and do those things. The forums may point out some areas in need. One that seems to always be there is a lack of coordination between various agencies that deal with rural areas. Another is rural community leaders, residents and business seem to lack much knowledge of what is already available to them – they need information, education. Another is they need cheerleading and encouragement. They can accomplish much more than they think. • Every effort should be made to get MoDED more involved with MoROC. • Using a combination of demographics, existing research and public issues forums, MoROC could educate, enlighten and enroll individuals at various levels to think through rural issues and promote specific actions to address priority issues. \\ Continue to support specific projects that provide tools for community-based approaches to addressing issues (i.e. The Rural Entrepreneurship Initiative community guidebook).
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EXHIBIT “B”
RURAL ISSUES FORUMS SUMMARIES
March 2004
CAMERON – Thursday, March 18
Host: Mo-Kan Regional Council; MoROC Facilitator: John Bode
20 attendees
Topics of Concern
· Roads – Hwy 36 – blacktop (13)
· Jobs (13)
· School funding – sales tax instead of property tax (4)
· Law enforcement & drugs (4)
· Zoning – pro vs. con (2)
· Education – decreased enrollment; no child left behind; incentives (6)
· Economic development – brain drain (6)
· Healthcare (11)
· Family farms vs. corporate farms (2)
· Infrastructure in communities (5)
· Water supplies (6)
· Better cell phone coverage (1)
· Telecommunications (3)
· Funding for emergency services (1)
· Community awareness – leadership (1)
· Funding for local projects (1)
· USDA assistance (1)
· Awareness of regional planning commissions (1)
· Affordable housing & programs (2)
· Alternate energy sources – ethanol & bio-diesel (2)
· Cultural growth & funding (1)
· Marketing assistance (1)
· Senior services (1)
· Hancock Amendment (1)
· Term limits (1)
Break-Out Group #1
Infrastructure
Ø Water, sewer, roads, bridges, Internet access.
Ø Cooperation between government agencies to make grant and loan applications easier to apply for.
Ø Fill gaps in current services.
Jobs – new & retention
Ø Provide more incentives for attraction for truly rural areas with smaller populations.
Healthcare – attracting doctors
Ø Affordable insurance – private & employer.
Ø Better emergency services.
Ø Provide incentives for doctors and other healthcare professionals to locate to rural areas.
Break-Out Group #2
Water Supply
Ø Establish a Northwest Missouri wholesale water supply district.
Ø CDBG funding.
Ø Bonding authority for water systems.
Ø Other funding mechanisms.
Ø Streamline and reduce paperwork for MoDNR permitting.
Ø New large containment facilities – lakes.
Economic Development/Jobs
Ø Better rural infrastructure including telecommunications.
Ø Create statewide enterprise zone.
Ø Direct education & job training more toward developing worker skills.
Ø Make tax credits saleable.
Ø Dedicated “deal” funds for incentives.
Ø Upfront benefits for development & expansion.
Transportation/Highways
Ø Toll road authority.
Ø Increase motor carrier fee.
Ø Increase gas tax.
Ø Transportation sales tax.
Ø Increase license fees.
Ø Eliminate diversion of fuel tax revenues.
Ø Federal energy policy & plan including renewable fuels.
Ø Four-lane Hwy. 36.
Break-Out Group #3
Jobs
Ø Better roads to bring jobs.
Ø Infrastructure to handle the new businesses.
Ø Education fit to the jobs that will be available: A. Expand A+ Program; B. Free students from peer pressure.
Ample Water Supply
Ø Increase size of systems to eight – 12-inch.
Ø Wholesale rural water supply district out of Maysville.
Healthcare
Ø Coordinate efforts of different groups better.
Ø More education & training on healthy eating and healthy lifestyles.
Ø Focus on prevention.
PERRYVILLE – Thursday, March 25
Host: Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission; MoROC Facilitator: John Bode
10 attendees
Topics of Concern
· Economic/Business Development (4)
· Transportation (5)
· Public Transportation (2)
· Leadership (local) (3)
· Ample water supply (1)
· Healthcare (4)
· Affordable housing (1)
· Senior services (1)
· Rural infrastructure (2)
· Education (opportunities & quality) (2)
· Workforce development (3)
· Population drain (1)
· Local entrepreneurship (1)
· Loss of farms & farm land (1)
· Utilization of human resources (1)
· Law & drug enforcement (2)
· Marketing of educational programs (1)
· Telecommunication systems (4)
· Poverty & transfer payments (1)
· Value added processes – agricultural products & timber (1)
· Imbalance of funding formulas between rural & urban (1)
· Utilization of information technology (1)
· Need of local high skill jobs to keep young people in area (1)
· Large corporations and reduction of small businesses (1)
Break-Out Group #1
Rural Infrastructure/Transportation
Telecommunication/Information Transfer
Ø Offer tax credits to spur development.
Ø Relates to homeland security issues.
Ø Would support entrepreneurship and high value employment opportunities.
Ø Satellite technology.
Ø Affordable to general population.
Break-Out Group #2
Transportation
Ø Development of a major east-west transportation corridor across Missouri.
Ø Upgrading of US Highway 67 to freeway status.
Economic Development
Ø Development of retirement communities to attract affluent retirees.
Ø Improved infrastructure to support economic development.
Ø Improved access to broadband Internet technology.
Ø Expanded value-added processes.
MOBERLY – Thursday, March 18
Host: Mark Twain Regional Councils of Government; MoROC Facilitator: Carl Brown
24 attendees
Positives of Rural Missouri
ü “Cheap” land
ü Good workforce
ü Low competition
ü Low taxes
ü Survival instinct
ü Community pride
ü Great family values
ü Self-sufficiency
ü Improving transportation
ü Improving technology
Topics of Concern
· Healthcare
· Loss of younger population
· Leadership continuity
· Aging infrastructure
· Low tax base
· Decreased education funding
· Decreased transportation funding
· Increased illegal drug activity
· Low rate of entrepreneurship
· Lack of affordable housing
· Technology slow to arrive
· Low-wage jobs
Break-Out Groups Summary
Ø Adequate and equitable educational opportunities solves many problems.
Ø Find/create resources.
Ø Need basic infrastructure – laws, regulations, etc. that support development.
Ø Need to encourage and foster private enterprise – self-interest, taking ownership.
Ø Incentivize energy self-sufficiency, etc. (i.e. bio-diesel opportunities).
POPULAR BLUFF – Thursday, March 25
Host: Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission; MoROC Facilitator: Vickie Rightmyre
17 attendees
Topics of Concern
· Lack of funds
· Infrastructure improvements
·