One of the many benefits of the Northwest Rural Investment Strategy is that it provides a home base for all things rural. With so many great organizations across Washington focused all or in part on serving rural communities in some way, it is especially important for PRWA, as the State Rural Development Council, to serve as a bridge, partner and facilitator where helpful. This also helps ensure we avoid duplication and inefficiency (banes of my professional existence).
An example of how we are doing this is through our new collaboration with the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Energy Division. With funding from the Climate Commitment Act, they are helping tribes, local rural governments and rural community based organizations identify and access state and federal funding opportunities for clean energy and climate related projects. This includes the soft launch of a federal grant writing assistance program, assistance navigating federal clean energy tax credits and the development of a searchable database of state and federal clean energy funding opportunities (FundHubWA). We’ve already found several ways we can work together to help maximize each other’s reach and impact. Staff will be coordinating work where appropriate and incorporating each entity’s services and strengths to better serve rural communities across Washington. Please see QR codes below for contact information if you would like to learn more about these programs.
I’ll be at Road America next week, preoccupied with pit crew duties, so look for my next note on October 9.
Take care,
Jody
