Join us for the 13th Annual Arizona Rural Policy Forum  Eagar-Springerville August 7, 8, 9

 Round Valley High School, 550 N. Butler St., Eagar, AZ

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Pre-Conference Events:

Wednesday, August 7

Wednesday, August 7th. Join from 11:30am to 5:00 pm for a fun, inside look at economic development of the region. Learn first-hand about agritourism, ranching, forestry and other industries that drive this region with a culmination event at the Ensphere (aka The Dome).  Join us for the bus tour; lunch provided.

Wednesday, August 7th. Join us at 5:30 pm for the opening night celebration and experience the history and heritage of Eagar-Springerville; catered by Trail Riders, Booga Red’s, Avery’s, and Bruzzi Vineyards. The Springerville Heritage Center houses four museums in one and celebrates the history, tenacity and melting-pot culture of visionaries like Renee Cushman, a French woman who dreamed of being a rancher in the 1940s, the ancient Pueblo People of Casa Malpais, the Becker Family, one of the first families to settle Springerville and the White Mountain Historical Society. We’ll have local musicians sharing their talents on two exquisite antique pianos throughout the evening. Be sure to join us for this launch party to get the event started right! Get tickets here.

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2019 Rural Policy Forum:

Thursday, August 8

Thursday, August 8th: All sessions below will be at the Round Valley High School, 550 N. Butler St., Eagar, AZ

Breakfast served from 7:30 AM- 9:30 AM

Breakfast provided by Trail Riders / Beverages provided by Junk & Java

8:30 AM
Morning Welcome

Representative Tom O’Halleran

Vision Sessions:

Building opportunity in Arizona is hard work and more often than not, recognition is hard to come by. Join these rapid fire presenters as they highlight their innovative project or organization and its impact in Rural AZ this past year.
Travis Barnum, ADEQ Brownfields | Brownfields Are Closer than they Appear
Robert Theobald, Arizona Commerce Authority | ACA & SBDC Partnership
Julie Engel, Greater Yuma EDC | Rural Workforce Legislation
Ian Dowdy, Center for Future of Arizona | Community Progress Meters
Kal Mannis, Rural Activation & Innovation Network | Informal STEM Programs

Breakout Sessions:

This year, we have organized our sessions under four tracks: (1) Business Development; (2) Tourism & Marketing; (3) Food Systems & Healthy Communities; and (4) Stewardship & Sustainability. We have also added in hands-on workshops for each tract that are peppered throughout the agenda.

Thursday 10:00 AM- 11:30 AM

Concurrent sessions:

1. Business Development: Business Development & Growth

How can rural communities keep growing businesses from moving elsewhere? Small, medium, and large business owners will outline the benefits of doing business in their rural communities; sharing the policies enacted that supported them to stay and grow.

Why attend this session? Understand the benefits of starting and running a business in a rural setting and ways your community can adopt incentives and policies to promote business retention and growth.
Rob Page, Bisbee Coffee
Chuck Hoisington, Open Loop Energy
Keith Watkins, Arizona Commerce Authority
Bennett Bratley, City of Kingman Economic Development

2. Tourism & Marketing: Engaging Small Business to Develop a Community-Wide Brand

Business ownership in rural communities is a challenge. Many times, the success of the city or town as a whole will dictate the success of its individual business owners. Some communities have found a way to implement strategic, collaborative marketing campaigns that have expanded their reach and increased revenues for their businesses as a collective group.

Why attend this session? Learn about examples of collaborative marketing campaigns across the state that have proven results and learn how to implement them effectively in your own community.
Aaron Cooper, International Sonoran Desert Alliance/Only in Ajo
Julie Brooks, Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce
Cameron Davis, Razor Thin Media/Adventure Gila County

3.  Food Systems & Healthy Communities: Growing Health Through Heritage Foods

In the last century, we have lost 75% of the genetic diversity in the foods we grow and eat. Most of the food produced worldwide now consists of one of four types of crops: corn, wheat, rice, and potatoes. By growing heritage foods, small farmers are making a living helping to enhance the biodiversity of our local food system.

Why attend this session? Learn how biodiversity helps to secure our local food systems and how you can support your local food producers to improve  health and increase access to healthy, culturally-appropriate foods in your community.
Jonathan Netzky, Local Alternative Link
Velvet Button, Ramona Farms
Pam Roy, Farm to Table NM

4. Workforce + Education | Cultivating Talent Pipeline Collaboration

Partnerships between rural educators and community employers are powerful when done effectively. Although our school systems and higher education partners work diligently to produce a skilled workforce, a disconnect in job fulfillment still exists. Many times, this issue derives from a lack of communication between rural employers and those creating curriculum in their community; resulting in broken talent pipelines and a disparity in the community’s perception of “No good jobs” vs “No good workforce”.

Why attend this session? Learn about proven systems that have been implemented locally and across the country to develop truly collaborative relationships between education partners and rural employers,  how effective and sometimes customized curriculum can be developed and how to better address an insufficient workforce in your community.

Richard Hernandez, Yavapai College Regional Economic Development Center
Katherine Pappas, Pipeline AZ
Katy Cavanagh, Center for the Future of Arizona
Liza Noland, AZ Rural Development Council

11:45 AM-1:15 PM

Lunch provided by Booga Red’s / Beverages provided by Junk & Java

LUNCHTIME WELCOME

Representative Walter Blackman, Legislative District 6 | Joe Jarvis, Town of Springerville

LUNCHTIME with KEYNOTE SPEAKER INES POLONIUS

Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Ines Polonius, CEO of Communities Unlimited, works to drive community economic development through the building of entrepreneurial ecosystems; focusing on micro-enterprises, small business, and water infrastructure. Learn how her work has brought direct improvements to persistently challenged rural communities throughout the nation.

LUNCH DEBRIEF

Elisa de la Vara, Arizona Community Foundation

Breakout Sessions
Thursday, 1:30 PM- 3:00 PM
Concurrent sessions:

1. Business Development: Preparing for the New Workforce

It is estimated that 50% of the population will be working contracted, freelance jobs by 2020 – a dramatic shift from the traditional 9-5 work model. Furthermore, metrics such as “wellbeing” are becoming increasingly more prevalent when determining prosperity in the field of economics. With these workforce shifts underway, how do we adjust our plans for job creation and retention to provide a sustainable environment for entrepreneurship and personal satisfaction in our communities?  

Why attend this session? Leave with a deeper understanding of why the entrepreneurial trend is sweeping the nation and its implications for competitive job retention. Speakers will provide a template for developing a co-working space and for providing competitive millennial benefit packages to help support and retain creative minds in our rural communities.
Brian Watson, Proximity Space
Melanie Banayat, WingSpace
Tiffany Ochiltree, GO Admin Solutions

2. Tourism & Marketing WORKSHOP: Rewriting the Rural Narrative

Let’s continue to collectively rewrite the narrative to reflect the opportunity and vibrancy surrounding us. Unfortunately, the message “If You Stay, You Fail” continues to prevail in many of our rural narratives. Consider the impact this negative messaging can have on business retention, community engagement, and one’s pride of Rural Arizona.

Why attend this session? Learn how to regain control over the narrative in your community and propel it in a positive way. Facilitators will help you spin an alternative message that puts negativity on its heels and to pinpoint strategic outlets/community members to help power a new perspective.
Bryan Seppala, Resolution Copper
Liza Noland, AZ Rural Development Council
Lauren Haggerty, AZ Rural Development Council

3. WealthWorks Toolkit WORKSHOP: A Strategy for Success in Economic and Community Development in Rural America

How do you drive inclusive economic development by connecting the assets in a community with real market demand? In this interactive workshop, learn how the WealthWorks model is being used across the country to build wealth creating value chains in rural places.

Why attend this session? Following her lunch presentation, Keynote speaker, Ines Polonius will provide tactical guidance on how to apply the principles to your work or begin exploring a value chain idea that may work in your community.

4. Stewardship & Sustainability: Sustaining Open Space in an Era of Growth

Open spaces and other natural environments are essential in sustaining wildlife habitats and preserving landscapes for generations to come. As private land subdivision and development continue to pressure our rural communities, we are reminded of the importance of protecting land to support a diverse, flourishing community of human, plant and animal life and the benefits of doing so.

Why attend this session? Learn how to navigate the factors threatening our open spaces, and hear examples of strategic initiatives that provide support for restoration, protection and maintenance of our natural lands.
Chuck Budinger, AZ Department of Transportation
Janeen Rohovit, Salt River Project
Wick Butler, X Diamond Ranch

Breakout Sessions:
Thursday 3:15 pm – 4:45 PM
Concurrent sessions:

1. Business Development: Maintain Your Legacy Beyond Silver Tsunami (Baby Boomer Retirement) 

Retiring baby boomers need a plan for rural succession. Until recently, cooperatives, B-Corps, and employee owned companies have been foreign concepts in Arizona. Join local experts to discuss different ways to structure companies that incorporate new ways to expand the lifecycle of your local businesses.

Why attend this session? Develop a better understanding of alternative ownership models that can be incorporated into your local businesses and expand them beyond one-generation ownership. 
Kevin Fort, Central AZ College SBDC
Josh Gallagher, GO Admin Solutions
Alex Walsh, Arizona Business Transitions

2. Tourism & Marketing: Strengthening Community Through Arts & Culture

Art and culture have become pillars of rural revitalization. Explore the ways cultural celebration and arts-based engagement can be put to work for positive community impact and enhanced tourist engagement.

Why attend this session? Join to be inspired as you learn about the creative ways our rural communities are attracting tourists through celebration of local culture and talent.  Hear how each contributor developed their events, programs, and projects and walk away with templates on how to capitalize on deeper cultural engagement in your community.
Moderator: Brad Debiase, AZ Commission of the Arts
Jamie Stehly, Kingman Main Street
Isaac Russell, Littlewood Fine Art & Community Co-Op
DiAnn Butler, Colorado Creative Districts
Gayle Berry, Willcox Theater

3. Food Systems & Healthy Communities: Growing a Healthy, Local Marketplace

One of the most prevalent threats to the health of rural communities is the lack of access to fresh and nutritious foods. The story of these local marketplaces transcends solutions for addressing food insecurity. These examples of grassroots collaboration double as models for creating opportunity out of almost any service gap prevalent in a community; exemplifying the necessity for mindful cooperation and adaptation to create meaningful change.

Why attend this session? Learn specific ways these community members address dire needs through strategic collaboration and creative problem solving.
Adrienne Udarbe, Pinnacle Prevention
Elyse Guidas, Farm Express
Stacy Raneri, Oracle Patio Cafe & Market
Nina Sajovec, Ajo CSA

4. Stewardship & Sustainability: Waste as an Economic Driver

Disposal of solid waste is a stinging and widespread problem in rural communities across the state. In turn, a survey of 36 rural towns in Arizona, conducted by Keep Arizona Beautiful, reported that respondents identified illegal dumping as their most problematic local environmental issue – contributing to a myriad of health and safety risks for their communities. Fortunately, examples of creative and profitable solutions to addressing solid waste accumulation have been popping up in rural communities across the nation.

Why attend this session? Identify lucrative solutions to addressing waste mitigation in Rural communities. Speakers will focus on grass-root transportation options, central management locations, and strategies to profit from your community’s trash and recyclable products.
JB Shaw, AZ Recycling Coalition Board
Jill Bernstein, Keep AZ Beautiful
Ryan Smith, Recyclops

Thursday Night Dinner, 5:30 PM

Thursday evening, Join us once again for our second group dinner party, held at Avery’s Wateringhole. Enjoy casual indoor and outdoor settings, with patio games under a blanket of stars. Purchase tickets here, to join us from 5:30 PM- 9:30 PM. You may purchase tickets at the door!

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Friday, August 9

 

Friday, August 9th, All sessions below will be at the Round Valley High School, 550 N. Butler St., Eagar, AZ

Breakfast served from  7:30 AM- 9:30 AM

Provided by Round Valley HS Food Service / Beverages provided by Junk & Java

8:30 AM
Morning Welcome

Ian Cribbs, OneAZ Credit Union

Vision Sessions:

Building opportunity in Arizona is hard work and more often than not, recognition is hard to come by. Join these rapid fire presenters as they highlight their innovative project or organization and its impact in Rural AZ this past year.
Angela Fernandez, GeekiTek | Rural WiFi
Craig Sellers, Yuma’s Complete Count Committee, Rural Census Representation
Jon Canyon, Axolotl Biologix | STEM Regeneration on Tribal Land
Eric Marcus, SEDI | Funding Sustainable Classrooms
Danny Knee, Pima Community Investment Corporation | Creative Finance Models

BREAKFAST with KEYNOTE KIMBER LANNING

Resiliency in Rural Arizona: Strategies to Build Community Self-Reliance 

Kimber Lanning, Founder of Local First Arizona and Executive Director of the Arizona Rural Development Council, will highlight unique approaches to solving some of Arizona’s most critical rural challenges by activating unlikely partners and focusing on root causes.

Breakout Sessions:

Friday 10:00 AM-11:30 AM

Concurrent sessions:

1. Business Development: Community Activation – Thinking About the Big Picture

Growing a rural community is hard work and requires an “all hands on deck” mentality. Many times, great ideas exist but lack the funding, people or other resources to get off the ground. In whichever segment of community development your passion lies, whether it be Business Development, Youth Engagement, Tourism, Waste & Sustainability or Healthy Food Systems, proven programs exist and we’re excited to tell you about them!

Why attend this session? Learn about Arizona Rural Development Council Community Activation programming and how you may be able to incorporate it into your community to build a stronger, more resilient city/town.
Liza Noland, AZ Rural Development Council
Lauren Haggerty, AZ Rural Development Council

2. Tourism & Marketing: Getting Your Community on the Map

In this digital age of tourism and marketing, it is imperative that your community is competing for an online audience that can ensure your local businesses and community assets will continue to thrive. Now is the time to make sure your online megaphone is effectively garnishing the attention your community deserves.

Why attend this session?  Become informed on the multitude of resources provided by statewide organizations and social media platforms to shine a digital spotlight on the assets and experiences offered in your community.
Kimber Lanning, AZ Rural Development Council
Ben Stewart, Arizona Office of Tourism
Rand Jenkins, Mountain Mojo
Matthew Nelson, Arizona Trail Association

3. Food Systems & Healthy Communities WORKSHOP: Inspiring a Healthy Community

Strong healthcare and health supports are critical to improving the broader wellbeing of your community. Join Vitalyst Health Foundation and Arizona Complete Health in navigating the web of factors contributing to the barriers of rural healthcare delivery.

Why attend this session? Develop a tailored approach to improving the broader health of your community. Come roll-up your sleeves and get involved identifying rural healthcare delivery challenges by mapping out strengths, considering outside factors, and utilizing helpful models that can move the needle for rural health with a unified voice.
Sally Holcomb, Arizona Complete Health
Jon Ford, Vitalyst Health Foundation

4. Stewardship & Sustainability: The Battle for Main Street

Many small towns find their main streets compromised when outside investors buy key buildings and then leave them sitting empty. Main streets are hurt not only when spaces sit empty but the irreplaceable buildings decline without care and upkeep. There are policy solutions that can address the degradation of buildings owned by absentee investors that are costing towns, communities and businesses valuable equity and opportunity.

Why attend this session? Learn about ongoing efforts to create statewide policies that can help keep Main Streets active and thriving.
Todd Pryor, Town of Superior
Larry Harmer, Town of Florence
Travis Barnum, ADEQ Brownfields

 

LUNCH 11:45- 1:15 PM

Provided by Round Valley HS Food Service / Beverages provided by Junk & Java

LUNCH WELCOME

Jack Smith, State Director of USDA Rural Development

LUNCH DEBRIEF

Breakout Sessions
Friday, 1:30 PM- 3:00 PM
Concurrent sessions:

1. Business Development WORKSHOP: Funders Roundtable

Connect with key, state-wide funders and learn about the specific programs and funding mechanisms available to you and your rural communities.

Why attend this session? Hear from seven rural funders who will have grant makers on hand to explain each funder’s areas of interest. You’ll be able to walk around, as questions, and learn how to apply.
Angie Laskarides, AZ Community Foundation
Brad Debiase, AZ Commission of the Arts
Kal Mannis, Rural Activation & Innovation Network (RAIN)
Susan Alameda, Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith & Families
Ben Steward, Arizona Office of Tourism
Jennifer Manhoff, AmeriCorps NCCC
Clint Kaasa, USDA
Emily Muteb, Freeport McMoRan
Travis Barnum, AZDEQ Brownfields
Kimber Lanning, Graham & Greenlee Micro-Loan Fund

2. Tourism & Marketing: Healthcare as an Economic Driver

Healthcare systems in rural communities act as an impactful economic driver, yet are often underutilized in economic development and/or tourism initiatives.

Why attend this session? Learn about the value of rural healthcare systems and how your community can strengthen and market your recruitment of reputable healthcare services to maximize their economic impact within the community.
Melissa Wright, Local First Arizona
Julie Brooks, Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce
Evelyn Vargas, Cobre Valley Regional Medical Center

3.  Food Systems & Healthy Communities: Prioritizing Food Systems Collaboration

A progressively more globalized food system is having local consequences: farms are reporting increasingly negative incomes while our communities simultaneously suffer from alarmingly high rates of food insecurity and increase in diet-related disease. But when food systems are so complex, eating habits are ingrained, and food businesses face unprecedented hurdles to thrive, what can be done? You can place food systems as a pillar for your community development plan.

Why attend this session: Walk through resources, stories of success, and best practices compiled by Local First Arizona Foundation and Good Food Finder that can help you cultivate prosperity for business owners and increase access to fresh, local, and culturally-appropriate foods in your community. Learn how to use Good Food Finder to shine a spotlight on your community’s local food, reach new economic development opportunities and tourism audiences, and identify and mobilize around the existing food systems efforts in your community.
Kate Radosevic, Local First Arizona Foundation
Emily Bell, Local First Arizona Foundation
Mila Besich, Town of Superior/CCEDC

4. Stewardship & Sustainability WORKSHOP: Understanding a Changing Climate in Rural Arizona.

Visioning session to learn how the changing climate is affecting the Southwest, with a focus on impactful solutions and available tools your community can utilize to start building an action plan. Spend time ranking the challenges currently being faced by your community, discussing the economic impacts of such challenges, and determining what resources rural communities need most to mobilize around efforts.

Why attend this session? Attendees will leave with an understanding of how climate change is impacting rural Arizona, along with the opportunity to identify the challenges their communities are facing, learn about proven tactics and resources, and be connected to like-minded people working on these issues throughout the state.

Gregg Garfin, University of Arizona
McKenzie Jones, City of Sedona
Helene Tack, Local First Arizona

Rural Policy Forum Concludes at 3:00 PM

Stay Tuned for Weekend Activities and Recommendations! 

Buy Tickets for 2019 AZ Rural Policy Forum

*Subject to change; check in for all of the latest updates! We are adding to this agenda regularly, so check back.