Our Mission
Celebrating 10 Years of Rural Schools Collaborative
As we celebrate Rural Schools Collaborative’s 10th anniversary in 2025, we are filled with gratitude for the journey alongside rural educators, students, and advocates. What began as a desire to support rural schools has grown into a national movement, with impact far beyond what we ever could have imagined. At the root of it all are partnerships, collaboration, and a shared unconditional belief in the possibility of rural places.
In 2021, RSC’s founding director, Gary Funk, passed the torch to new leadership. His family created a $50,000 endowment for RSC, signaling a belief that our impact would continue into an unknown future.
In 2024, our Board of Directors made a commitment to match the Funk’s endowment in advance of our 10 Year Anniversary. Through a special campaign honoring our Founding Board members, we exceeded the goal of $100,000 in endowment, affirming yet again that RSC is here to stay.
Thank you to all who have been a part of the first decade of RSC. We are thrilled to celebrate with you!
Who We Are
Rural Schools Collaborative maintains a small, dedicated team to support our Regional Hub Network programs and partnerships.
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RSC Programs
As a collaborative network, the many partners of Rural Schools Collaborative make possible our diverse programs dedicated to building strong and sustainable rural communities.
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Theory of Change
Every rural community needs well-resourced schools, talented educators, peers to support them, and a positive outlook for the future.
Learn MoreRegional Hub Network
Our Regional Hub partners provide RSC with a flexible and cost-effective organizational infrastructure. They are vehicles for authentic place-centered learning, teacher support, and shared reflection.
The latest from our Hubs and Partners:
News and Updates
Dr. Steven L. Johnson: Rural Schools at Risk: The Unseen Real Toll of Federal and State Education Cuts in North Dakota (Op-Ed)
Dr. Steve Johnson, a longtime RSC advocate and rural superintendent based in Fort Ransom, North Dakota, shares his perspective on the dangers of cutting education funding.
Brian Fogle: To Support Small Towns, Government Should Focus on Effectiveness, Not Efficiency (Op-ed)
Brian Fogle, RSC Board Chair and a lifelong leader in rural community development, details the needs facing rural-serving organizations and how recent changes to the federal government further threaten rural places and people.
University of Central Missouri Joins RSC Regional Hub Network
The University of Central Missouri has joined the RSC Regional Hub Network as a third partner dedicated to uplifting rural education in Missouri.
Rural Schools Collaborative Receives $1.2 Million Grant from ECMC Foundation to Strengthen Rural Educator Pipeline
This three-year grant will strengthen RSC’s Rural Teacher Corps Network to recruit, prepare, and retain rural educators.