Rural Schools Collaborative is excited to announce a $585,000, 33-month grant from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies to strengthen place-based, collaborative initiatives to recruit, prepare, and retain rural teachers.
This learning project aims to provide support across rural education stakeholders (pre-service and current teachers, higher education, philanthropy and community partners) to convene, collaborate, and share ideas and resources.
Since its launch in 2015, Rural Schools Collaborative’s network has advocated for "intentionally rural" teacher initiatives, leading to the formation of the Rural Teacher Corps Network. In partnership with philanthropic organizations, RSC provided Catalyst Initiative support grants to 18 emerging Rural Teacher Corps programs over the last 4 years, totaling more than $400,000.
Now with 20+ unique programs in the network, this new project provides an opportunity for national collaboration with three primary goals:
Engage the Rural Teacher Corps network in a “Community of Learners” convening series to reduce professional isolation and increase collaboration on effective efforts to recruit, prepare, and retain rural educators;
Give voice to rural educator perspectives to strengthen the Rural Teacher Corps concept and celebrate the role of rural educators; and
Explore data and research opportunities on the impact of Rural Teacher Corps programs.
By working together with other rural peers instead of going it alone, this project aims to expand and strengthen these local efforts to tackle the rural teacher shortage, while documenting lessons learned and best practices.
“We hope to use our convening power to take the Rural Teacher Corps Network from an informal group into a professional learning community that is helpful to our partners and their programs,” says Taylor McCabe-Juhnke, RSC Executive Director, “We are immensely grateful to Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies for the opportunity to bolster this work.”
Teachers play an outsized role in their communities, bolstering social capital, weaving community connections, and building the future rural residents and workforce. And, the strength of local schools in rural places is often a litmus test for the broader economic vitality; public schools are frequently the largest employers in rural communities, especially with continued closure of rural healthcare facilities. The schools also play an important role in attracting families or new business opportunities to more remote communities, underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts to strengthen rural schools.
We look forward to working on this community of learners project with the Rural Teacher Corps programs, and thank Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies board and team for their support.
About Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies:
Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) provides meaningful assistance to society, the arts, and the environment. Based in Minnesota, MACP is the umbrella over two grantmaking foundations: Margaret A. Cargill Foundation and Anne Ray Foundation. Rooted in guidance from our founder, Margaret Cargill, we engage with strategic partners to support work that makes a lasting difference for communities, with particular attention to overlooked causes. Our global funding spans seven domains connected through common strategies and approaches: Animal Welfare, Arts & Cultures, Disaster Relief & Recovery, Environment, Legacy & Opportunity, Quality of Life, and Teachers & Students. The collective assets of MACP place it among the largest philanthropies in the United States.