The Colorado Rural Development Council is the Voice of Rural Colorado!  For the first time, a consistent message about rural Colorado’s health and vitality, and its importance to the whole state’s economy, can be measured and recognized. 
 

           www.ruralcolorado.org                                                                      

The Colorado Rural Development Council, in a partnership with the Colorado Rural Workforce Consortium, will be developing the first ever “Annual Report Card” on the Status of Rural Colorado.  This “Report Card” will demonstrate the aggregate impact of the economy and workforce of rural Colorado on the state as a whole and will illustrate indicators of economic, workforce, social and environmental health.  We will work with our partners to develop real solutions to Colorado’s rural economic and workforce issues as well as rural/urban conflicts.

CRDC will organize and facilitate eight (8) statewide focus groups/strategy sessions, to engage business and community leaders in substantive discussions relating to the changing rural dynamics, challenges and opportunities for rural growth and sustainability; CRDC will clearly identify at a grass roots level, the key issues relating to workforce, training, housing and other related areas and illustrate the interdependence of Colorado’s urban and rural economies.

We have developed an aggressive timeline for this effort expecting to hold the focus group sessions in March and have the completed report available to the public by mid May.
 
The key to the success of this “Report Card” will be the eight (8) Rural Focus Sessions over four to five weeks, projected to begin in March.  Potential regional locations will be eight of the rural workforce consortium regions including; Northwest, Southwest, West Central, San Luis Valley, Central Mountains, Northern Mountains, Southeast, and Northeast. 
  
The results will be available for distribution and presentation to key organizations throughout the state.  This will also be made to State Agencies and Legislators as a valuable source of information on the importance of the economy of rural Colorado to the entire state’s economy.

Additionally, we will work to develop Strategies to respond to issues identified in the report from the focus groups with potential solutions and implementation planning.

The process for developing this “Report Card on the Status of Rural Colorado” will be a highly collaborative state-wide effort with significant local and regional focus.  We will identify and develop substantive solutions for the issues addressed throughout Rural Colorado.