Small Business Rural Resource Network Initiative to Launch

Oregon Public Broadcasting partners with non-profits to address employment crisis in rural Oregon

At nearly 11 percent, Oregon's unemployment rate is among the highest in the nation. Rural counties have been hit especially hard, with some areas exceeding a jobless rate of 18 percent. The individuals and small businesses in these rural and underserved areas are the focus of a new initiative launching this month. 

Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) has joined forces with Rural Development Initiatives (RDI), Sustainable Northwest (SNW) and The Oregon Consortium/Oregon Workforce Alliance (TOC/OWA) to form The Small Business Rural Resources Network Initiative.

The initiative is focused on connecting businesses, workers and unemployed residents with critical resources while bringing increased visibility through radio and online programming.  Individuals interested in blogging opportunities may contact Oregon Public Broadcasting. 

"Each of our partners brings a unique background and connection to communities all over the state," said Morgan Holm, vice president of news and public affairs at OPB. "And we're excited about the plan we're developing to improve lives and the state's economy."

The initiative is made possible through a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and in-kind and matching funds, and involves producing radio, television and online content that raises awareness of the rural unemployment crisis and offers resources and information that to help workers develop entrepreneurial skills and find jobs or start businesses.

Cassie Wieden has just been hired as coordinator of the project. "We are fortunate to have someone with her experience in organization and outreach who can come in and make an immediate impact," said Holm, who spearheaded the grant process." Wieden co-founded Caldera and continues to work for the advancement of sustainable communities through innovative programs and partnerships.

“With her leadership and our partners’ extensive on-the-ground experience operating in rural communities, we'll be able to reach a wide range of rural residents," said Holm. "And through collaborations with state and private agencies, that reach and awareness will be greatly expanded."

OPB's news department has already produced several series and online features focused on Oregonians coping with unemployment. "This grant will allow us to do more in-depth coverage and focus greater attention on the small business sector that dominates the state's workforce," said OPB's Holm.

"RDI's aim is to connect networks of leaders with compelling stories about what is working, what is being done to weather this economic storm and how communities can improve their economy," said Craig Smith, executive director. "We'll share these stories and best practices in audio and visual format on the RDI RIPPLE Web site and on OPB. This will help rural Oregon as well as build the bridge between rural and urban -- for neither can survive without the other," said Smith.

Sustainable Northwest has been working with many outstanding rural communities and entrepreneurs who have adapted to very difficult times -- even before the recent economic downturn, said Martin Goebel, president of SNW.

"Working with OPB on this initiative, we can help connect rural entrepreneurs to each other and to their urban counterparts with whom they increasingly share a common future," said Martin Goebel, president. "This will strengthen the growing trend among consumers to seek local products and services that are in line with their awareness that buying local can help everyone and the environment."

About OPB

OPB is the largest cultural and education institution in the region, delivering excellence in public broadcasting to 1.5 million people each week through television, radio and the Internet. Widely recognized as a national leader in the public broadcasting arena, OPB is a major contributor to the program schedule that serves the entire country. OPB is one of the most-used and most-supported public broadcasting services in the country and is generously supported by 120,000 contributors. Opb.org

Rural Development Initiatives, Inc.

RDI is an Oregon-based nonprofit dedicated to building leadership networks and rural communities. RDI has helped inspire rural community vitality for more than 18 years through convening, facilitating and training rural people and organizations, surfacing and connecting community assets, sharing best practices and resources and developing leaders to determine and take action to make their communities better places to live, work and play. rdiinc.org

Sustainable Northwest

Headquarter in Portland, Oregon, Sustainable Northwest is distinguished by its ability to bring multiple --often-opposing -- sides of an issue together to craft and promote solutions to land management challenges. Entrepreneurial and committed to finding solutions that promote rural sustainability, the organization recently launched Sustainable Northwest Wood, a social enterprise that connects builders in the Seattle and Portland markets with locally sourced, eco-friendly wood products.  sustainablenorthwest.org

The OR Consortium & OR Workforce Alliance

TOC/OWA is a public/private partnership formed on behalf of 24 rural Oregon counties. Its mission is to "Help Rural Oregon Work" by providing vision and guidance to rural workforce development systems and partners. The TOC was established in 1981 as a consortium of counties to administer and deliver employment and training services in Oregon's most-rural counties. tocowa.org