Emerging Projects & Ideas

As a result of dialogue among various members of the initial phase of the Global Rural Network, the following projects and ideas are in various stages of emerging:

Communiversity

A concept of “Communiversity” is evolving under the leadership of a core “master capacity builder” group in Potter County, PA. The concept is based on the idea that there is a need for communities to learn how to think about issues within a “futures context.” Every rural area need to have a culture that supports continuous innovation. This can be accomplished by building small neighborhood networks so that citizens can learn about trends and weak signals and how communities will be impacted. This COTF idea of 21st Century Neighborhood Academies will be one of the key concepts within the umbrella of the Communiversity concept. Another idea is to create a network of people in communities in different states who help each other think creatively to seed new ideas.

Community Innovators

The NC Step Project has established the concept of Community Innovators. These are rural leaders who have volunteered to be coached in the principles and skills of how to become a “master capacity builder” as well as developing “future groups” of citizen leaders who will identify and study the potential impact of trends and weak signals.

Reducing Energy Consumption Contests

Due to the challenges of peaking oil production and the rising cost of energy, one of the GRN ideas emerging is a friendly competitive contest among rural areas in different states to reduce per/capita energy consumption.

Bioplastics

The concept of growing “bioplastics” is being considered as one way to help the family farm survive and be sustainable.

Home Learning Coterie

Valdese, NC will connect with other rural areas in different states to develop the concept of “home learning coteries.” The concept of learning groups was established as “coteries” in Scotland in the late 18th century. This concept of community learning groups is being updated with the connection to fiber optic networks and videoconferencing capacities. One of the most important objectives is to identify emerging ideas and technologies that may be important in the next five to ten years, and connect with individuals throughout the U.S. and other countries who are experts in these new and emerging fields.

Visioning 2026 Communities

Norfolk,NE has focused on a Visioning 2026 community based planning process that is focused on new concepts such as a Millennium Center, a multistory downtown building refurbished with broadband technology, apartments for living, green energy savings, and community rooms that would be a new economic development method to attract people to live downtown. Another idea that is emerging is a 21st Century Riverwalk that combines greenspace, children attractions and tourist attractions to bring people to Norfolk.In addition, a core group of Master Capacity Builders are using the new technology of Second Life, a “virtual world” to help citizens envision future ideas to include what an updated downtown would look

Virtual Worlds

Larry Wenzl of Norfolk, NE is coaching members of the GRN in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Ohio in the use o Second Life as an economic development capacity building tool.

Potential GRN Participants

What follows are individuals and organizations, both in the states and across the globe, that are communicating with the creators of the GRN to learn more about its concepts, ideas and implementation plans.  Although they are not currently participating, we do anticipate their joining the network during 2009. 

Interested and Developing within the U.S.		Interested and Developing across the globe
Massachusetts	Dr. Frank Armstrong, a Baptist minister whose focus is to help develop a network of Transformational Pastors able to see connections between scripture and the impact of future trends is developing a network of pastors in rural areas around Weston, MA.	England and the Commonwealth	Maehila Smith, Director of Smart Partnership ( a network of Commonwealth area ), in London, has agreed to work toward a connection with rural areas in the British Commonwealth areas. Bob Stott is also a connection
		China	Dr. Zhihe Wang, Director of the Institute for the Post-Modern Development of China is going to connect a rural area of China to the GRNP

Other Countries Involved

There are individuals and organizations across the global participating in the initial development of the network.  They are:

 

Nigeria	Obinna Okeke, President of the African Chamber of Commerce located in Charleston, SC,  has made contact with associates in Lagos to identify one or more rural areas to be involved with the GRNP
Canada	Ruben Nelson, President of Foresight Canada, will involve a rural area that is a part of his network. In addition, Jan Wright, an economic developer in a rural area of Nelson, Alberta, plans to be involved. Mike Stolte, Director of a Rural Commission in Alberta will be involved.
Australia	Paul Wildman,  creator of the idea of Bush Mechanics, will have a rural area near Brisbane involved.
Scotland	Bill Whiland, involved in community development throughout Scotland, and Fiona Howard who publishes periodicals in Scotland that relate to rural areas have agreed to connect a Highland rural area with the GRNP
India	Manish Jain,  Harvard educated, internationally known educator for rural areas who focuses on helping individuals and groups unlearn what traditional education has created as fixed ideas of how the world works, will be the contact in Udaipour, India

Other States Involvement

What follows are individuals and organizations, within the United States, involved in Phase One development of the Global Rural Network.

Pennsylvania	There is a monthly teleconference with a “master capacity builder group to help develop skills and knowledge for building capacities for transformation. Helene Nawrocki, Director of the Potter County Educational Council, is the contact. She will be connected to Lana Carter in Best, NC
Nebraska	A core group of “master capacity builders” are involved with a Visioning 2026 in Norfolk, NE. Jennifer Adams is the contact and will be connected to Nancy Jackson in Scotland Neck, NC Larry Wenzl will be connected to Rick McClurd  in Valdese, NC.
Oklahoma	Tim Hight, Director of Economic Development, Claremont, OK has agreed to be involved with seeding Molecular Economy ideas and methods.
California	John Woolley, a supervisor ( elected official ) in Eureka, has agreed to become the model of a “community connector” by identifying and recruiting local leaders to be involved with seeding capacities for transformation. He will be connected to Robin Rhyne and Valerie Oberle in Surry County (Elkin), NC.
Ohio	Dave Baldwin, President of Aquarian Technologies, Inc in Lexington, OH, will be connected to Ed Halllyburton of Valdese, NC.
New York	Dave Currie, past President of the United Way in Larchmont, NY, is going to frame a concept to have their United Way play a major role to build capacities for transformation
Virginia	Skip Skinner, past County Administrator of Wise County and now Regional Director of Lenowisco, has agreed to be connected to Doward Jones of Plymouth, NC
Texas	Bob Hart, City Manager of Kenneville, TX would like to have his community involved. He will be connected to Cliff Matkins and Dave Parrish of Yanceyville, NC.
Arkansas	Jerry Smith, Director of the Leadership Institute in Jonesboro, AR will involved the leadership institute and one rural area each in AR, LA & MS. He will be connected to Greg Bethea of Pine Tops, NC
Michigan	Gaila Gilliand, Director of Economic Development for Crawford County will involve a core group of leaders in their area. She will be connected to Mary Smith and Freddie Killough of Marion, NC
Oregon	Erin Stone, an entrepreneur who owns a sheep farm will be connected with Susan Murphy of Sparta, NC
South Carolina	Ed Duffy, VP of York Tech, in Rock Hill will work with me to get Lancaster, SC involved in GRNP. Bri Niggel has agreed   to be the Lancaster contact if she and her husband do not move. She is the Program Director of the Sims Foundation
Tennessee	JC Bowman, President, EPPC Global Management, Cleveland, TN is developing a process that  would include transformational capacity building.
Georgia	Susan Knox, a consultant for rural health care systems in the southeast, has agreed to collaborate to connect with rural areas in GA as a part of her rural health initiative.
New Mexico	Jan Hauser, an entrepreneur and one time Apollo 11 astronaut,  will be the rural contact in New Mexico

GRN Nodes

In order to have the GRN network be as vital and sustainable as possible, nine state or regional organizations will be recruited to serve as collaborative “nodes” in different parts of the U.S. Each of these nodes will have the responsibility to:   

1. Identify and recruit contacts in rural communities under 25, 000 in population, 

2. Bring these representatives together to introduce them to the COTF concepts and methods of community transformation, and

3. Facilitate dialogue for each regional area that helps build deeper collaboration and understanding of transformational leadership skills.

The nine nodes are:

Node	States Involved	Stage of Development
Southeastern	North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Virginia
MidSouth	Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee	The Delta Economic Development Center at Arkansas State University will be the home for the Mid-South Node of GRN. The Center has already hosted a core group from the Delta area. A one-day seminar was held in Jonesboro on November 6 with Rick Smyre. In 2009, monthly videoconferences will be held to develop a Delta Network of “master capacity builders.” At the end of this learning experience, those involved will be awarded a certificate as a “master capacity builder.”
Mid-Central	Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma	The Institute for Decision Making at the University of Northern Iowa has agreed to be the Mid-Central Node of the GRN. LaDene Bowen will be the contact person. This node will evolve during the first half of 2009
North-Central	North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan
Northeastern	Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey,  Delaware
New England	New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont
Southwestern	Texas, New Mexico, Arizona
Western	Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Hawaii
Northwestern	Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana, Wyoming