$1.5 philanthropic commitment to expand Berea-based entity's support of rural initiatives

BEREA, Ky. (KT) – The BlackRock Foundation announced on Friday a two-year, $1.5 million philanthropic commitment to Berea-based Partners for Rural Impact (PRI), a national intermediary strengthening rural place-based partnerships by mobilizing funding and resources to improve outcomes for rural children and youth from cradle to career.

The BlackRock Foundation’s funding will support PRI's movement to connect rural practitioners and community leaders with essential resources, training and funding opportunities.

Across the United States, young people living in rural areas face significant challenges, including high poverty rates, underfunded schools, limited access to healthcare and shrinking economic opportunities. Although 1 in 5 Americans live in rural areas, these regions receive only seven percent of private philanthropic capital, leaving them underserved and often struggling to access critical public and private funds. The BlackRock Foundation's investment will enable PRI to address these challenges by expanding its capacity to connect with rural leaders and organizations across the nation, activate public and private funding and strengthen local capacity to ensure rural youth are on a path to upward mobility.

"Place matters and rural residents across the nation are working to strengthen their rural places. With the grant, PRI can better support these rural leaders and practitioners, connecting them with resources and opportunities as they work to ensure all young people within their communities have a pathway to success," said Dreama Gentry, CEO of Partners for Rural Impact. "The support from The BlackRock Foundation allows PRI to grow our capacity to support rural communities that are working to ensure their young people have the opportunity to lead choice-filled lives without leaving home.”   

With this grant, PRI will expand their national movement of rural place-based partnerships and strengthen their capacity to drive resources and opportunities to these partnerships. With this increased operational capacity, PRI will create a streamlined pathway for private and corporate foundations to fund impactful local initiatives in rural America.

The funding will also help PRI prioritize public-private solutions to rural challenges by helping to provide matching micro-grants for rural place-based partnerships seeking to unlock state and federal grants.

Over the two-year period, PRI plans to support and impact 1,500 rural practitioners across the rural US, equipping local leaders with actionable tools and training. Additionally, PRI will strengthen its role as a convener, including hosting forthcoming regional summits.

Find out more about PRI at partnersrural.org.