Partners for Rural Transformation Launches Policy Framework to Drive Investment in Rural and Native Communities
CONTACT: Autumn Williams (515) 216-8211
Tuesday, May 26 2026 – Partners for Rural Transformation (PRT) Tuesday released its policy framework to unlock economic opportunity and address decades of underinvestment in rural and Native communities facing persistent poverty across the country.
PRT President Farah Ahmad said: “Too often, rural and Native communities facing persistent poverty are denied access to resources because they do not fit the mold of programs that were designed with cities in mind. Our policy framework elevates community leadership and decision making, incentivizes the flow of capital, and understands that unique challenges facing rural and Native communities need locally lead and innovative solutions.”
The framework elevates public policies and private frameworks that encourage, incentivize, and increase investment into rural and Native communities facing persistent poverty while building local capacity. Its four priorities include:
- Secure a fair share for Rural and Native communities: 1 in 5 people live in rural and Native communities across the country. However, these communities do not receive 20 percent of available public, private, or philanthropic resources.
- Investments must reach rural and Native areas facing persistent poverty: The mainstream financial system has not worked for or reached rural and Native areas experiencing persistent poverty. These communities need tools and resources that are tailored to their community needs, wants, and strengths.
- Resource the people and institutions that make rural and Native investment work: Dollars alone are insufficient without investment into the local and regional systems, governance, and the institutional capacity required to translate funding into impact.
- Design every dollar to maximize local impact: Capital investments into rural and Native communities should be long-term, flexible, and innovative to meet the needs of rural and Native Communities.
Unlocking Rural and Native Prosperity PRT Policy Perspectives
- Public Investment in Rural and Native Communities Facing Persistent Poverty: Public investment is a key lever that rural and Native communities can use to help end the cycle of persistent poverty. However, federal programs that support housing and economic development in these communities are underfunded and oversubscribed. Learn more here.
- Catalyze the Flow of Private Capital: Tools like Opportunity Zones , tax credits, and other incentives build the foundation of moving private capital into the communities we serve. However, these tools are built on a system that can struggle to serve rural and Native communities that lack local financial infrastructure. Learn more here.
PRT is working toward a future where rural America and Native communities are no longer defined by persistent poverty, but by opportunity. You can read our policy framework here and learn more about our work to end persistent poverty here.
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Partners for Rural Transformation is a coalition of six community-rooted organizations with national reach and more than 250 years of experience in rural development. We are working to build a future where rural America is no longer defined by persistent poverty, but by opportunity so people can live, work, learn, and raise a family in the communities they call home. Our Partnership spans some of the most diverse and underinvested regions in the country – from the Mississippi Delta to Appalachia to Native American Communities, the Deep South, The Rio Grade Valley, and beyond. We share a common history of chronic disinvestment that leads to persistent poverty and impacts health, education, and economic opportunity in the communities we call home. Learn more here.