Council For Rural Virginia

COUNCIL FOR RURAL VIRGINIA ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THE OPERATING YEAR, THE COUNCIL FOR RURAL VIRGINIA WORKED IN A COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTER FOR RURAL VIRGINIA ON VARIOUS PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES TO ENHANCE WORK IN RURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH. THE COUNCIL OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED AND IMPLEMENTED THE VIRGINIA RURAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (VRLI) AND CONCLUDED THE PROGRAM WITH A GRADUATION CEREMONY IN STAUNTON, VIRGINIA FOR THE INAUGURAL CLASS. VRLI IS THE COMMONWEALTH'S FIRST AND ONLY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM DEVOTED TO RETAINING AND ATTRACTING THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES VRLI'S INAUGURAL COHORT WAS ANNOUNCED IN APRIL 2022 AND AFTER A COMPETETIVE SELECTION PROCESS, TWENTY-NINE (29) RURAL LEADERS WERE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE COMMONWEALTH. IN ADDITION TO THE LAUNCH OF VRLI, THE COUNCIL CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A FACILITATOR, ADVOCATE AND CREATOR OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT WORK TOWARDS SUCCESS THROUGHOUT RURAL VIRGINIA. THE COUNCIL CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN ITS FOCUS ON RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, WORKFORCE READINESS, ACCESS TO RURAL HOUSING, BROADBAND, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMALL BUSINESS, AGRICULTURE, AND FORESTRY OPPORTUNITIES, WHILE ALSO WEAVING TOGETHER THE TOPICS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION PRACTICES. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST YEAR INCLUDE: THE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH AND GRADUATION OF THE INAUGURAL CLASS OF VIRGINIA RURAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, THE 2022 GOVERNOR'S SUMMIT ON RURAL PROSPERITY, 2022 RURAL CAUCUS RECEPTION, AND VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY RURAL CAUCUS WEEKLY MEETINGS DURING THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SERVED AS STAFF FOR AND ORGANIZED.