GUELPH, ON, – The Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) announces support for leadership and rural development with up to $620,300 in funding from 2023 to 2025 from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
“We are delighted to receive this recent announcement of funding from Ontario. This support will be leveraged alongside partners, donors and sponsors to ensure continued impact of ROI initiatives for rural communities,” says Joe Dietrich, ROI Board Chair.
Funds will support rural community economic and leadership development through ROI’s Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) and the Rural Change Makers (RMC) youth leadership program. Funds will bolster data tools and resources that connect and inform rural communities including ROI’s Rural Community Wellbeing Project, Rural Ontario Facts, and interactive dashboards.
“Salient data tools and strong leaders are needed to move rural communities forward in businesses, organizations, associations and on farms,” says Ellen Sinclair, ROI Executive Director. “They allow us to better understand the health and wellbeing of our communities and seize opportunities to address rural priorities that optimize social, economic and community development capacity within rural sectors.”