Texas is big, and the challenges facing rural Texas are complex – some of them are unique to specific communities or regions. We seek issues that allow funding organizations to contribute to systemic change that can impact the whole state — not just in one part of the state or about only one particular issue, like healthcare, education or the environment.
Three Core Areas Of Focus
Broadband & Digital Connectivity
Less than half the residents in at least 129 Texas counties have access to broadband. Less than 10% of residents have access in nearly 40 counties, leaving several aspects of modern life out of reach.
Capacity and Leadership Building
Capacity building and development of local leadership is a key structural opportunity to strengthen rural communities across the state. All across Texas, the best leaders are local.
Convening Communities, Leaders, Experts and Funders
Whether designed to connect small groups in individual communities or bring together large groups from across the state, TRF believes that the very act of convening stakeholders is a powerful and important part of strengthening rural communities.
TRF provides funding for cross-cutting issues that have a broad impact for rural communities across the state, TRF selects priority signature issues that meet a deliberate criteria. We seek issues that:
o result from or produce authentic rural community engagement,
o directly address rural community-identified priorities,
o can only be done collectively or be significantly improved with a collective approach,
o offer the potential to be replicated in other parts of rural Texas (if geographically limited), and
o leverage policy partnerships being forged by TRF.
