Rural organizations can strengthen funding by engaging donors, diversifying revenue through tools like Donor-Advised Funds, and building volunteer relationships.

Rural organizations can shift from reactive fundraising to a strategic, aligned funding approach by clarifying goals, using targeted prospecting tools, and nurturing existing funder relationships.

Rural-focused consultants thrive when they define exactly who they serve best and cultivate aligned, intentional partnerships.

A system designed around outdated assumptions is failing working women, especially in rural communities, and it’s time for bold, coordinated action across sectors to make child care, careers, and parenting truly compatible.

Investing in child care is a practical, high-impact strategy employers can take now to strengthen their workforce, support families, and contribute to long-term regional economic stability.

This action guide empowers rural Minnesotans to advocate for child care solutions that reflect their realities because when care fails, communities fall behind.

In today’s polarized climate, nonprofits must communicate their impact clearly and confidently or risk being misunderstood, overlooked, or misrepresented.

In Northeast Minnesota, a $36 million workforce crisis is unfolding, and at the heart of it is a child care shortage that's stalling business growth and pushing families to the margins.

To keep rural collaborations from fizzling out, prioritize trust-building relationships, set a consistent and manageable rhythm for connection, and define success beyond a single outcome.

Rural Pathways affiliate, Dr. Amy Murzyn, explores how transportation and broadband barriers limit postsecondary opportunities for young adults with disabilities in rural communities and highlights what it takes to achieve true equity in access.

Slashing Preschool Development Grant (PDG) funding undermines Minnesota’s efforts to build equitable, community-informed early childhood systems and address persistent disparities in access, care, and opportunity.

Minnesota’s child care system is in crisis, and lawmakers must act to stabilize providers, support the workforce, and strengthen the state’s economic infrastructure.

Nonprofit child care centers across Greater Minnesota are using creative fundraising strategies—like raffles, community events, and holiday-themed sales—to engage supporters, build partnerships, and sustain their missions.

A flexible, tech-enabled, employer-backed child care model is helping stabilize providers, support working families, and meet the 24/7 needs of today's workforce.

Rural Pathways co-founder Staci Gilpin weighs in on the child care crisis in Minnesota in a recent op-ed for the Duluth News Tribune.

Effective nonprofit networking starts by focusing on how you can help others, using thoughtful questions to spark collaboration and build community-centered partnerships.

Navigating government grants can be challenging, but with the right strategies and support, rural nonprofits can secure funding to advance their mission and strengthen communities.

Expanding access to child care in rural communities is a bipartisan issue that strengthens local economies, supports working families, and ensures all children have access to quality early learning opportunities.

Professional women’s sports are modeling how employers can treat child care not as a perk, but as essential infrastructure that boosts performance, retention, and equity across the workplace.

Aligning strategic planning with budgeting and funding decisions helps mission-driven organizations build sustainable financial strategies that reflect their values, engage stakeholders, and support long-term impact.