Head of Federal Grants Support @ruralinnovation

At Rural Innovation Strategies, Inc (RISI), we believe in rural ingenuity and small-town potential, which is why we work closely with our sister organization, the Center On Rural Innovation (CORI), to advance inclusive economic prosperity and investment in rural America.

Guided by a strong belief in rural ingenuity and small-town potential, CORI and its collaborating organization, Rural Innovation Strategies, Inc. (RISI), provide strategic support to rural communities wanting to develop inclusive, resilient digital ecosystems. Our systems approach to digital economy ecosystems involves building a nationwide network of local economic change agents; increasing the digital workforce and access to digital jobs both local to rural areas and remote; using mapping and data to highlight rural opportunities; making direct investments in underserved rural entrepreneurs, and closing the digital divide so all Americans can participate in the 21st-century digital economy. We are currently working with 25 towns across 18 states in the Rural Innovation Network to execute this model.

Rural America is home to 15% of the workforce overall, but just 5% of the tech workforce. Smaller populations and lack of broadband in rural areas have historically translated into inequities in access to training in fast-growing tech careers, leading rural employers to outsource their tech demand to the urban market. This has led to a vicious cycle in which there is never enough demand to justify tech training in rural areas, and because training is not available, employers continue to outsource their tech needs. CORI aims to break this cycle by showing that digital economy jobs and tech talent can exist in rural areas, and we are seizing the moment to create a more equitable distribution of accessible future-proof jobs.RISI and CORI are headquartered in a historic general store building in the village of Hartland, Vermont, part of the Upper Valley and greater Dartmouth College region.

RISI is an Equal Opportunity Employer—people of color, people with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to a diverse workplace, and to supporting our staff with ongoing career development opportunities. We are interested in your ambitions, personal experiences, great ideas, and passions, and believe that everyone’s unique story and perspective adds value to our organization.

RISI will manage the application and review process using our Workable platform. Please direct all inquiries through this system. We are unable to respond to phone inquiries at this time.