Join with rural community and economic development experts, decision makers, funders, entrepreneurs, and people who care about and impact rural to:

Discuss Priorities
Explore Innovative Economic Models
Share Success Stories
Obtain Tools to Make Change in Your Community
Inspire Action to Help Pave the Way to Rural Vitality

Tracks Include:

Revitalizing Rural Economies
Rural Leadership Networks
Resources for Rural Communities
Elevating Rural Voices & Priorities

The theme of this year’s conference is “Bridges between Rural and Urban.” While the urban location may seem a curious choice, we chose it purposefully to support building those bridges. We are excited to bring rural voices, interests, and opportunities to urban, while also incredibly thrilled about the opportunity that hosting the conference on an island in the Columbia River holds for bringing together participants from both rural Washington and Oregon.

A goal of Regards to Rural has always been to strengthen and celebrate rural people, places, and economies, and this year we hope to also highlight our interconnectedness with our urban neighbors. For the first time at R2R, we will engage in dialogue with legislators and other decision-makers around key issues that affect rural; we will look to identify leverage points, raise the collective consciousness on the importance of rural, and make a business case for rural engagement and investment.

Register Today to Save Your Spot!

Registration rate of $350 for the two-day conference includes all sessions, plenaries, meals, and conference-related materials.

Join rural and small town business expert and author, Becky McCray, for the Friday pre-session: “Shift Happens: The BOLD Question Behind Rural Problems We All Face”
Cost of the pre-session is $45.

Are you a staff or board member of a philanthropic organization? The following pre-session is for you! “Building Prosperity for Rural People and Places: Finding Your Foundation’s Niche” will be presented by Deborah Markley, Co-Founder and Managing Director of the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, and Janet Topolsky, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Community Strategies Group. Cost of this pre-session is $35.