Endowment Endorses Rural Compact

The Board of Directors of the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities has voted unanimously to endorse the “Rural Compact” — a set of principles for building stronger rural communities and a stronger nation. Endowment President Carlton Owen said, “Perhaps the preamble to the compact says it best — When rural communities succeed, the nation does better, and cities and suburbs have more resources on which to build. Conversely, when rural communities falter, it drains the nation’s prosperity and limits what we can accomplish together.” Among the Compact’s core commitments are four foundational pillars: 1) quality in education; 2) stewardship of natural resources; 3) health of our people; and 4) investment in our communities. The Compact flowed from a National Rural Assembly held in the Washington, DC area in 2007. To view the entire Compact, go to www.ruralcompact.org