CAP Service will send staff and board members to the Rural LISC Annual Seminar in Bozeman, Montana August 28-31. The seminar is an annual national conference for rural community development professionals.

“Rural LISC’s community-based partners are critically important in providing affordable housing, workforce and economic development, living wage jobs, healthcare facilities and more to low to moderate income individuals and families in rural communities across the country,” said Suzanne Anarde, Rural LISC vice president. “CAP Services is a valued and important partner, and we are looking forward to their participation and attendance at the seminar this year.”

This year’s seminar, titled Big Skies, Bigger Opportunities in Rural America, is co-sponsored by Rural LISC Partner Human Resource Development Council of District IX (HRDC IX). It will provide attendees opportunities to learn about national trends, exchange information, gain insight into ways to improve the community, and network with colleagues from around the country.

Seminar highlights include:
• Sessions in housing and infrastructure, economic and workforce development, and health and safety;
• Plenaries on: the WealthWorks toolkit – a strategy for success in economic and community development in rural America; Rural LISC’s Native American Initiative; Anchor Institutions and Emerging Non-Traditional Partners; and an update on the federal policy landscape.
• An afternoon tour of HRDC IX’s projects in rural Montana.

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Rural LISC supports Partners through capacity building grants; loans and equity investments;
training and technical assistance; public policy advocacy; and a support network that connects
community-based rural groups to each other. Rural LISC also generates resources for its
Partners to invest in their work. Over the last 22 years, Rural LISC’s investments in Partners have
totaled $1.14 billion in capacity building grants, predevelopment and repayable investments
and low-cost loan funds. Rural LISC has leveraged this investment, bringing $2.8 billion from
public and private sources, to produce 31,500 affordable homes and apartments, create 3.8
million square feet of commercial and community space, assist 600 businesses, create 6,800
jobs and support 20 early childhood centers. By generating resources and investing in the
grassroots efforts of Partner community-based organizations, Rural LISC is committed to making
rural communities good places to live, work, do business and raise children.