Texas is a predominantly urban state, with 87% of its people in federally defined ‘metropolitan’ areas. But that leaves three million Texans in rural areas, more than the entire populations of 21 states!
Rural Texas lags behind urban Texas on most -- if not all -- of the usual indicators of well-being, including educational attainment, income and poverty, population growth, access to healthcare, modern telecommunications, and other important services as well as overall economic vitality.
Like other states, Texas has numerous agencies, organizations and programs that serve certain rural groups or rural needs. Foremost among those organizations are the TRIF sponsors. Why do these private, governmental and educational institutions that are already the main service providers enter into the TRIF collaboration?
Because they all recognize the need to serve rural Texans better . . . and they believe a collaborative framework amplifies the contributions of all.
The goal of the Texas Rural Innovators Forum is twofold: (1) to bring the leaders of rural Texas into personal contact with the very best spokespeople from the most successful and innovative rural development projects and programs in America, and (2) to bring leaders of rural Texas together with one another so they can share this learning experience, and so they can share their own energy, ideas, successes and failures with one another … and maybe find ways to work together for even greater success!
