‘One of the best conferences all year’: Rural Policy Forum brings together 340 tribal, rural leaders

Rural Arizona
Written By Guest User
A photo of a canvas gift tote with Globe Arizona Established 1875 printed on the side

Globe-Miami’s streets, shops and hotels were bustling Aug. 2-4 as more than 340 tribal and rural leaders from across the state flocked to the Copper Corridor for the Arizona Rural Policy Forum.

The conference is held in a different part of the state each year by Local First Arizona, which serves as Arizona’s Rural Development Council and supports tribal and rural towns and businesses.

Workshops featured presentations on real-life, innovative ways people across Arizona are tackling a host of community needs such as building affordable housing, launching farmer's markets, training a new generation of skilled workers, attracting families to move to small towns, finding grant funding to build infrastructure and renewable energy projects and more.

‘One of the best conferences all year’

“It’s one of the best conferences I go to all year,” said Sally Holcomb of Bisbee, who works for Arizona Complete Health, a health insurer. “It’s outstanding for networking, and it’s truly representative of rural.”

Holcomb said the workshops are always valuable. “It’s not being talked at, like ‘We know better.’ It’s ‘Here’s how this can help you,’” she said. “I always walk away with new connections and really great resources I didn’t expect to have.”

Drake Meinke, director of the Arizona Copper Museum in Clarkdale, said he was the only person from his town to attend, but he planned to bring back what he learned to other residents and business owners who are part of the downtown business alliance. 

Meinke said he is energized to see rural communities in Arizona experiencing a rebirth.

“The image in a lot of folks’ heads about a rural community is it isn’t good, but then they come to a rural community, and they are blown away,” he said. “They are almost always overwhelmed at how good things are in my little town.”

Free grant-writing program has secured $33 million for tribal and rural Arizona

Photo of attendees talking at table

One of the exciting new programs Local First Arizona has launched — called the Arizona Economic Recovery Center — provides free grant-writing, strategy and project management to tribal, rural and low-income communities and nonprofits.

In less than three years, the center has secured more than $33 million to fund important projects, money that likely would otherwise not have been awarded in Arizona.

Email azerc@localfirstaz.com to learn how you can win critical funds for your tribe, rural community or nonprofit.

Forum highlights Globe-Miami’s local flavor

Attendees also heard from notable speakers such as Globe Mayor Al Gameros, Miami Mayor Jose “Angel” Medina, Governor’s Office of Resiliency Director Maren Mahoney, Tonto Apache Tribal Chairman Johnson and state Rep. David Cook.

Photo of a tote bag with Miami's logo

An economic development tour visited the 1916 historic train depot, Globe’s new aquatic complex, Besh Ba Gowah Archaeological Park, Hill Street School Housing Project, the Globe/Miami Regional Training Center, Pindrop Travel Trailers and downtown Miami. 

The conference hired local restaurants to cater meals including the Copper Hen, Salina’s Smoke Street BBQ, De Marco’s Italian Restaurant, Vida e Caffe and Copper Bistro.

Entertainment and venues were provided by the Superior Dance Company, Copper Cities Community Players, Cobre Valley Recreation Center, Cobre Valley Center for the Arts and Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum. 

Sponsors included Growth Partners Arizona, Arizona Public Service, Freeport McMoRan, Arizona Community Foundation, Arizona Complete Health, Vitalyst Health Foundation, Viasat, Hensley Beverage Company, Salt River Project, Gila County Provisional Community College, OneAZ Credit Union and Mercy Care. Many thanks for their support:

The Rural Policy Forum represented every part of our state:

Attendees came from all 15 counties.

More than 45 tribal, municipal, county, state and federal agencies were represented:

  • Arizona Commerce Authority

  • ARIZONA@WORK-Southeastern Arizona

  • Arizona@Work - Navajo County

  • City of Bisbee

  • City of Cottonwood

  • City of Douglas

  • City of Globe

  • City of Kingman

  • City of Safford

  • City of Willcox

  • City of Winslow

  • Governor's Office of Resiliency

  • Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family

  • Mohave County Economic Development & Tourism

  • Office of Governor Katie Hobbs

  • Pascua Yaqui Tribe

  • Navajo County

  • San Carlos Apache Tribe

  • Tonto Apache Tribe

  • Town of Chino Valley

  • Town of Camp Verde

  • Town of Clifton

  • Town of Florence

  • Town of Holbrook

  • Town of Miami

  • Town of Payson

  • Town of Superior

  • Town of Wickenburg

  • U.S. Economic Development Administration

  • United States Dept. of Agriculture

  • USDA Rural Development

  • U.S. Senator Mark Kelly’s Office

    More than 120 chambers of commerce, nonprofits, colleges, businesses and other organizations were represented:

  • Acorn Consulting

  • Ajo Chamber of Commerce

  • Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits

  • aLocal Solutions

  • AmeriCorps NCCC

  • Arizona Center for Rural Leadership

  • Arizona Citizens for the Arts

  • Arizona Coalition for Military Families

  • Arizona Commerce Authority

  • Arizona Commission on the Arts

  • Arizona Community Foundation

  • Arizona Complete Health

  • Arizona Democratic Party

  • Arizona Department of Agriculture

  • Arizona Department of Education

  • Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

  • Arizona Department of Housing

  • Arizona Dept. of Education

  • Arizona Food Bank Network

  • Arizona G&T Cooperatives

  • Arizona Public Service

  • Arizona State University

  • Arizona Trail Association

  • Arizona Water Defenders PAC

  • Arizona Youth Partnership

  • Atlas Technical LLC

  • AZ Copper Art Museum

  • AZ StRUT

  • BCBSAZ Health choice/AzRHA

  • Big Sandy NRCD

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield

  • Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum

  • Capstone Copper

  • Casa Grande Main Street

  • Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation

  • Center for the Future of Arizona

  • Citywide Home Loans

  • Climax Molybdenum Company

  • Community Food Bank

  • Community Investment Corporation

  • Copper Mountain Transit

  • CORE Construction

  • Eastern Arizona College

  • Eastern Arizona College Small Business Development Center

  • Economic Policy Institute - NAU

  • First Things First \ State of Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board

  • Flinn Foundation

  • Freeport McMoRan

  • Friends of the Verde River

  • Gila County

  • Gila County Provisional Community College District

  • Globe-Miami Regional Chamber of Commerce

  • Globe-Miami Times

  • Go Lake Havasu

  • Gold Canyon Community Inc.

  • Gorman & Company LLC

  • Graham County Chamber of Commerce

  • Grant County Community Foundation

  • Greater Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce

  • Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce

  • GROW ARIZONA

  • Growth Partners Arizona

  • Hollins household

  • I ART Globe

  • Instituto

  • International Sonoran Desert Alliance

  • Kingman Chamber

  • Local First Arizona

  • Marley Foundation

  • Mercy Care AZ

  • Nalwoodi Denzhone Community

  • Native American Horse Education Foundation 

  • Northeastern Arizona Community Resource Network

  • Northern Arizona University

  • Northern Arizona University - Center for American Indian Economic Development

  • Northern Arizona University - Economic Policy Institute

  • OneAZ Credit Union

  • Orchestra Partners

  • Pascua Yaqui Development Corporation

  • Partnership with Native Americans

  • Payson Campus

  • Peacefield

  • Pima Community College Office of Workforce Development & Innovation

  • Pinal County Democratic Party

  • Pinal County Economic & Workforce Development

  • Pinal County Historical Museum

  • Pinal Partnership

  • Potlikker Capital

  • Prescott Farmers Market

  • Rebuild Superior Inc

  • Regenerating Sonora

  • Resolution Copper

  • Rural Arizona Engagement

  • Sahuarita Food Bank & Community Resource Center

  • SBDC

  • SEAGO

  • Solar Smith

  • Solari Crisis and Human Services

  • Sonoran Desert Inn and Conference Center

  • Southern Arizona Sports, Tourism, and Film Authority

  • Southwest Native Asset Coalition 

  • Springerville-Eagar Regional Chamber of Commerce

  • St. Mary's Food Bank

  • Stewards of the Springs

  • Stewart’s Antique Nook

  • Superior Chamber of Commerce

  • Superior Enterprise Center

  • The Arizona Republic

  • The Partnership for Workforce Innovation

  • U.S.VETS

  • United Food Bank

  • United Way

  • United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties

  • United Way, End of Life Care Partnership

  • University of Arizona

  • Valley TeleCom Group

  • Viasat

  • Viasat Arizona

  • VISTA

  • Vitalyst Health Foundation

  • Wells Fargo

  • Western Arizona Council of Governments - Area Agency on Aging

  • Western New Mexico University

  • Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce

  • WIFA

  • Willcox Theater & Arts

  • Women's Foundation for the State of Arizona

  • WoodSyn, LLC

  • Yarnell Hill Recovery Group

  • Yarnell Regional Community Center

  • Yelton and Associates

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