Bridging the rural-urban divide

			One Montana 2012
Bridging the rural-urban divide

Thanks to the support of people like you, in 2012, One Montana successfully launched multiple projects and laid the groundwork for more in 2013. Here are just a few of our accomplishments:

Moved from being a program of the Rural Landscape Institute to being its own nonprofit. We’ve taken on the staff and board of RLI as well as a few of their programs and crafted our mission statement:

“One Montana creates a vibrant Montana by connecting rural and urban communities”

Focused diverse leadership and communities on the impacts of our aging population in Montana. Our “Graying of Montana” conference ,which was done in collaboration with the Wheeler Center, hosted over 170 people in Helena and over 160 views of our webcast over the two days of the conference. Post conference survey’s tell us that now more people – especially men - -are aware that by 2030 one in four Montanans will be 65 + -- and they are more ready to address the opportunities and challenges of this change.

Scheduled the first of several Common Ground Meetings. When invited by diverse and even divisive groups, One Montana facilitates gatherings to find common paths for problem solving. Providing safe spaces to discuss issues and find areas of agreement, we will begin this work in December with land owners and sportsmen.

Began our Montana meat processing facility Feasibility Study. Food is one of the most essential connections between rural and urban Montanans. The Meat Processing Plant Feasibility Study examines the issues around building a self-sustaining meat processing plant in Montana. It addresses the urban desire to increase their consumption of locally-produced food and the rural need to keep viable employment in their communities.
OneMontana. org

We began the first phase of building our collaboration center this year by updating and refreshing the onemontana.org website.

The Graying of Montana

National AARP President Robert Romasco was the keynote speaker at the “Graying of Montana” Conference we co-hosted with the Wheeler Center on September 10 and 11^th.

It’s Been a Good Year

Tested our resource survey to begin building the database that will become the One Montana Collaboration center. This online center will be a “one stop shop” for connecting communities to organizations, and organizations to each other - the only place listing state agencies, university programs, and nonprofits in one place. It will help communities collaborate on a wide range of community development issues that bridge the rural-urban divide


Students from Bozeman High and Harlowton High on their tour of the Judith Gap Wind Farm. This pilot project got off to a great start in November, 2012 and will continue through 2013
Launched our first Rural-Urban Sister City Exchange between Bozeman and Harlowton. On November 8 and 9^th and November 13^th and 14^th students from high schools in Bozeman and Harlowton shadowed their peers and visited area business and attractions. The project will continue through the spring with the theme of Made in Montana – Local business, Local food. Adult mentors will also connect with the kids and each other; local business creation projects will be shared and we’ll also bring together sectors like Chambers of Commerce and local government. Our goal is to expand this program across the state over the next few years.

.

One Montana’s mission is to create a vibrant Montana by connecting rural and urban communities.

A Courageous Vision

Staff: Bill Bryan – President Lisa Grace – Executive Director

Molly Thompson – Finance and Operations Manager

Matt Bitz – Program Specialist Debra Becker – Program Assistant

GET INVOLVED

Make a donation at whatever level is right for you or join our Pioneer Circle. Go to our website,

www.onemontana.org, or contact us at 406-522-7654 or [e-mail]

Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter or Google +
Volunteer – call 406-522-7654 or email at [e-mail]