AnnualReport

Center for Rural AffairsBecause of supporters like YOU — we’re a leading force

in building a better future for rural America.

The story of our 2012 Annual

Report

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photo by Wyatt Fraas

Dear Supporter—This annual report is our way of saying Thank You for

your support. With it, we demonstrate how your generous contribution has been put to good use to advance the values we share.

You have helped us create genuine economic opportunity for rural people by assisting beginning farmers, local food systems, and microenterprise while winning policies in Washington that support them.

You have helped us build strong communities by upholding the responsibilities of citizens to participate in our democracy, work for the common good, and give back.

You have helped us empower our generation to fulfill its moral obligation to be good stewards of the land and water so we can leave it to the next generation at least as well as we received it.

From Lyons, Nebraska (population 850) and from the bottom of our hearts— Thank You!

Warm Regards,

Executive Director

A Message from ChuckHe’s our Executive Director, you know.

Our Mission: Establish strong rural communities, socialand economic justice, environmental stewardship,

and genuine opportunity for all. How? BY engaging youin decisions that affect the quality of your lives

and the future of your communities.

You help us build strong communities by participating in our democracy, working for the common good, and giving back.

photo by Anna Jones-Crabtree

Anna and I own a certified organic dryland crop farm just south of the Canadian border in Hill County, Montana. We first worked with the Center in the 90’s, trying to get started in farming through Land Link.

We weren’t able to connect then, but we saved and learned for nearly 20 years. In 2009 we purchased our own land and machinery.

Our dream became a reality thanks

to the beginning farmer financing and conservation programs in the

2008 Farm Bill. The Center and their allies made those programs happen.

We also rely on the Center to interpret program rules and help us “educate” local field staff on programs for beginning farmers. We really appreciate the Center giving us an opportunity to

advocate our support for beginning farmers and conservation through “fly-ins” to Washington.

Without the Center, we wouldn’t be farming today.

FAMILY FARMING & RANCHINGWhy I support the Center by Doug Crabtree

A passion to help beginning farmers. A drive to conserve land and water.Real results.

t h a n k s t o y o u r s u p p o r t : 100+ veteran’s farm dreams moved closer to reality.

275 beginners received one-on-one help. 120,000 people visited cfra.org to learnabout farming and conservation.

*Watch my story at cfra.org/node/4361

photo by Jamie Horter

Big dreams,Small BusinessHelping Small Businesses Succeed

Rebecka has a passion for healthy food.

She started dehydrating vegetables from her garden and putting them into soup mixes. Word soon spread, and Rebecka and her husband Allen decided to give Soup-N-More a go. They converted the living room into a commercial kitchen. They quickly outgrew the space. That’s when they turned to the Center for help.

Our small business development program, REAP, is unlike any other. Begun in 1990, it has grown into the nation’s largest supporter of microenterprise (the self-employed and those with 10 or fewer employees.)

For Soup-N-More, we helped finance purchase of a storefront through a US Department of Agriculture micro business loan. It was important to act quickly. In under two weeks, Rebecka had the key to the building.

Today their commercial kitchen

and natural food store supports four employees, seven local farmers, and over a dozen local vendors. With our help, Soup-N-More is now a thriving business and a rural success story.

Your support directly benefits businesses like Soup-N-More. Thank you for creating rural jobs and stronger communities.

I n 2 0 1 2 , Y o u H e l p e d : counsel and train 2,000 new businesses.

make 77 loans totaling $1.3 million. create or retain an estimated 477 jobs.

With Your help,Soup ‘n Moreis now athriving businessand a ruralsuccess story.

*Watch Rebecka’s story at cfra.org/small-business

photo by Amy Radding

You’re helping fire a taste for local foods. Farmers markets, community gardens, and a student-run community grocery store have blossomed. Stretched from the Nebraska Sandhills to the Santee Sioux Nation, heading east to South Sioux City and Davenport - farmers connect with communities and children with healthy food.

But sometimes healthy food isn’t enough. That was the case in Santee, where access to fresh food is limited.

With your support, the community is learning how to prepare delicious,

healthy meals from local products. We’re helping Santee reclaim healthy lifestyles through gardening and culinary trainings. Little things mark big progress - like a daughter asking for seconds on the family’s fresh salad.

Thanks to you, the season culminated as you see above - an auditorium filled with children, pumpkins (to

decorate, and eat!), and the prospect of a healthy future.

Local Food,Healthy CommunitiesGrowing economic opportunities

and a healthier future.

Just a Taste of your Impact: Established successful farmers markets. Launched a community garden on the Santee Sioux reservation. Helped students launch a community grocery,

where the next closest store was 40 miles away.

Healthy food isn’t enough, where access to fresh food is limited.

photo by Kat Shiffler

Thanks to your stories and advocacy, we’ve been able to share just how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will make health care accessible and affordable for all of us. We’ve also explained why ongoing reforms are important, not just for our families, but for our rural communities.

Through your advocacy, we’ve explained how Medicaid expansion would benefit rural people and how the options for uninsured Americans – including those with pre-existing conditions – are improving with time. We’ve also shared the experiences of rural communities who are taking on their health care challenges in innovative and exciting ways.

With your help, we’ve shown how small businesses can qualify for tax

credits that benefit both business owners and their employees. We highlighted the story of Aimee McQuilkin, a small business owner,

who provides insurance for five employees. “More people out there not spending on health costs out of pocket means more business for you,” she said.

With your help, we’re making strides to assure that access to affordable health care will no longer be a barrier for rural people. Because it’s Aimee and

other entrepreneurs who are the basis of rural economic development.

Thanks to you, we’re making strides so that access to affordable health carewill no longerbe a barrier for rural people.

Your HealthDoes it pass the “rural test”?will it work for rural America?

J u s t 3 w ay s y o u h a d a n I m p a c t:1) You sent us nearly 200 postcards sharing your health care

stories 2) Your stories helped us show how the Affordable Care Act affects rural people.* 3) Your voices shaped health policy.

*Watch your stories at cfra.org/rural-health

photo by national sustainable agriculture coalition

Above, beginning farmer and Iraq War veteran Justin Doerr testifies before Congress on barriers he faced in starting to farm. Thanks to your efforts, improvements to beginning farmer, conservation, and rural small business won bipartisan support. But, more advocacy is needed. With you, we will fight even harder in 2013.

You helped win bipartisan policy changes in the US Senate Farm Bill, including conservation policies to protect our soil and water, and new resources to help beginning farmers and small businesses in our

communities. And together we led the fight to cap Washington’s subsidies to rich and powerful mega farms. We don’t shy away from the toughest fights. And we don’t give up.

Your advocacy also unlocked more than $50 million in loans and grants. That helped more than 120 organizations in 41 states (likely including yours) to help rural small businesses get started. That means more businesses on main streets of your towns.

Your AdvocacyGetting rural people

excited about democracy

When you speak up you make a difference - just like Justin.

Impact: With your help, we fought for funding for conservation, beginning farmers and small businesses.

photo by Wyatt Fraas

When landowners and community members organize ahead of clean energy projects, everybody wins.

With your help, we’re bringing new opportunities in a clean energy future to rural America.

Take Petersburg, Nebraska, where town members worked with the developer on a win-win project. The community was so happy, they showed up at the project site on the first day to welcome the crew with breakfast. The impact: new jobs, new revenue, and a community where residents see young couples pushing baby strollers by their homes.

We are working to bring their model to communities far and wide.

When we asked, 90% of you said climate change matters to you

and your community. You support wind energy and transmission to unlock a clean energy future.

We’re excited to help make a renewable energy future a part of your community’s future by:

Grassroots organizing in 5 states for proactive wind development.

Sharing model legislation that provides long-term rewards to communities, landowners, and rural workers.

Examining barriers and potential in Opportunity on the Line—our guide to transmission policy.

New economic OpportunityGet Connected to Clean Energy.

Making sure our clean energy future is also a future for rural America.

Impact: Engaged rural people like you in the debate over the future of clean energy. Developed model legislation to

enable wind farm employees to earn an ownership stake.

5% Sponsorships

3% Microloan Interest

5% Your Gifts

37% Government Grants

47% Private Grants

Total Revenue: $3,174,756Total Expenses: $2,881,711Overall funds in hand: $3,413,370Board RestrictedFinancial Reserve

47%37%

3% 5%5%

Revenue

: $554,230

photo by Wyatt Fraas

You did it!You Brought the Voice

of Rural Americato the Nation900 opinions & news stories

5,000 stories on the radio

18 major reports & analyses ( That’s 1 every 6 weeks! )

Rural in the Media

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