I will soon be off on my holiday adventures with my sons and I hope all my fellow grant gazers will take some time to slow down and enjoy the moment. You can find me back in the search in January of 2007 but I’ll leave you with a very intriguing opportunity for rural America.

This week’s pick: The Kellogg Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2007 Rural People, Rural Policy Cohort program. This multi-year national initiative “is based on the premise that rural America has abundant assets and that the brightest potential for rural America emerges when a critical mass of rural people are stronger, more organized policy actors.”

A primary component of the initiative are the Rural Policy Networks which are a cohort of up to 25 organizations selected every year, with five organizations joining each of the five networks. Any non-profit that seeks to improve rural people and places may apply but a commitment to all activities through the end of the initiative is required (which currently is expected to continue through 2012).

Benefits of participation in this effort are:

• Peer Learning Sessions
• Annual Rural Assembly
• Network Member Organization Participation Grant
• Network Development Assistance
• Network Coordination

The submission deadline is January 22, 2007. More detailed information and the application form can be found at
http://www.wkkf.org/default.aspx?tabid=75&CID=274&NID=61&LanguageID=0