Partners
We are deeply grateful to our Funding Partners, Organizing Partners, and Technical Advisory Partners whose support and insight have been instrumental in shaping Rural Communities Rising.
Possibility Lab, University of California – Ryan Hall, Senior Research Fellow
Regenerate California Innovation (RCI)
Central Valley Industrial Areas Foundation (CVIAF)
Central Valley Leadership Roundtable
WE in the World – President and CEO, Dr. Somava Saha
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) – Natalie Manitius, Senior Associate, Clean Energy Infrastructure
Dr. David Adelman, University of Texas Law
Fresno, Madera, Tulare and Kings, Central Labor Council – Executive Director, Dillon Savory
Central Valley Community Foundation – Artie Padilla, Director of DRIVE Initiatives
SocioEnvironmental and Education Network (SEEN) – Executive Director, Anna Gurevitz, MA
Westside Family Preservation Services Network, Dr. Jeannemarie Caris-McManus, Executive Director and CEO
Christina Alejo, Director, Holistic Wellness Program & Culturally Based Access Navigation Support – The Fresno Center
Dr. Matthew Ari Jendian, Founding Director of The Humanics Program at Fresno State
Curtis Ogden, Senior Associate, Interaction Institute for Social Change
ArkSpring Consulting – Darcy Wheeles, Principal, and Micah Day, Director
Terrell Watt, AICP, Owner, Terrell Watt Planning Consultants, RCR TECHNICAL ADVISORY PARTNERS Coordination Lead
Conflict of Interest Policy Position
Rural Communities Rising is dedicated to preventing real and perceived conflicts of interest. To that end, all individual board and staff members, funders, and organizing partners, are prohibited from receiving any direct personal or separate organizational funding from energy or other developers and related entities. Prior to partnering with technical advisors, the Rural Community Rising board of directors will evaluate any and all potential and perceived conflicts of interests to ensure appropriate ethical standards are sufficient and are aligned with the spirit and intent of Rural Community Rising’s funding principles and overall mission. When the full Rural Communities Rising board of directors votes to enter into Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) with energy and other developers on behalf of supportive community stakeholders after April 2025, all aspects of such agreements will meet the ethical community benefit accountability standards and organizational and operational expenditure guidelines adopted and enforced by the nonprofit board.