News & Tools

View the latest updates from the Heartland Fund, including press mentions, grantee spotlights, news about our programs, and helpful tools.

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Press

Rural Democracy Co-Authors Op-Ed for America’s 250th

A 250th anniversary op-ed shows how rural organizers are reclaiming power and keeping “We the People” alive.

Program

Calling on Philanthropy to Partner with Rural America

At the 2026 GEO Conference, Heartland Fund’s Peter Martin joined a panel on how philanthropy can reclaim and renew democracy.

Grantee Spotlight

Winning Critical Funding for Rural Schools

After federal cuts stalled needed school repairs, rural Michigan organizers built a local strategy that won 20.5M in long-overdue repairs.

Grantee Spotlight

Small Businesses Stand Up for Immigrant Neighbors

In rural North Carolina, more than 250 small businesses are standing with immigrant workers so families feel safer on main street.

Grantee Spotlight

Elevating Trusted Voices in Rural Communities

Farmers and small business owners share experiences that shape policy debates on pesticides, tariffs, and health care.

Heartland Fund 2025 cover and interior pages

Announcement

2025 Impact Report

Our 2025 Impact Report shows what can happen when rural communities have the resources and leadership to drive change.

Press

Widespread coverage of Rural Policy Action Report

One hundred eighty radio stations covered the report’s release, focusing on priorities like education and health care.

Press

An immigration success story in the heartland

“We’re stronger when everyone is free to participate and contribute.”

Press

New Report Calls for Grassroots Rural Investment

“Our grantees will be quick to point out that organizing starts with listening,” says Executive Director Sarah Jaynes.

Press

Changes to rural postal service will delay mail and disenfranchise voters

Heartland provided analysis to media outlets.

Press

Editorial: Cuts to Medicaid could devastate rural hospital staffing

In the small border city of Nogales, Dr. Ed Paul sees well-trained, hardworking doctors and nurses.

Press

National media coverage for rural health care advocacy

KFF Health News and The Hill talk with Heartland Fund about a new federal program.

Press

Editorial: “Washington could learn from us”

“We know the value of hard work, investing in locally driven solutions, protecting our collective freedoms, and respecting our connection…

Announcement

New rural policy report provides roadmap out of Washington deadlock

Forty groups contributed to the report, which showcases the broad support for the tools and opportunities we need to build…

Grantee Spotlight

Missouri Ballot Victory Proves It Pays to be Bold

The workers went all in, packaging two ambitious worker priorities into the single ballot initiative.

Program

Rural organizers champion powerful policy at Summit

“Rural people are leading with creativity, grit, and vision,” said Caitlin Cromwell with Northern Plains Resource Council.

Press

Budget bill will hurt rural America

The bill would make huge cuts to essential programs in exchange for tax breaks benefitting the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.

Press

Inspiring solutions for working families

Rural leaders and advocates gathered in Des Moines to discuss how to meaningfully improve people’s lives.

Press

Summit underscores importance of public investment

Rural advocates nationwide came together to envision a policy future that champions people-powered solutions.

Grantee Spotlight

Seniors Fight for Quality Care

Addition Collective and Big Sky 55+ are proving that rural seniors can be champions for democracy.

Grantee Spotlight

Cultural ties vital to Native civic engagement

Heartland Fund supports grantees that are taking barriers head on with culturally resonant outreach.

Grantee Spotlight

Building Power by Solving Problems

We Are Down Home was in the middle of a massive electoral mobilization. Then Hurricane Helene hit.

Grantee Spotlight

Election Protection with Rural Drop Boxes

Voters were preparing to cast their ballots, when the county manager decided drop boxes would not be deployed.

Press

Small Businesses Need a Fair Tax System

Small businesses knit together the social and economic fabric of many rural areas.

Grantee Spotlight

Record Wisconsin Turnout Highlights Rural Civic Engagement

In November, Wisconsinites voted with fair maps for the first time in 13 years.

Announcement

New Rural Poll Results

An overwhelming 77% of rural likely voters oppose abortion bans.

Press

The Importance of Young Voters in The Daily Yonder

We know young rural voters are among the least contacted and most undecided demographics in our country.

Press

Chronicle of Philanthropy Highlights Funding Collaboratives

Only 7% of philanthropic funding goes to rural places.

Grantee Spotlight

Building Power in North Carolina

The powerful moment emerged in 2023 when locals in rural Oxford, North Carolina captured an opportunity.

Press

Opinion: We must help communities that have been left behind

Two years after the landmark legislation went into place, the IRA and similar federal funding have produced immense benefits for…

Program

Early Investment Spurs Civic Engagement

These rural leaders engage their communities all year, every year.

Press

Sustainable Coalitions Key to Rural Youth Voter Turnout in Wisconsin

“…63% of rural youth are infrequent or uncommitted voters.”

Announcement

Analyzing the Farm Bill

See how the House and Senate proposals meet the priorities of rural communities.

Press

Montana Grantees Tapping into Young Voter Turnout

“We are registering voters. We are calling them. We will be knocking on doors,” said Forward Montana Executive Director Kiersten…

Press

Local Ohio News Highlights Rural Youth Voter Fund

Heartland Fund’s Rural Youth Voter Fund “is investing $10 million over the next year in grants to help young voters in…

Press

Executive Director calls for small town investment

We’re actively advocating for deepened philanthropic support for these often-overlooked areas.

Courtroom with text Rural Warrant Clinics

Grantee Spotlight

Improving Rural Courts

Too often, people accused of minor offenses are incarcerated

Grantee Spotlight

Grantee helps media organizations pivot into better local coverage

Pasa la Voz–an independent Spanish-language newspaper serving coastal Georgia and South Carolina–started as a Facebook page in 2018.

Press

The Organizers Forging a Rural Action Plan

Barnraiser covers our Rural Policy Action Report.

Press

Leading Philanthropy to Invest in Rural

Heartland Fund Executive Director Sarah Jaynes spoke with Solutions Insights Lab about our unique approach.

Grantee Spotlight

‘People Power Is how We Win’

Iowa CCI rallies Iowans to protect communities from dangerous pipeline projects.

Grantee Spotlight

Rural Ohio Turns out for Democracy and Reproductive Rights

Heartland Fund grantees RuralOrganizing.org and Freedom BLOC reached thousands of rural Ohioans in 2023.

Grantee Spotlight

Pro-Democracy Local News

COURIER is building trust in rural communities and changing the landscape of rural media.

Grantee Spotlight

Rural Youth Building Power

In 2020, three friends founded Este Poder, a youth Latine-led organization building power for their rural East Texas communities of color.

Grantee Spotlight

Decade of Organizing Bears Fruit in Minnesota

The progress Minnesotans saw in 2023 resulted from a decade of organizing efforts by ISAIAH.

Grantee Spotlight

Reining in Unchecked Corporate Greed

Work by Farm Action and Institute for Local Self-Reliance led to major policy wins in 2023.

Program

Winning Jobs, a Narrative that Works

Heartland Fund consultant Bobby Clark shares the latest research and message testing on the economy and inflation.

Press

Rural Pa. Mayor Gets Creative to Support Local Grants

Meadville Mayor Jaime Kinder talks with Public News Service.

Press

Heartland Fund in The Hill

Sarah Jaynes calls for policies that support the small businesses, farmers, workers, and caregivers.

Press

Heartland Fund in Cardinal & Pine

The newsroom reports on Heartland’s Rural Policy Action Report and interviews Heartland grantee CURE about a major policy victory.

Press

Report Offers Roadmap for Growth in Rural Georgia

Heartland Fund’s 2023 Rural Action Policy Report contains input from approximately 50 organizations advocating for improvements in rural communities.

Press

Main Street Alliance discusses Rural Policy Action Report

Leaders who participated in Heartland Fund’s Rural Policy Action Report process included Wisconsin organizers with Main Street Alliance.

Program

Grantmaking for Shared Prosperity and Policy Solutions

Highlights from our Summer 2023 grantmaking.

Press

Heartland Fund in Nonprofit Quarterly

Nonprofit Quarterly recommends supporting Heartland Fund.

Press

Roadmap for Rural Renewal in The Daily Yonder

Heartland Fund convened more than 50 diverse rural leaders from across the country.

Press

Heartland Fund Convenes Rural Advocates to Take on Monopoly Power

The 2023 Rural Policy Action Summit helped more than 50 rural organizers come together.

Press

Rural Voices Reflect on Policy Summit

Public News Service covered Heartland Fund.

Grantee Spotlight

Youth Organizing in Georgia

In 2022, we supported Collective Renaissance Georgia (CRG) to expand their scope and impact dramatically.

Grantee Spotlight

Organizing in Rural Texas Leads to Statewide Shift

Mano Amiga organizes alongside immigrants and low-income residents in the rural I-35 corridor in Guadalupe, Caldwell, Hays, and Comal counties.

Grantee Spotlight

Youth Campaign to Protect the Right to Abortion Care

Loud Light organizers know the dangers of extremism.

Program

The Farm Bill & the Heartland Fund Network

Heartland Fund grantees, partners, and donors participated in a lively and fast-paced discussion on the 2023 Farm Bill.

Grantee Spotlight

Protecting Public Schools

SOSAZ empowers parents, teachers, and community members.

Program

Heartland Fund Kicks off 2023 with Webinar

There are no off years for Heartland Fund.

Program

Heartland Fund Builds Power for 2023 and Beyond

Highlights of our early 2023 grantmaking.

Grantee Spotlight

Swiftly Mobilizing in East Palestine

River Valley Organizing has documented local experiences of the environmental disaster in East Palestine.

Grantee Spotlight

Alaska Grantees Strengthen Democracy

Alaskans transformed their civic landscape in 2022.

Program

The Midterm Elections and What’s Ahead

We changed electoral outcomes and built power that will endure past the election.

Program

Vote Tripling Workshop

Our friends at the Vote Rev Action Fund reviewed how to launch a vote-tripling campaign.

Engaging Working People in the Midterm Elections with a graphic of a group of people

Program

Engaging Working Families in the Midterm Elections

We recently hosted a donor briefing.

Grantee Spotlight

Co-Governance in Action

Heartland Fund grantee Faith in Indiana has replicated its co-governance model in Gary, Fort Wayne, South Bend, and Indianapolis.

Program

Building Grantee Capacity

This summer we’re piloting two new programs to increase our impact.

Program

Grants Engage Voters ahead of 2022 Elections

Heartland Fund grants support organizations at a critical moment.

Announcement

Moving from Rage to Action

Most Americans, including those in rural areas, support comprehensive health care.

Press

Inside Philanthropy Advises Giving to Heartland Fund

Founder and editor David Callahan advises giving to Heartland Fund’s Rural Democracy Program.

Program

Heartland Fund Grants Boost Civic Engagement

Highlights from our Spring 2022 grantmaking

Program

Directing Federal Funds to Your Community

Heartland Fund grantee United Today, Stronger Tomorrow led a workshop for Heartland Fund grantees and partners.

Press

Heartland Fund Editorial in The Daily Yonder

Sarah Jaynes discusses the tectonic shifts we are seeing in rural America.

Grantee Spotlight

Helping Rural Schools to Thrive

WPEN is a non-partisan organization focused on the goal of creating thriving public schools.

Grantee Spotlight

Connecting Voting with Everyday Issues

Native Peoples Action Community Fund teamed up with The Mobilization Center to build lasting relationships with Alaska Native communities

Program

Innovations in Rural Civic Engagement

Heartland Fund hosted The Fight for our Democracy: Innovations in Rural Civic Engagement.

Program

2021: Highlights, Lessons, and Challenges

2021 has been a momentous, often stressful, and exciting year.

Program

Racial Justice in Rural Communities

Groups around the country are leading powerful racial justice organizing in rural communities.

Grantee Spotlight

Federal Assistance to Fund Rural Solar

The Northern Plains Resource Council organizes across Montana.

Announcement

Historic Federal Funding in National Infrastructure

Leaders in the federal government are currently negotiating a historic investment in the nation’s infrastructure.

Announcement

Executive Order Promoting Competition a Historic Win for Rural Communities

The order calls for new and better rules to lower prices, increase wages, and promote innovation.

Program

Heartland Fund’s COVID-19 Response

We’re in continuous contact with grantees.

Grantee Spotlight

Farmers and Ranchers Rally against Corporate Power

Family Farm Action and allies rallied farmers, ranchers, and rural communities against corporate power.

Learning from our work with partners and grantees, the Heartland Fund creates and curates tools to showcase best practices and address priority needs.

Network Tool

Donations to the Heartland Fund ensure thousands of rural leaders and advocates continue to receive tools and support to create real change in rural America

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