**Problem Addressing Session #1:**

**Improving NRDP's Effectiveness at the National Level**

4:00pm, Sunday, June 1, 2003

(Facilitators: Kirby Edwards, Robert Ho)

[NRDP Stakeholders:]{.underline}

PRA

Executive Board

Office of Under-Secretary

NPO

NRDC

(NRDCC)

[Focus of conversation]{.underline}: *How do these groups get better in
helping the SRDCs?*

Participants Identified 

1.) *Reliable* Assets of NRDP constituents (What is firmly in place and
going well?)

-   Networking

-   Communication

-   Growing participation in NRDC

-   Structure of Honors Fellows Program

-   SRDC contacts created by organization participation

-   Annual Meeting (positive networking)

-   Rural Investment Bill through 2007

-   Achievement of PRA

-   NPO support of SRDCs

2.) *Vulnerable* Assets of NRDP constituents

-   Growing recognition that "rural" does not necessarily mean
    "agriculture"

-   Growing recognition that "rural" is different from "urban"

-   Proactive Executive Board

-   Honors Fellows Program needs strengthening

-   Authorization without appropriation

3.) *Changeable* Problems for NRDP constituents

-   One-way vertical communication

-   Unfavorable perspectives of political appointees

-   Unclear duties/ roles of partners (i.e., communication failures)

-   NRDCC yet to be established

-   "Perception is reality."

-   NPO/ SRDCs' struggle to tell the SRDCs' stories effectively

-   Political roadblocks, resistance to change, and poor leadership

-   Lack of public knowledge of NRDP

-   (Some) SRDCs loss of self-reliance, security and independence

4.) Fixed Constraints to Improvements

-   No personal participation from high level

-   Political appointees are mostly unfavorable to NRDP

-   Funding limitations

-   Government Structures

-   Conflicting personalities, priorities, strategies

**[How to Deal with *Changeable* Problems?]{.underline}**

*Communication problems*

The NPO must commit resources to strengthen communication within the
NRDP.

*NRDCC yet to be established*

-   Request a meeting with NRDC, Executive Board, and Under-Secretary
    regarding (1) the NRDCC & (2) the naming of the governing panel

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-   Calls, letters, emails, etc. to Congressmen to pressure their
    support for the NRDCC

-   Work with the National Rural Caucus

*Preventing & countering loss of self-reliance, security and
independence of SRDCs*

-   Under Secretary must develop & [communicate guidance to the SRDC
    directors]{.underline} regarding roles, responsibilities, and
    expectations of interaction *confirming* the independence of SRDCs.

-   Educating the Under Sec.

    -   Organize small meetings with the Under Sec., SRDC directors,
        Executive Board over the next 6 months

    -   [Teach Under Sec. Solid understanding of the NRDP and the goals
        of the SRDCs.]{.underline}

*Defining the message of the NRDP & SRDCs*

-   Message is fine. Must work on communications

-   Need a strong Congressional champion & constituency groups (public,
    private) to carry the message

-   Define in a way that can be sold to different audiences without
    compromising national message

-   Working group on this issue

*Telling Our Message More Effectively*

-   Working group to standardize measures for outcomes

-   Use success story data base

    -   Must be organized in more presentable fashion (easier to sort
        through and clearly see WHO benefits)

    -   Distribute widely

-   Video campaign

-   Internet technology improvements

-   Form collaborative constituencies from those who benefit from the
    success stories