Breakout Sessions
Connections > Barriers: Part 2 of the Missouri Nonprofit Funding & Research Project
Building on last year’s research, this interactive session shares updated findings on rural grantseeking in Missouri and invites funders to explore common challenges and collaboration gaps. Participants will co-create practical strategies to strengthen alignment and partnership between grantmakers and nonprofits across the state.
Presenters
Shauna O’Toole, Assel Grant Services (Grant Professionals Association – St. Louis Chapter)
Patrice Shumate, A Village for Good (Grant Professionals Association – St. Louis Chapter)
From Conversation to County-Wide Impact: How Partnership Sparked a Literacy Revolution in Phelps County
Learn how a single conversation at the Rural Philanthropy Summit sparked a county-wide literacy initiative across every elementary school in Phelps County. This panel shares a replicable model for aligning partners, engaging school districts, and building sustainable, high-impact rural collaborations.
Presenters
🎙️Phelps County Community Foundation
🎙️TKD Foundation
🎙️TNTP
🎙️Phelps Health
From Power to Partnership: Exploring Participatory Grantmaking in Rural Communities
This facilitated discussion introduces participatory grantmaking through real-world rural case studies, inviting funders to reimagine how power, trust, and community voice shape philanthropy. Participants will explore practical ways to adapt participatory approaches within their own local contexts.
Presenters
Andrew Shaughnessy, Limitless Horizons
Connected Streets = Connected Communities: Helping Local Government Work for You
Using Bentonville, Arkansas as a case study, this session explores how local government, philanthropy, and community partners accelerated infrastructure projects and rebuilt public trust. Attendees will learn how strategic partnerships and community-centered planning can drive visible, timely change in rural and small-city settings.
Presenters
🎙️Sara Studdard, City Thread
🎙️Zoe Kircos, City Thread
🎙️Kyle Wagenschutz, City Thread
Rural Economic Development on the Ground: What It Really Looks Like in Rural Communities
Hear directly from practitioners working in very rural places about what economic development looks like beyond theory—what works, what doesn’t, and why. This panel offers practical insight into funding structures, local capacity, and the unique strategies required for rural success.
Presenters
🎙️Sheridan Garman-Neeman, New Growth
🎙️Rural Economic Development Leaders
Stories That Spark Innovation: Youth Philanthropy Strengthening Rural Communities
Explore how youth philanthropy programs empower young people to lead change while strengthening civic life in rural communities. This interactive session highlights storytelling, partnership, and practical tools for centering youth voice in local philanthropy.
Presenters
🎙️Rachel Tripp, Community Foundation of the Ozarks Youth Empowerment Project Partners
The New Era of Philanthropic Capital: How Venture Philanthropy Creates Evergreen Impact in Rural Communities
This session introduces venture philanthropy models that pair charitable and private capital to create self-sustaining, “evergreen” impact funds. Participants will examine real-world case studies and consider how these approaches can complement traditional grantmaking in rural regions.
Presenters
🎙️Dr. James Stapleton, Codefi
🎙️Charles Elliott, Codefi
When Resilience Isn’t Enough: Building Shared Infrastructure for Rural Health
Rural communities have stretched resilience to its limits—this session explores what comes next. Learn about Missouri’s most pressing rural health challenges and discover how shared infrastructure can move knowledge, resources, and advocacy more effectively across communities.
Presenters
🎙️Libby Trammell, Missouri Rural Health Association
🎙️Derek Landes, Missouri Rural Health Association