The Center for Rural Affairs is a dynamic, energetic non-profit organization working to build a better rural future for all. For 52 years, they have helped created opportunities for beginning farmers, new business owners, and first-time advocates. The Center’s work is rooted in values held close since 1973; they believe that a diversity of people and ideas strengthens their work, workplace, and rural communities.
Many rural communities, however, are struggling. In others, new people – often people who look, act, and speak differently from long-time residents – come to town to work in nearby plants or factories.
The Center knows that strong communities are made up of strong relationships. Its partnership with Civity now stretches over more than seven years, and Train-the-Leader events in Nebraska communities combined with Train-the-Trainer workshops for CFRA staff have enabled the Center to integrate Civity frames and exercises squarely into their work. It furthers its mission by having a clear intention with respect to relationship-building and concrete strategies for helping diverse community members connect with each other.
CFRA Chief of Staff Sandra Renner describes the Center’s partnership with Civity:
“Bringing Civity to communities, organizations, agencies, community organizers, and practitioners in rural communities across Nebraska and southwest Iowa since 2018, has allowed us to provide training to individuals, leaders, and communities. By centering relationship, active listening techniques, and civil discussion basics, it’s helped our staff not only build their own capacity, but also assisted them in providing a tool that further bridges cultural divides, provides leadership development opportunities, and builds local capacity to engage in conversations across difference. The Civity workshop has become a critical tool in teaching a technique that can be demonstrated, practiced, and immediately applied in work or personal settings.”
Here’s an example of an event that Civity led for CFRA in April 2025:
Community conversations about local foods scheduled in southwest Iowa
Read other Civity case studies:
Leadership Rhode Island
Silicon Valley Community Foundation