2013 Conference

Other

Rural poverty and civic engagement

Financial Services

Turning the Tide on Poverty (Tide) was modeled after Horizons, a successful poverty-fighting initiative implemented in the northwestern US. Tide involves community members in seeking grassroots solutions to poverty. The process begins with a five-week study circles process where community members engage in dialogue and exploration before implementing a community action plan. Tide was first piloted in Southeastern U.S. in 2008 at eight sites in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. The Tide process was adapted for Project Navigator, funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission, because it deals with building civic capacity in poverty-stricken communities. The four Project Navigator counties were chosen because of their rurality and their high poverty rates. The purpose of the project was to increase civic engagement, build capacity, empower communities, and help local groups take ownership in their community goals. The theoretical foundation used for this research was Flora and Flora’s community capital theory. A variety of measures were employed to determine the extent to which individuals become involved in the community process, feel empowered to contribute, and continue to take an active role in community improvement efforts.  Qualitative analysis of the data revealed several themes similar to year one pilot data. The results are discussed as related to these themes - sustainability, perceptions of leadership, community climate, race relations, and the presence of a community champion.