Introduction and Users Guide—Version 10/2004

Covering Rural Territory: A Framework of Rural Service Structures for Community Foundations is a guide for community foundations that want to think creatively about how to better serve the rural territory within their service areas. It describes six coverage structures—consolidated service, area fund, federation, service bureau, incubator, and partnership—that a community foundation might consider, and compares the characteristics and pros and cons of each. Read more about the background of the Framework.

		To see a description of the characteristics of a particular rural service structure, just press on the "View by structure" menu to the left and select the structure you're interested in. At the end of the description, you'll also find a link to one or more case stories, describing particular community foundations fitting that structure. Read more about the case stories.
		To see a description of how the various structures differ on a particular characteristic, use the "View by characteristic" menu below that.
		And to quickly jump to a particular characteristic of a particular structure, use the two pull down menus at the bottom, under "Go Nuts"—just select the structure you're interested in from the first menu and then select the characteristic you're interested in from the second.

Caution:
This Framework May be Helpful When Used

Covering Rural Territory is neither an encyclopedia nor the "final word" on covering rural territory. Rather, it is a tool with which you can actively engage your board, staff and other stakeholders in determining the best coverage structure for your organization and your region.

You or your board may disagree among yourselves or with the Framework's assumptions regarding implications or distinctions made. That's fine—better than fine! Use these disagreements as an opportunity for improving and clarifying an understanding of the goals, visions and, ultimately, the strategy that your organization will bring to your rural coverage structure. Read more about a few "use-full" ideas.

Definition of Terms

To help you navigate the language landscape, see our definitions of some of the key terms used in this Framework.

Some Tips, Some Caveats

Here are just a few things to keep in mind as you use this guide:

		This Framework does not explore every possible community foundation service structure. Instead, it identifies a set of generally apparent structures—useful abstractions or models derived from the most common practices at work within the field today, depicting the field's most common and distinct coverage strategies.
		In the real world, few structures are completely pure! Many community foundations have developed in ways that combine multiple structures. Elements within different structures may be mixed and matched.
		Aspects of several structures may exist within single divisions of a community foundation. For example, regional divisions within a Federation may also include Area Funds.
		Structures sometimes evolve, but do not have to evolve, from one into another.
		This Framework does not assign value to particular rural coverage strategies. No one structure is more "ideal" than another. Community foundations typically choose structures based on local context, local goals and the preferences of its leaders.

This Framework seeks to help establish a useful and distinct lexicon for the field. Every attempt is made to create a useful vocabulary, to use terms that are as generic and objective as possible. For example, we have chosen to avoid the ubiquitous term "affiliate" because it tends to mean different things to different community foundations.

Who Developed this Framework—and Why?

Covering Rural Territory is a product of the Rural Development Philanthropy Learning Network (RDPLN), managed by the Community Strategies Group of the Aspen Institute. Version 1/2002 was first developed as a resource for the Learning Network's peer-exchange workshop Covering Rural Territory: Affiliate and Alternative Structures for Rural Development Philanthropy (January 2002).

This version contains revisions based on feedback from community foundation leaders who participated in that first workshop, and it offers brief case stories of real-life community foundations that exemplify each model. Over time, additional case stories illuminating the real-life drama of implementing these structures will be added and updated.

These models and the relationships and distinctions among them are a piece of basic "intellectual capital" that can be used by the community foundation field to inform and improve Rural Development Philanthropy. In developing and sharing this Framework, we hope to continue to surface useful distinctions and constructive questions that will improve thought and action among community foundation leaders who want to serve their rural areas well. Read more about the development of this Framework.

Can We Help Make This Framework Better?

Oh yes, definitely. We expect and sincerely hope that you will help amend and improve Covering Rural Territory. Indeed, we hope to occasionally revise this Framework whenever feedback and significant changes in the field suggest it, and produce fresh case stories to continually illustrate community foundation options. Feel free—and encouraged—to offer your own case story. We invite you to offer any comments, edits or criticism on this version by emailing the Community Strategies Group and the RDP Learning Network directly.

Please explore the Learning Network website for companion materials that may help your foundation use Covering Rural Territory as a dialogue and decision-making aid for your board, staff and stakeholders. Look for peer-learning materials and exchange opportunities that relate to other challenging topics facing community foundations that seek to use the tools of community philanthropy to improve the livelihood of rural families and communities. Better yet, while you're here, join the RDP Learning Network!

On this page:
Introduction
How to Use
the Framework
Definition of
Terms
Tips and
Caveats
Who—
And Why
Making It
Better...

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