Project REACH

A pond surrounded by tall grass and trees, with a wind turbine seen in the distance

Build the skills you need to successfully advocate for improved health in your rural community. 

Project REACH (Rural Experts Advancing Community Health) is a year-long program that provides diverse community leaders in rural Minnesota with health policy and leadership training. Participants will learn to frame health policy challenges and how to communicate effectively with state legislators and other policymakers.

Program overview

This is a joint initiative of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Program through the Office of Academic Clinical Affairs and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

  • Participants will identify local challenges, build leadership skills to address the challenge, and develop and share a policy proposal with relevant decision makers
  • Throughout the program, participants will have access to mentorship from UMN faculty and staff
  • Total time commitment: approximately 8-10 hours a month
  • Participants may have opportunities to have work published or to present work throughout the program
  • Travel costs for trainings and/or meetings and program materials are provided
  • $1,200 stipend and a certificate of completion upon program completion

Who can apply

  • Individuals working or living in rural Minnesota who want to improve health in their community
  • The strongest applicants will be those who are committed to racial equity and social justice in rural Minnesota communities
  • For this program, we consider rural communities to be places with smaller towns (<50,000 people), and more remote, less-populated areas of the state, including tribal communities

Contact

Katie Rydberg, MPH
Program Manager
Rural Health Research Center
[email protected]