Learning From Experience: A Blog Series

Rural Support Partners turned 18 on April 1, 2026. Reaching this milestone has prompted us to reflect on what we have learned over nearly two decades of working alongside rural people, organizations, businesses, networks, and communities across Central Appalachia and beyond. As we reflected on this work, we realized we have accumulated lessons, practices, frameworks, and ways of thinking that are worth documenting and passing on. This blog series is an effort to capture and share some of what we have learned over nearly two decades of work.

At the heart of RSP's work is a belief that rural communities possess deep knowledge, strength, and possibility. Our role has never been to bring answers. It has been to listen, learn, support, and help surface and strengthen the wisdom that already exists within the people and places we serve. We have titled this series Learning from Experience because the ideas shared here have emerged through relationships, collaboration, experimentation, and shared learning. They reflect the knowledge, experiences, successes, and struggles of many people across Central Appalachia.

We hope these reflections and resources are useful to those doing the hard work of building stronger organizations, healthier rural communities, and a more just and prosperous future. More than anything, we hope people see their own experiences, ideas, and wisdom reflected in what we share and find something that helps them in their work today and for years to come.