KY RUX tapped for Building Trust and Belonging Cohort

RUX received support from the Greater Clark Foundation for expanded bridging work in Kentucky.

On January 24, 2024, the Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange (RUX) was awarded a Building Trust and Belonging grant by The Greater Clark Foundation (GCF). A program of the national arts nonprofit Art of the Rural, KY RUX was among nine organizations to be awarded this grant, with awards totaling $174,000 to community organizations impacting Clark, Estill, and Powell counties and the Commonwealth at large.

This support includes participation in an initiative-specific Building Trust and Belonging Cohort which convenes peer organizations focused on trust, belonging, and social connectedness within the region. The cohort will meet throughout 2024 and explore these complex issues through co-learning, discussion, critical thinking, and cultural awareness. From this experience, Cohort members will foster and nurture trusted relationships as critical elements of strong communities.

“We are thrilled to join the inaugural Building Trust and Belonging Cohort and to share in this rare opportunity to work with other Kentucky organizations to strengthen the bridging capacity of the region,” says Art of the Rural Exchange Director and KY RUX Co-Founder Savannah Barrett. “This support will allow RUX to deepen our work in the Clark, Estill, and Lee County region through a pilot bridging network that will invite institutional leaders from across the state to work towards a shared mission. We are grateful to the Foundation for advancing this work in Kentucky.”

The Greater Clark Foundation, located in Winchester, KY, works to stimulate a community identity in the Greater Clark Region that is forward-leaning, self-sustaining, engaged, and resilient. Its investments are focused on civic and economic vitality; educational attainment; and health, well-being, and quality of life. GCF acts as a catalyst, connector, and convener to create the conditions in which all people can thrive. 

The Building Trust and Belonging initiative is a call-to-action for community leaders and citizens who are passionate about improving our quality of life and relationships. “To effectively make change in the Commonwealth, we believe in funding initiatives that are participatory, strategic, and future-oriented,” said Jen Algire, GCF president and chief executive officer. “Building trust is both the foundation and the key to stronger relationships within communities.”

Learn more in this news article & video from Spectrum News 1!