• Facilitate collaboration among federal, state, local, and tribal governments and the private and nonprofit sectors in the planning and implementation of programs and policies that have an impact on rural areas of the state;

• Monitor, report, and comment on policies and programs that address, or fail to address, the needs of the rural areas of the state;

• Facilitate the development of strategies to reduce or eliminate conflicting or duplicative administrative or regulatory requirements of federal, state, local, and tribal governments;
• Submit an annual report on the progress of the SRDC in meeting its goals and performance measures.

2003 WORK PLAN

The FSRDC developed, in coordination with the Florida State Director of USDA, and submitted the following work plan to USDA for the $50,000.00 in funding. Activities are to be implemented between April 1 and December 31, 2003.

1(a). Address staffing issue explore options of contracting out / hiring part-time executive director until dedicated funding source is secured.

1(b). Research, explore and identify cooperator agency opportunities which would best be served by the mission of the Florida State Rural Development Council.

2(a). Establish a non-profit status for the Florida State Rural Development Council

3(a). To organize and convene state and federal agency, non-profit organization and private sector partner representatives in a "Rural Issues Summit" meeting where issues and policies affecting rural areas will be discussed and addressed.

3(b). FSRDC Executive Director and staff members will research, identify and develop a minimum of two viable FSRDC Rural Issues Summit needs related project activities and pursue a minimum of $17.5K in funding for each project to underwrite project-related activity cost

3(c). One pilot community-based outreach resource workshop will be organized and conducted in one rural community / region. An evaluation tool/survey will be utilized to measure efficacy of workshop.

4(a). In partnership with the National Rural Development Council (NRDC) and other State Rural Development Council (SRDCs), actively participate in the development of a cohesive strategy to address the challenges faced by rural America (rural Florida). The rural strategy initiative should not aim to create any new programs, but to inject the rural voice into existing programs.

4(b). FSRDC will carry out and submit reporting requirements to NRDP/USDA (i.e. progress reports, success stories, etc.)

4(c). FSRDC will underwrite the cost of sending two FSRDC representatives to the annual NRDP/SRDC Conference

5. Review existing federal and state policy and program monitoring vehicles in order to incorporate their rural issues into FSRDC mission and services. Report to FSRDC general membership, partners and interested parties.