AMES, IOWA – Registration opens February 15 for the 7th annual Iowa Rural Summit, to be held April 11-12 at the Gateway Hotel & Conference Center, Ames IA. Past years’ gatherings of leaders from rural communities from across the state have drawn crowds of almost 400.

Rural communities are once again being asked to bring a three-person team to the Summit, an approach that has helped generate post-Summit momentum in previous years for those places that were represented. Three-person community teams can go online and register at a special, discounted rate. Interested individuals can also register online.  

Links to online registration can be found beginning February 15th at www.iowardc.org/summit.

The Summit is sponsored by the Iowa Rural Development Council (IRDC), a public-private statewide non-profit that works to support small towns addressing issues such as housing, broadband access, business development and leadership.

The 2023 Rural Summit will feature keynote addresses from two powerful speakers. Danielle Nierenberg is the opening speaker on Tuesday, April 11. in 2013, Danielle founded Food Tank, a nonprofit organization focused on building a global community for safe, healthy, nourished eaters. She won a Julia Child Award in 2020 for her work. Carrie Henning-Smith will provide the closing keynote on Wednesday, April 12. Carrie is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and Deputy Director of the UM Rural Health Research Center and Rural Health Program. Her work focuses on health equity for rural residents, with particular attention to structural barriers to health and social well-being.

Break-out sessions will explore topics ranging from innovative rural libraries to impactful rural hospitals, from community assets to cheerleaders and volunteers.

Email director@iowardc.org with questions.

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