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Midwest Partnership states – Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio – have more community members living in rural communities than the national average (26% vs. 20%). These 9 million people living in rural communities generally experience 1-3% higher rates of poverty and fewer opportunities for upward economic mobility. Despite this demonstrated need, nationally, we see less than 7% of philanthropic spending in rural communities (when Missouri dug deeper, the finding was a shocking less than 1%). Through convening, funding, and advocacy, grantmakers have an opportunity to strengthen rural ecosystems by supporting alignment of local efforts and resources, championing scalable pilot programs, and promoting an asset-based approach.