Program Areas

At the outset, PRV (JCLAC’s action program) has selected four areas of focus:

  1. Local family-scale agriculture: PRV will work with farmers, retailers, markets, restaurants and other organizations to advance and promote the economic viability of small-scale agriculture and the overall food security of the Rogue Valley.
  2. Forestry and forest products: PRV will work with existing and emerging community groups (the Small Diameter Log Collaborative, the Applegate Partnership, the Ashland Forest Resiliency Project, and Biomass project developers) who have brought together people from the wood-products industry, government agencies and the community to collaborate on forest projects. The focus is to develop a forest-based economic sector that will generate good-quality jobs and provide long-term stewardship for the region’s forestlands.
  3. Community-based options for commerce and investment: PRV is collaborating with the Rogue Resiliency Fund, which is developing systems for interested investors to lend to and investing in locally-owned enterprises.  PRV will also promote and advance the work of credit exchange and “time bank” systems that facilitate the flow of goods and services without U.S. currency.
  4. Local government procurement policies: PRV will research and develop ways to increase the percentage of tax dollars that go to local vendors when city and county governments purchase goods and services.  (See PRV’s report “Localizing Government Contracts: A Key Strategy to Fortify Jackson County’s Local Economy”)

In addition (and as resources allow), PRV intends to

  • scan the nation for “best practices” used by other communities to become more self-reliant and economically robust
  • organize issues forums, high-quality speakers, film screenings or other events on a regular basis
  • offer fee-based services to community members with an idea or venture that could strengthen the community and local economy.