Across Wisconsin, rural communities are experiencing more frequent and intense weather events, including flooding, drought, extreme heat and cold, high winds, and more. These challenges affect everything from farming and public health to school operations and public infrastructure. Through the Rural Partnerships Institute, an interdisciplinary team at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are working directly with local leaders, farmers, emergency planners, public health professionals, educators, and youth to help communities better prepare for amplified weather extremes.

This project brings together experts in climate science, public engagement, education, engineering, agriculture, and planning. Together, we’re developing local partnerships in three key regions: the Driftless Area, Central Sands, and Northern Wisconsin. We are first learning what matters most to each community, what challenges they’re already facing, and what tools or knowledge might help them make informed decisions on how to better prepare for those challenges. Then, we co-create practical solutions—like new forecasting tools, educational materials, or action plans—that reflect local needs and values.

We aim to help communities move from crisis response to forward-thinking preparedness. Whether that means helping a cranberry grower understand how warmer winters affect their crop, supporting a school in designing their playground to mitigate extreme heat impacts on youth, or training emergency managers to use Geodesign to mitigate the effects of snow drifts on road safety—we’re here to help rural communities build long-term preparedness capacity.

Rural Partnerships Institute

The initiative, announced in December 2022, was established with $9.3 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The big-picture goals are to advance the land-grant mission of the university, support community-based projects, and create new partnerships to better meet the needs of rural communities.

The university’s Wisconsin Rural Partnerships Institute is part of a broader $28 million USDA-funded Institute for Rural Partnerships, housed at UW–Madison, Auburn University and the University of Vermont. The institute aims to promote equitable, resilient, and prosperous food and agricultural systems and expanded opportunities for rural community development. It will also foster collaborations with community-based initiatives and local research, educational institutions and subject matter experts.

Projects that aim to support rural communities and tribal nations in Wisconsin have been selected to receive funding through the Wisconsin Rural Partnerships Institute at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. 

Learn more about the Wisconsin Rural Partnerships Institute