During 2023-24, the Folk Education Network is partnering with AmeriCorps, Washington State Parks, and other partners to develop a Folk School-like model for civic engagement. The goal is to reduce rural isolation and increases community health through building connections and networking resources. This planning grant, funded by AmeriCorps, will develop a three-year operation grant proposal to:

• Identify site location partners to hold community gatherings
• Identify and connect AmeriCorps members from the local communities to the location partners
• Connect site and AmeriCorps partners with community hosts to identify community needs
• Coordinate initial hosted community gatherings to begin making connections among people to the knowledge and resources they want
• Develop and expand a replicable model that can be used in other states with a variety of partners