BUILDING RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

USE SHARED RURAL VALUES TO CRAFT YOUR MESSAGE

Effective communication requires not only facts but leveraging the values people share to resonate across race, class, age, gender, and place. The best messages follow the VPSA model: Values, Problem, Solution, Action. First, we unite along shared values to introduce the issue, then demonstrate the collectively-held problem, name the solution to the problem, and finally, when appropriate, leave with a call to action joining you to solve the problem. This formula keeps our messages concise while disarming opponents who seek to divide us. To get you started, here are three rural values that are particularly relevant for communicating with rural constituents about rural infrastructure:

VALUE: INDEPENDENCE

• Framing: A strong rural infrastructure, including regionally-produced energy and reliable broadband, allows rural communities to be independent. State and federal investments in rural infrastructure are valuable in part because they keep rural communities from being dependent on an anchor employer or another large company to fund infrastructure priorities.
• Example Statement: (Value) Rural communities in our state deserve to have all the tools they need to be self-reliant. (Problem) But the lack of reliable broadband is cutting rural residents out of the modern economy. (Solution) Our Municipal Broadband Bill will provide families and workers access to locally-owned and operated broadband in under-served areas, which will improve our education system and stimulate our local economy.
• Example Talking Points:
  • Building affordable housing helps make sure every family in our community has the opportunity to thrive.
  • When we invest in locally-owned renewable energy infrastructure, we invest in communities’ ability to provide for themselves without being beholden to corporations exploiting local resources and setting unfair prices for utilities.

VALUE: STABILITY

• Framing: A stable local infrastructure gives hardworking rural families stability. A resilient energy grid, affordable housing, and reliable broadband protect families from some of the uncertainties of extreme weather, housing market fluctuations, and rapidly changing job markets.
• Example Statement: (Value) Rural constituents want stability for their families. (Problem) But a lag in new home construction and wages too low for a working family to buy a home have left many small-town families without safe, affordable housing. (Solution) Our Housing Investment Bill would develop affordable housing in rural communities, ensuring working families have the tools and resources they need to become homeowners.
• Example Talking Points:
  • In today’s digital job market, an investment in reliable and affordable high-speed internet can connect rural residents to jobs that will sustain their families.
  • Recent extreme storms, droughts, and wildfires have exposed the weaknesses in our energy grid, especially in light of the changing climate. Investing in green energy infrastructure will make our grid resilient for the long haul.

VALUE: INNOVATION

• Framing: By necessity, rural residents have always been innovators. A stable, future-oriented infrastructure, including broadband connectivity and clean energy, provide many opportunities for rural innovation, whether it’s the creativity of a parent’s remote job or an invention by a community college student to make batteries more efficient.
• Example Statement: (Value)Rural residents are innovators and problem-solvers. (Problem) But for decades, our state government has prioritized the short-term gain of fossil fuel production rather than investing in the future by investing in green energy and local creativity. (Solution) That’s why we want to create a state Green Bank to invest in community-designed infrastructure projects. These innovative solutions could provide family farmers with tools to lower their costs by maximizing resources or secure our food supply by preparing for extreme weather.
• Example Talking Points:
  • Rural Americans don’t just deserve a place in the 21st-century American economy, they have the creativity and innovation to be its leaders.
  • Rural Americans want to experiment with new ways of doing things, especially if they can save money in the long run. We need policies that provide tools and incentives for home weatherization, sustainable building materials, and other practices to reduce home energy use.