The Rural Urban Bridge Initiative invites all of us to think differently, talk differently and act differently in order to understand the causes of the rural-urban divide and then do something to repair it. We develop political, economic and communications strategies that build bridges and serve the common interests of all working and middle class Americans.
Our Work
Trainings
We deliver trainings that get to the bottom of the rural-urban divide and how Democrats lost rural and working-class voters, and provide actionable strategies.
Our monthly briefings on topics related to rural-urban polarization and rural politics feature thought leaders in politics, media, communications, and academia.
Briefings
RUBI hosts monthly briefings on topics related to rural-urban polarization and rural politics that feature thought leaders in politics, media, communications, and academia.
We post the registration link on our social media, subscriber list and through other forums. We encourage you to become a subscriber so you can get information to our monthly briefings, held the first Wednesday of every month at 4pm EST.
Community Works
While politicians in Washington are fighting partisan battles, we are finding common ground.
Community Works chapters partner with local civic, church, school, and community groups to strengthen our rural communities and restore trust among neighbors across political differences.
Distilling Best Practices
RUBI has produced a series of manuals on how to run non-polarizing, issue-based campaigns in rural districts and how to communicate effectively with rural voters.
Our guidance is based on original research as well as research conducted by pollsters, academics and strategists.
Policy Solutions
The Rural New Deal is a positive vision for a fair economy for everyday people and a pragmatic blueprint for how we can help build rural prosperity.
The RND was co-authored by RUBI and Progressive Democrats of America with input from rural development practitioners, advocates and leaders.
The Latest
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September Briefing
Two Midwestern state senate candidates talked about affordability, and making policies that work for rural working class people.
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![Our Community Works National Director Talks About Gun Safety]()
Can We Bridge the Gun Divide?
“The goal of Community Works is not to try to change rural culture. It’s about understanding, respecting and learning to live alongside our conservative rural neighbors - including living with the Second Amendment.”
Read National CWorks Director, Meredith Dean’s, article in The Guardian.
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![Woman speaking in an interview with the headline "The Small-Town Revolt Against Big Tech" and a subheadline about rural communities leading a charge against AI data centers. "The Nation" logo at the top and "Data Center Debate" banner at the bottom.]()
Rethinking Rural
RUBI’s monthly column in The Nation
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Kitchen Table Messaging for the Populist Era
Economic populist rhetoric is all the rage in Democratic circles these days, but not all populist messages are equally effective. In June, the Center for Working Class Politics (CWCP) and the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative (RUBI) conducted a poll (fielded by Verasight) of 6,100 adult Americans, including over 1,000 extra rural respondents so we could analyze rural voters on their own.
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Building Trust with Community Works
Join us the 4th Wednesday of every month to learn how to join or create your own Community Works chapter!
