The Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program seeks to serve Oregon's rural communities through economic and community development and natural resource planning. Housed within the University of Oregon's Institute for Policy Research and Engagement, we aim to link the energy, expertise of our members with the planning and public policy needs of Oregon’s rural communities.
Our mission is to assist Oregon's resource-dependent rural communities while providing supported, applied experience to college graduates from across the U.S. RARE AmeriCorps members live in rural communities for eleven months and serve cities, counties, non-governmental organizations or state agencies to improve economic and environmental conditions in rural Oregon. The RARE AmeriCorps Program is now in its 26th year; over the years we have placed more than 550 volunteers and served every Oregon County.