About Us Over 40 years ago, Congress established a unique program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture that empowered rural people to help themselves. The USDA focus was to assist local people by providing tools and technical support to stabilize and grow their own communities while protecting and developing natural resources. To carry out the RC&D (Resource Conservation and Development) concept, diverse groups of local volunteers (The RC&D Council) are brought together in a unique partnership to find solutions to their problems. Local people are best able to determine needs and create solutions for their Community. The focus on local direction and control has made RC&D one of the most successful rural development programs of the Federal Government. The focus of the program provides for the sustainability of local economies and resources. The purpose of the RC&D program is to encourage and improve the capability of volunteers, locally elected, and civic leaders in designated RC&D areas to plan and carry out projects for resource conservation and community development. Projects relate to the following four areas: • Land Conservation • Community Development • Land Management • Water Management The RC&D program helps people care for natural resources and improve the quality of life in their communities. The RC&D Council (volunteers representing public and private sector sponsors and other local organizations) undertake community driven actions that are strategically focused on regional resource conservation and economic viability. RC&D priorities are set by area residents to meet their needs. The RC&D Program has grown both in number of areas covered and in funding since its inception in 1964. In 2002, the RC&D Program received permanent authorization from and became a line item in the federal budget. Today, there are 375 active councils nationwide, located in all 50 states, including Guam, American Samoa, Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands. Typically, RC&D areas are made up on the average of 7 counties and occasionally cross State lines (i.e. Interstate RC&D) to better address shared natural resource and economic needs. A total of approximately 2,666 U.S. counties are included in RC&D areas, representing more than 85 percent of all U.S. counties and more than 77 percent of the U.S. population. There are 25 Councils waiting for USDA designation. More than 32,000 volunteers are serving on and with RC&D councils. On average, RC&D volunteers donate over 100,000 days per year. Interstate Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D), Inc. is an Illinois & Iowa Nonprofit, US Internal Revenue Service 501(c) 3 charitable organization serving the Illinois counties of Henry, Mercer and Rock Island and the Iowa Counties of Muscatine and Scott. Interstate RC&D, Inc. is a local, grass-roots organization with a small group of committed volunteers, providing local leadership and implementing projects and programs to improve the quality of life in the five-county, two-state Quad City area. The RC&D program is a collaborative partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and receives funding and administrative support for operations and programs. Interstate RC&D provides technical, administrative & financial assistance and coordinates project development that meet the Council’s goals and objectives in the two-state, five county area.