Sep 18, 2023
We love when we find people who support small towns doing big
things in ways we’ve never seen before, and this episode features
two people and a business that is doing just that. Jasmin and
Cassidy are two sisters behind an organization called Realizing
Rural that offers important services like grant-writing, project
management, graphic design, and marketing to small towns and the
organizations in them who may not have the staff to support those
tasks but who need them to grow.
About Jasmin and Cassidy:
Jasmin Fosheim and Cassidy Blade are sisters living in rural South
Dakota. Both balancing new families and serving their community in
various capacities, Jasmin and Cassidy are passionate about the
advantages of rural life. This passion and belief that rural is an
asset, not a detriment, led them to create Realizing Rural. Since
2020, Realizing Rural has provided grant writing, project
management, marketing, and consulting services for rural
businesses, organizations, and communities in North Dakota, South
Dakota, and beyond with the mission of shifting the rural narrative
from surviving to thriving.
“We grew up running barefoot along the gravel roads of the Black
Hills, chasing butterflies with nets and gathering wildflower
bouquets. Our most formative childhood memories were built around
fishing poles and fire pits, curled up in camping chairs and tucked
into hammocks, making s'mores and reading books, all surrounded by
those we loved most. It was in those moments that our love for
rural was sparked. And it was in those fields and streams and tents
and trails that we gained the curiosity that carries us, the
compassion that comprises us, and the love that leads us. It was in
those moments, years before the creation of our business, that we
began realizing rural.”
In this episode, we cover:
-
What Realizing Rural does and how they help
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Why grant money isn’t really
“free
money” and why alignment with the funding or the project is so
important
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Why communities shouldn’t hesitate or beat themselves up if they
need help with grant writing or project management
-
Their journey with imposter syndrome
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The difference between doing things you’re good at vs. things you
love
Links and Resources Mentioned: