Rural communities should lead, own, and benefit from AI.
Practical AI capacity, rooted in local needs.
The Center for Rural AI helps rural communities, institutions, and businesses build practical AI capacity that stays rooted in local needs through hands-on training, real-world pilots, and open playbooks.
We're changing that. The Center for Rural AI builds comprehensive pathways from AI training and research that enable rural citizens and communities to fully participate in the AI economy.
CRAI Names Jason Strickland Head of Technology
Jason Strickland has been named Head of Technology at the Center for Rural AI. He will lead CRAI's technical architecture, data governance, and the design of the AI operating systems that power the organization's programs — including its growing work on AI memory and institutional knowledge. The appointment comes as CRAI expands its technical work across research, applied AI tools, and community pilots.
CRAI Joins the Colorado Thrives AI Fellows Program
The Center for Rural AI is a participating organization in the Colorado Thrives AI Fellows Program, a first-of-its-kind initiative launched in partnership with Anthropic and CodePath that embeds AI-native emerging talent inside Colorado companies and organizations. CRAI team members Emaliah Sawyer and Holden Bronson are helping bring the effort to life. Beginning June 2026, 12 paid Fellows, with a focus on first-generation and underrepresented students, are driving real AI projects while building new pathways into the AI economy.
Read the announcementWhy Rural AI Matters Now
The Equity Gap
Foundation AI models systematically underrepresent rural contexts, inheriting blind spots that affect over 50 million Americans.
The Economic Opportunity
Rural AI ventures can operate at an estimated 2× operating-cost advantage over urban tech hubs, driven by lower real estate, wages, and energy costs. Rural America can power the AI economy while creating sustainable local development.
CRAI estimate, grounded in documented rural-urban cost differentials.
How CRAI works
A simple, repeatable model that turns support into practical AI capacity rural communities can own.
Train
Rural leaders, workers, students, and organizations in practical AI skills.
Build
Practical AI pilots inside real rural businesses, nonprofits, institutions, and local governments.
Document
The workflows, prompts, tools, and lessons learned along the way.
Publish
Open, publicly available playbooks so other organizations and communities can replicate what works.
Scale
Through trusted rural institutions and community partners.
Proof in Practice
Explore the Pilot Library →Active rural AI pilots that produce reusable, public-good playbooks.
Open, practical resources designed for operators without technical backgrounds.
Coalition work that connects rural communities to state and national AI readiness efforts.
SW Community Foundation
The Center for Rural AI is a fiscally sponsored project of SW Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) serving Southwest Colorado. All donations are processed through the Foundation and are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado facilitates the growth and effectiveness of philanthropic contributions and expands the culture of giving to meet the needs of our communities.
The Community Foundation inspires hope, leadership, and generosity in the region by bringing economic stability, professional development, and collaboration to the nonprofit sector.
As a community facilitator, our Foundation works to increase efficiency, resiliency, and success for nonprofits, while maximizing effective grantmaking for philanthropists, to make Southwest Colorado a better place to live. In 2025, the Community Foundation infused $5.8 million into the region. We invite you to create, grow and give funds through our careful management.
Learn more about SW Community Foundation →Who We Serve
Our Focus
Rural Education
We support colleges, universities, and high schools seeking to build AI capabilities and serve their communities as AI hubs.
Tribal Engagement
A priority we are actively developing: building relationships with tribal nations to support AI strategies that respect sovereignty and protect cultural data, guided by our Tribal & Community Data Sovereignty Review Process.
Local Businesses
Main Street businesses, agricultural and healthcare operations, and rural enterprises ready to use AI for growth and efficiency.
Government & Policy
Local and state governments developing rural AI strategies, policies, and economic development initiatives.
About the Center for Rural AI
The Center for Rural AI is a nonprofit based in Durango, Colorado, operating as a fiscally sponsored project of SW Community Foundation. We're building a national movement to ensure rural communities are active leaders in the AI economy.
Founded on principles of equity, sustainability, and community empowerment, we believe rural America's geographic diversity, relationship density, and community values create real advantages for ethical AI development and deployment.