The Big Picture:

The  Resource Conservation and Development Program (RC&D) was created to establish an exciting partnership between the Federal government and a local nonprofit organization, led by local community leaders.  

RC&D was initially started back in the 1960's to address rural poverty and help rural communities generate sustainable natural resource-based economies.  Although today many RC&D areas are not rural and are not poor, the need for the RC&D concept is just as strong as ever.  RC&D is not the same-old, same-old – RC&D is collaborative, multi-leveled, action-oriented, and inclusive.  And, sometimes, "RC&D" is a tad difficult to explain or to quantify. However, the effect of the RC&D approach to solving community problems involving local people in voluntary, empowering ways can be felt with every project that happens across the country.

The Resource Conservation and Development Program (RC&D) was up to April 2011 a nation-wide U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Now all RC&Ds are working independent. The purpose of the RC&D program program is to accelerate the conservation, development and utilization of natural resources, improve the general level of economic activity, and to enhance the environment and standard of living in designated areas. Current program objectives focus i.e. on improvement of quality of life achieved through natural resources conservation, community development which leads to sustainable communities, prudent use (development), and the management and conservation of natural resources.

All RC&Ds are locally-sponsored areas designated by the Secretary of Agriculture for RC&D technical and financial assistance program funds. The Big Island of Hawai'i has it's own RC&D: The BIRC&D!