The goals associated with this new phase of the RCCI program are as follows:

1. Expand the network of rural community colleges actively engaged in the RCCI program in the U.S.
   
   
2. Build new and sustained working relationships between rural community colleges and the Land-Grant University system for the purpose of advancing the economic development, educational access, and civic involvement needs of the geographic areas served by these educational institutions.
   
   
3. Deepen the capacity of the new 24 RCCI colleges, as well as the RCCI alumni institutions, to become agents of rural development innovations in the areas that they serve.
   
   
4. Strengthen RCCI participants' understanding of national rural development policy activities and facilitate their engagement in guiding rural policy discussions and decisions at the federal level.

To achieve these goals, the following strategies will be carried out:

• Develop and implement a geographic cluster-based selection process of rural community colleges, with the goal of adding a total of 24 new rural community colleges over the course of the four-year period.
  
  
• Provide training, coaching, and technical assistance to the new RCCI clusters to implement the innovative RCCI change process. The necessary talent to carry out these responsibilities will be drawn from RCCI alumni institutions, Land-Grant University System Extension educators, nonprofit organizations, and other appropriate entities.
  
  
• Network the new cluster members and alumni through linked web pages, web discussions, learning clusters, RCCI institutes, specialized training activities, and RCCA annual conferences.
  
  
• Develop national rural development policy information updates and organize field trips to Washington, DC in partnership with AACC. The Washington, DC visits will offer RCCI participants a vehicle for sharing their insights on current/emerging rural development-related policy activities with agency and Congressional representatives who are involved in shaping such national legislative activities.
  
  
• Provide logistical assistance to the RCCA in planning and carrying out its annual conference.