Rural Builds

Birdman Media
Birdman Media
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Produced and hosted by Birdman of Birdman Media™, Rural Builds spotlights the people, partnerships, and projects strengthening rural America. In each episode, we explore how rural communities design innovative, scalable solutions to address the social determinants of health — often with fewer resources, more barriers, and far less attention than urban and metro areas. This podcast goes beyond the challenges to center the builders: the educators, clinicians, organizers, parents, first responders, developers, and leaders who turn rural obstacles into opportunity. Rural Builds shows funders, policymakers, and listeners what's possible when rural communities are trusted, resourced, and empowered to build. Because when rural builds, everyone benefits.

  1. Sep 11

    How RuralAZ.org Is Reinventing Resource Navigation Across Rural Arizona

    Birdman sits down with Allison Hephner to explore how technology is changing the way rural communities connect people with critical services. As Executive Director of the Sitgreaves Community Development Corporation, Allison shares the story behind RuralAZ.org, an online resource platform designed to help individuals, families, service providers, and community organizations quickly locate verified resources based on location and need. What began as a simple paper guide for families navigating special needs services has evolved into a statewide digital platform that connects users with housing, food assistance, childcare, transportation, veterans' services, behavioral health resources, and much more—all searchable by ZIP code and maintained with vetted information. The conversation also dives into the platform's companion technology, the Wellbeing Care Community (WCC), a secure case management system designed to improve collaboration between nonprofit organizations, healthcare providers, housing agencies, and government partners. By reducing duplication, improving communication, and allowing authorized organizations to coordinate care in real time, the system helps ensure that vulnerable individuals don't fall through the cracks. Birdman and Allison also discuss the challenges of serving geographically isolated rural communities, the importance of sustainable funding beyond government grants, digital solutions for homelessness outreach and coordinated care, and how better data can help communities identify service gaps and improve outcomes. If you're interested in rural innovation, homelessness solutions, community technology, healthcare coordination, housing services, or the future of digital public infrastructure, this episode provides an inside look at a groundbreaking approach being developed right here in Arizona. #RuralBuilds #RuralArizona #CommunityDevelopment #RuralAZ #Homelessness #AffordableHousing #CaseManagement #TechnologyForGood #Arizona #CommunityResources #HousingInnovation #DigitalTransformation

  2. Aug 24

    Why Arizona's Route 66 Is a Bucket List Destination for the World

    Broadcasting from the Local First Arizona Rural Policy Forum, Birdman sits down with Nikki Terleski to explore why Arizona is at the center of the world-wide celebration of Historic Route 66's centennial. As Director of Operations for the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, Nikki shares how Kingman has earned its reputation as the "Heart of Historic Route 66." Home to the longest drivable continuous stretch of the Mother Road in the country—nearly 158 miles from Topock to Crookton Road—Kingman welcomes visitors from around the globe beginning their Arizona Route 66 adventure. The conversation highlights the beautifully restored Kingman Visitor Center and Route 66 Museum, the history behind the iconic Powerhouse building, and how interactive exhibits bring the story of America's most famous highway to life for visitors of all ages. Birdman and Nikki also discuss Arizona's year-long Route 66 Centennial celebration, the significance of preserving the highway's legacy while modern infrastructure continues to evolve, and the unique ways travelers can experience the Mother Road through passports, self-guided audio tours, and scenic itineraries across northern Arizona. Whether you're a road trip enthusiast, Route 66 history buff, or simply looking for your next Arizona adventure, this episode showcases why Historic Route 66 remains one of America's most iconic travel experiences. #RuralBuilds #ArizonaBackroads #Route66 #HistoricRoute66 #KingmanAZ #ArizonaTravel #RoadTrip #MotherRoad #VisitArizona #Tourism #RuralArizona #Route66Centennial RURAL BUILDS is brought to you by Birdman Media™ and supported by the following sponsors; Please visit their sites for more information and support them when you can. Sitgreaves Community Development Corporation

  3. Aug 20

    Kingman's Big Bet on Route 66, Tourism & Economic Growth | Mayor Ken Watkins

    Broadcasting from the Local First Arizona Rural Policy Forum, Birdman sits down with Ken Watkins to discuss why Kingman is becoming one of Arizona's most strategically important communities for transportation, tourism, and economic development. Known by many as a stop along Interstate 40 and Historic Route 66, Kingman is leveraging its unique location at the crossroads of I-40 and U.S. Highway 93 to attract new industry, expand infrastructure, and welcome millions of visitors traveling through northern Arizona. Mayor Watkins shares updates on major transportation projects, including Flying Fortress Parkway and the Beale Street Bypass, explaining how improved access will strengthen Kingman's industrial park—the largest outside Maricopa County—and create new opportunities for businesses looking to relocate from neighboring states. The conversation also highlights Kingman's growing reputation as a premier Route 66 destination. From the city's popular Route 66 Visitor Center and Museum to the iconic Route 66 Arch, tourism continues to play a vital role in the local economy as communities celebrate the Mother Road's centennial. If you're interested in rural economic development, transportation infrastructure, tourism, Route 66 history, or Arizona's future growth, this episode offers an inside look at how Kingman is positioning itself for the next generation of opportunity. #RuralBuilds #KingmanAZ #Route66 #HistoricRoute66 #Arizona #EconomicDevelopment #Transportation #Infrastructure #Tourism #RuralArizona #LocalFirstArizona   RURAL BUILDS is brought to you by Birdman Media™ and supported by the following sponsors; Please visit their sites for more information and support them when you can. Sitgreaves Community Development Corporation

  4. Aug 18

    Rural Success Starts with Child Care, Small Business & Local Leadership

    At the Local First Arizona Rural Policy Forum, Birdman sits down with Tori Cranford and Vance Bryce to explore how collaboration is driving economic growth across rural Arizona. Representing the Eastern Arizona College Small Business Development Center and the Graham County Chamber of Commerce, Tori and Vance share how Graham County has embraced a regional approach to economic development by bringing together local governments, schools, healthcare providers, businesses, and community organizations to pursue grants, solve problems, and create new opportunities. The conversation highlights the unique challenges rural communities face—from transportation and infrastructure to childcare shortages and workforce development—and why those challenges require innovative public-private partnerships instead of one-size-fits-all solutions. Tori discusses how the DreamBuilder program is helping entrepreneurs and small business owners develop the financial skills needed to launch and sustain successful businesses, while also tackling one of rural Arizona's biggest workforce barriers: the lack of accessible childcare facilities. Vance shares Graham County's vision for the future, including downtown revitalization, the Chamber's centennial renovation, mining heritage exhibits, tourism growth, and why investing in community assets creates long-term economic momentum. If you're passionate about rural economic development, entrepreneurship, workforce solutions, tourism, or community leadership, this episode offers practical examples of how local collaboration can create lasting change across Arizona. #RuralBuilds #RuralArizona #EconomicDevelopment #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #GrahamCounty #CommunityLeadership #WorkforceDevelopment #ChildCare #Tourism #ArizonaBusiness #LocalFirstArizona   RURAL BUILDS is brought to you by Birdman Media™ and supported by the following sponsors; Please visit their sites for more information and support them when you can. Sitgreaves Community Development Corporation

  5. May 18

    Arizona's Housing Crisis Is Hitting Everyone — Not Just the Poor

    Broadcasting from the Arizona Housing Coalition Conference in Phoenix, Birdman sits down with Joan Serviss following her recognition as the 2026 Advocate of the Year.   In this in-depth conversation, Joan shares her decades of experience in housing advocacy and discusses why Arizona's housing challenges have evolved far beyond homelessness alone. Today, middle-class families, teachers, healthcare workers, young professionals, and even upper-middle-income earners are struggling to find attainable housing across both urban and rural communities.   Joan explains her new role with the Arizona Community Foundation and how philanthropy can help close critical funding gaps for affordable housing projects through pre-development loans, gap financing, and partnerships with community lenders.   The discussion also explores the hidden barriers slowing housing production, including zoning restrictions, infrastructure shortages, labor costs, childcare deserts, and the unique challenges facing rural Arizona and tribal communities.   Birdman and Joan dive into why solving the housing crisis requires more than government programs alone. Businesses, nonprofits, philanthropy, local leaders, and communities all have a role to play in creating sustainable workforce and attainable housing solutions for Arizona's future. https://www.azfoundation.org   If you're interested in housing policy, rural development, workforce housing, community investment, or the future of affordable living in America, this episode delivers a grounded and practical conversation you won't want to miss.   #AffordableHousing #ArizonaHousing #HousingCrisis #RuralBuilds #WorkforceHousing #HousingPolicy #CommunityDevelopment #ArizonaCommunityFoundation #RuralArizona #Homelessness #MiddleClassHousing   RURAL BUILDS is brought to you by Birdman Media™ and supported by the following sponsors; Please visit their sites for more information and support them when you can. Sitgreaves Community Development Corporation

  6. May 14

    The Housing Fight No One Wants to Talk About | Arizona Housing Coalition Interview

    At the Arizona Housing Coalition Conference in downtown Phoenix, Birdman sits down with Nicole Newhouse to unpack one of the biggest issues facing Arizona and rural America alike: affordable housing.   This conversation goes beyond the stereotypes surrounding "affordable housing" and digs into the real-world impact on middle-class families, seniors on fixed incomes, young professionals, teachers, firefighters, and essential workers who can no longer afford to live in the communities they serve.   Nicole explains how the Arizona Housing Coalition works to educate, coordinate resources, and advocate for housing solutions across the state. Together, Birdman and Nicole discuss homelessness policy, zoning battles, local control, workforce shortages, NIMBY resistance, housing density, and why the American Dream of homeownership feels increasingly out of reach.   The discussion also explores how government, philanthropy, private investment, and local communities must work together to create practical solutions instead of relying on one system alone.   If you care about housing, workforce development, rural growth, community planning, or the future of the middle class, this is a conversation you need to hear.   #AffordableHousing #ArizonaHousing #HousingCrisis #RuralBuilds #MiddleClass #WorkforceHousing #Homelessness #ArizonaPolitics #CommunityDevelopment #HousingPolicy   RURAL BUILDS is brought to you by Birdman Media™ and supported by the following sponsors; Please visit their sites for more information and support them when you can. Sitgreaves Community Development Corporation

  7. Apr 23

    The $1 Investment That Returns $16: Why Early Childhood Is the Future of Rural America"

    Rural Builds

  8. Feb 26

    How Bisbee Built Workforce Housing Without Giving Homes Away

    What if a small rural city could keep its teachers, firefighters, hospital staff, and public workers—not by waiting for prices to drop, but by building a local system that makes homeownership possible? In this episode of Rural Builds, host Rob "Birdman" Hephner records from Bisbee City Hall with a team that's turning workforce housing from a buzzword into a working model: Mayor Ken Budge, city planner and housing specialist Melissa Hartman, and construction manager / Step Up Bisbee board member Mike Norman.   Bisbee—an old copper town turned historic arts community just miles from the border—has seen what happens when housing costs rise faster than wages: employers can't retain essential workers, turnover gets expensive, and the community loses the people who keep it running. The group walks through Bisbee's real-world evolution from volunteer home repairs for low-income and elderly homeowners to a formal workforce housing pipeline built through a city–nonprofit partnership with Step Up Bisbee.   You'll hear how they tightened the process with a clear MOU, required buyers to be pre-qualified like any normal home purchase, and built guardrails to protect the community investment—like selling homes at up to a 20% discountfrom appraised value with a five-year deed restriction that reduces over time to prevent quick flips. They also explain why older housing stock can be harder (and sometimes more expensive) to rehab than it is to build new—especially in a historic town where many homes predate modern codes.   A highlight of the episode is the voice of Robin Dumas (Local First Arizona), the first buyer of Step Up Bisbee's new construction home, who connects affordable homeownership directly to rural "brain drain"—the reality that educated, committed rural professionals often have to leave simply because they can't afford to stay.   The conversation closes with what's next: zoning tools like smaller-lot overlay zones, pre-approved building plans, and a major opportunity in Hillcrest—a historic former hospital complex now cleaned up and positioned for future affordable and workforce-oriented housing. The team also addresses why rural communities often struggle to compete for LIHTC funding, and why a project like Hillcrest could be a game-changer for rentals aimed at workforce needs, seniors, and long-term community stability. RURAL BUILDS is brought to you by Birdman Media™ and supported by the following sponsors; Please visit their sites for more information and support them when you can. Sitgreaves Community Development Corporation

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About

Produced and hosted by Birdman of Birdman Media™, Rural Builds spotlights the people, partnerships, and projects strengthening rural America. In each episode, we explore how rural communities design innovative, scalable solutions to address the social determinants of health — often with fewer resources, more barriers, and far less attention than urban and metro areas. This podcast goes beyond the challenges to center the builders: the educators, clinicians, organizers, parents, first responders, developers, and leaders who turn rural obstacles into opportunity. Rural Builds shows funders, policymakers, and listeners what's possible when rural communities are trusted, resourced, and empowered to build. Because when rural builds, everyone benefits.

Information

  • Channel
    Birdman Media
  • Creator
    Rob "Birdman" Hephner
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    Rural Builds

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