A Year of Momentum: Reflecting on RCFNS in 2025
From scarcity to abundance. From silos to solidarity. From ownership to stewardship. These themes guided RCFNS in 2025 as we worked to ensure the rising tide lifts all boats - by addressing the leaks caused by inequity and exclusion.
Storytelling and Action
In June, we launched a blog series exploring food sovereignty, climate resilience, and equitable land access. We shared stories of rural innovation—from community solar initiatives to local food networks—and profiled leaders advancing land stewardship across Nova Scotia. But 2025 was more than storytelling; it was identifying where communities leak and committing to repair them together.
Building Infrastructure
By August, RCFNS finalized our 2025-2027 Strategy and Action Plan. We launched the Joan Feynman Climate Change and Dave Gunning Zero Hunger Funds to normalize locally managed food systems and strengthen food security. We participated in climate-focused, food-focused, and forestry-focused gatherings to establish partnership infrastructure, and deepened engagement with marginalized communities through in-person visits and relationship-building work. Our Executive Director completed a 6-week Mi'kmaq language course—a tangible commitment to reconciliation.
Strengthening Capacity
By fall, RCFNS secured partnerships focused on operational stability and financing models. We developed strategic partnerships with national and regional organizations, exploring pooled resources for integrated impact. We populated our Community Advisory Committee, ensuring those most affected by systemic inequities help shape solutions. Through multi-platform social media strategy and enhanced website content, we amplified rural voices authentically.
Where We Continue
2025 revealed the depths of the leaks: funding limitations, infrastructure inequities, and the deep work required for reconciliation. True repair demands slow, intentional work rooted in relationship-building and persistent advocacy—not temporary patches.
Rural Nova Scotia's strength lies in our capacity to imagine and build together. Thank you for being part of this journey to ensure the rising tide truly lifts all boats.
#RCFNS #RuralNovaScotia #YearInReview #SystemsChange #RisingTideLiftsAllBoats #ThankyouRuralNS
