At the Data Center
Crossroads:
Land, Energy, Water, and The Future of Rural Power
2026 Rural Renaissance Roadshow
November 4 – 6, 2026 | Decatur, Alabama
At the Data Center
Crossroads:
Land, Energy, Water, and The Future of Rural Power
2026 Rural Renaissance Roadshow
November 4 – 6, 2026 | Decatur, Alabama
At the Data Center
Crossroads:
Land, Energy, Water, and The Future of Rural Power
2026 Rural Renaissance Roadshow
November 4 – 6, 2026 | Decatur, Alabama
At the Data Center
Crossroads:
Land, Energy, Water, and The Future of Rural Power
2026 Rural Renaissance Roadshow
November 4 – 6, 2026 | Decatur, Alabama
About the Roadshow
Groundswell's annual Rural Renaissance Roadshow convenes, connects, and equips diverse rural leaders to act on their agency and natural rights to shape and drive the future of rural communities. This November, 300 local, energy, policy, and technology leaders are coming together at the Roadshow in Decatur, Alabama, to address the impacts of AI data center development in rural communities and decide if – and if so, how - data centers can contribute to a Rural Renaissance. We will explore this through 2 days of deep dive workshops and breakout sessions, informative site visits to infrastructure projects, and keynote panels highlighting policy and strategy recommendations.
PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
KEYNOTES
THE DATA CENTER NEXT DOOR? MAPPING LAND, WATER, AND ENERGY
by Sherry Stout, National Laboratory of the Rockies
THE FUTURE IS PUBLIC POWER
by Grayson Flood, Groundwork Collaborative
POWER, PLACE, AND PROSPERITY: DATA CENTERS DONE RIGHT
by Sarah E. Hunt, Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy &
Amelia Powers Gardner, Utah County Commissioner & LAMP
Additional keynotes to be announced soon!
BREAKOUT SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS
 |
 |
 |
 |
Workshops | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability | Defining the Energy & Affordability Crisis | Under Pressure: Water Use and Reuse in Data Centers | Working Lands: Rural Land Use and the Future of Agriculture (AR & DC) | Turning Community Insight into Rural Resilience | The Cost of Power: Utility and Data Center Perspectives on Rising Energy Bills |
| Infrastructure | Distributed Energy as a Ministry of Resilience: Faith Leaders in Conversation | The Big Picture: Planning Strategies for Sustainable Water Infrastructure | Local Control: Practical Tools & Model Policies | Cultural Preservation as a Resource for Resilience: The Gullah Geechee Case | Deploying New Technologies for Affordable Growth: VPPs, Energy Storage, and Distributed Solar |
| Local Control | Partnering with Local Utilities to Accelerate Resilience | From Preparedness to Recovery: Planning for Rural Flood Resilience | Rural Organizing Strategies for Self-Determination in Data Center Development | Community Benefits that Matter: Designing Agreements for Long-term Value | The Permit Matrix: How Communities Can Use the Approval Process to Make Data Centers Work for Them |
| Conservation & Stewardship | Growing Food and Clean Power: How Farm-Friendly Solar Helps Farmers, Neighbors, and Energy Systems | Water Is Life: Indigenous Perspectives on Water Stewardship, AI Infrastructure, and the Future of Rural Communities | Ending Land Loss: Strategies for Restoring Heirs Property Rights | Dignity and Work: Building Opportunity in the Age of AI | From the Ground Up: Energy Planning Tools for Rural Communities |
EnergyAffordability
Defining the Energy & Affordability Crisis
Infrastructure
Distributed Energy as a Ministry of Resilience: Faith Leaders in Conversation
Local Control
Partnering with Local Utilities to Accelerate Resilience
Conservation & Stewardship
Growing Food and Clean Power: How Farm-Friendly Solar Helps Farmers, Neighbors, and Energy Systems
WaterAffordability
Under Pressure: Water Use and Reuse in Data Centers
Infrastructure
The Big Picture: Planning Strategies for Sustainable Water Infrastructure
Local Control
From Preparedness to Recovery: Planning for Rural Flood Resilience
Conservation & Stewardship
Water Is Life: Indigenous Perspectives on Water Stewardship, AI Infrastructure, and the Future of Rural Communities
LandAffordability
Working Lands: Rural Land Use and the Future of Agriculture (AR & DC)
Infrastructure
Local Control: Practical Tools & Model Policies
Local Control
Rural Organizing Strategies for Self-Determination in Data Center Development
Conservation & Stewardship
Ending Land Loss: Strategies for Restoring Heirs Property Rights
Economic DevelopmentAffordability
Turning Community Insight into Rural Resilience
Infrastructure
Cultural Preservation as a Resource for Resilience: The Gullah Geechee Case
Local Control
Community Benefits that Matter: Designing Agreements for Long-term Value
Conservation & Stewardship
Dignity and Work: Building Opportunity in the Age of AI
Affordability
The Cost of Power: Utility and Data Center Perspectives on Rising Energy Bills
Infrastructure
Deploying New Technologies for Affordable Growth: VPPs, Energy Storage, and Distributed Solar
Local Control
The Permit Matrix: How Communities Can Use the Approval Process to Make Data Centers Work for Them
Conservation & Stewardship
From the Ground Up: Energy Planning Tools for Rural Communities
OPTIONAL TOURS
Stay tuned to register for site visits to see real energy infrastructure and rural resilience projects in northern Alabama.
2026 SPEAKERS
Sherry Stout
Laboratory Program Manager, State, Local, and Tribal Activities, National Lab of the Rockies
Venue & Hotel Block
Decatur, Alabama
Cook Museum of Natural Science
Located in downtown Decatur, Alabama, this year’s Rural Renaissance Roadshow will be held at the Cook Museum of Natural Science. With a motto that “life is amazing,” the Cook Museum was founded by John Cook, Sr. who, in 1968, first shared his professional insect collection with the public. Today, the museum is a state-of-the-art institution with an abundance of immersive experiences that teach people to understand and love our amazing world. Just a few steps away you’ll find great places to shop, eat, and enjoy the local beauty.
Official Conference Hotel
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Decatur Riverfront
Book your stay at the DoubleTree using the link below for the Roadshow discount! You are also more than welcome to call the hotel directly at (256) 355-3150 and ask to book under the “Rural Renaissance Roadshow.”
Nestled against the Tennessee River and well-known for its breakfast buffet, this hotel is just a 5-minute drive to our primary venue, The Cook Museum of Natural Science. Book by October 9 to get our guaranteed rate at just $130/night.
Become a Sponsor
Groundswell’s core values include respect, integrity, excellence, taking care of each other, driving transformative change, and serving people and communities with joy. We believe that service is a privilege, not a chore, and our team works with and for people in the communities we serve to create resilient systems and transformative change.
LATEST NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS
National Voices. Community-Focused Conversations.
The 2026 Rural Renaissance Roadshow program is set—with a full day of timely conversations exploring the future of land, energy, water, and economic development at the intersection of rapid data center expansion.
Groundswell Announces National Keynote Speakers for the 2026 Rural Renaissance Roadshow
WASHINGTON, D.C. — July 30, 2026 — Groundswell today announced the national keynote speakers for the 2026 Rural Renaissance Roadshow, taking place November 4–6, 2026, at the Cook Museum of Natural Science in Decatur, Alabama.
Energy. Affordability. Water. Rate Freezes. Community Benefits. Local Sovereignty.
AI data centers have rapidly emerged as a kitchen table issue, especially in the small towns and rural counties where they’re being built. As local, regional, and national leaders, we all have a shared responsibility to shape this future (before it shapes us).
Registration Open for the 2026 Rural Renaissance Roadshow
WASHINGTON, D.C. — July 16, 2026 — As artificial intelligence accelerates demand for new data centers and supporting infrastructure across the United States, rural communities, small towns, and Sovereign Tribal Nations are increasingly at the center of conversations about energy, water, land use, affordability, and economic opportunity.
Call for Presenters: At the Data Center Crossroads
Today, I’m writing to invite you to submit your ideas and recommendations for presenters and sessions for this year’s Rural Renaissance Roadshow. Local control requires local leadership, and it’s a critical time for us to work together as neighbors and colleagues to pick our paths well at the data center crossroads.
Decatur, Alabama – “The River City” – to Host the 2026 Rural Renaissance Roadshow: At the Data Center Crossroads
Last time I wrote to you all, I shared that this year’s Roadshow topic is “At the Data Center Crossroads.” AI data centers have become a kitchen table issue – especially in the small towns and rural counties where data center developers are locking up hundreds of acres of potential data center sites.
At the Data Center Crossroads
AI data centers have become a kitchen table issue, especially in the small towns and rural counties where data center developers are locking up hundreds of acres of potential data center sites.
Opening Celebration of Local Leadership, Rural Power, and Tribal Sovereignty
Two weeks ago, Groundswell hosted our third annual Rural Renaissance Roadshow in Auburn and Opelika, Alabama. Themed “Resilience by Design," The Roadshow brought together 200+ people involved in resilience projects across East Alabama, West Georgia, the greater Southeast, and communities nationwide.
Rural Renaissance Roadshow 2025: Building Resilience and Getting Good Stuff Done Together
The countdown is on! In just 18 days, rural leaders, innovators, and community champions will gather in Opelika, Alabama for the Rural Renaissance Roadshow (Nov. 10–12, 2025) – and we want YOU to be a part of it!
Invitation from the CEO: A Call to Unity
It’s a tough time to talk about unity, but that word has been on my heart since the beginning of this year. We all know “a house divided cannot stand,” but how can we begin to put the pieces back together again?
Countdown to the Roadshow!
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