About the Program
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). Whether you’re a yes, a no, or a maybe – and whether the data center coming to your community is a good neighbor or not – this year’s Roadshow agenda is designed to equip you with the information, tools, and networks that you need to build better futures.
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
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| 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
WorkshopsAffordability
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.
Agenda At a Glance
Groundswell's 2026 Rural Renaissance Roadshow is heading to Decatur, Alabama this fall 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. An overview of our agenda is below.
Registration Check-In Opens
Short remarks from local leaders and opening prayer before our 2026 Rural Power Awards Ceremony & Panel.
Join us for Dinner.
Opening Prayer, Regional Welcome