The St. Joe River, St. Maries, Idaho

The Panhandle Lakes RC&D Council, Inc. is an organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life for the residents of north Idaho by maintaining and improving the economic, social and environmental conditions within the region. The RC&D Program helps local people obtain and coordinate technical and financial assistance as needed from the private sector, corporations, foundations and all levels of government. The goals of the Panhandle RC&D include:

• Maintaining and improving the quality of the area's water resources, including lakes, streams and aquifers
• Promoting planned development a recreation and tourism that will add economic diversity while being sensitive to local customs and social and cultural resources
• Encouraging proper management and protection of the natural resource base, including community resources such as urban forests
• Facilitating solutions to urban and rural growth issues and their impact on natural resources and the economy
• Improving infrastructure and basic services in rural areas
• Developing a diverse and environmentally sustainable local economy

As a MIRA CSO, the Council planned to improve organizational efficiency and capacity to communicate with communities, sponsoring organizations and cooperating partners using modern technology. The Council upgraded its computer equipment, connected to the internet and developed a webpage. They put into place the equipment necessary to make newsletter and brochure development possible. The technology and training made available through the MIRA project allowed the Council to gain more efficient access to and sharing of information for the Council and its sponsoring organizations and partners. The new technology available to the Council has also been useful in grant applications, including a grant for a park project in Priest River and the development of a bike path in Sandpoint.