This paper presents a Consensus Framework for Postsecondary Youth Impact in Rural Communities—a theoretical model developed for the University of Nebraska’s Rural Fellows program to help collaborative partners in co-creating and evaluating locally meaningful success indicators. Based on Collective Impact Theory (Kania & Kramer, 2011), Ripple Effects Mapping (Emery et al., 2015), and community-based participatory evaluation, the framework details strategies for aligning goals, monitoring progress, and adapting community-led initiatives over time. It provides practical guidance to improve best practices for postsecondary youth engagement programs with rural communities and supports community-identified efforts to strengthen community support in rural Nebraska.
