The initiative for the Future of Rural Oklahoma was implemented as a pilot program in thirteen sites in Oklahoma to support rural communities that faced challenges on several fronts. The initiative emphasized engagement through local partnerships between a land-grant university and concerned community citizens. Additionally, the initiative provided programming to build community, for the first time at the university linking to content areas: leadership development and economic development. This article addresses the identification of the need for the program, as well as the development of the initiative and its various characteristics, including the leadership development component. Developing a leadership legacy will require some time; however, indicators suggest that the initiative has stimulated positive change and action.