About
Rock County First endeavors to support our local governments in remaining effective, transparent, and accountable to the citizens of Rock County, Wisconsin.
Our Mission
To empower the citizens of Rock County to preserve liberty through education and accountability
The mission of Rock County First (RCF) is to inspire local governments in the accountability of their citizens. RCF is evolving the process of how citizens become involved in local government. We inspire citizens to reach their full civic potential, we mobilize the power of volunteers, and value the generosity of donors who help us on this journey.
Our Vision
Protecting liberty and freedom in our local communities
The vision of this journey is not only to assist the citizens of Rock County in achieving their civic goals, but to inspire other communities across Wisconsin to similarly inspire their citizens.
Our History
Rock County First might be new, but we have grown rapidly over the past few years. Concerned citizens at times question the decisions and direction of their local community, and are looking for ways to elicit meaningful change.
RCF is a grassroots, non-profit and non-partisan platform which helps engaged citizens to elicit this change. RCF encourages and supports citizen involvement to assist in ensuring their local governments (e.g., County, City, Town, Village and School Boards) represent the desires of the local community.
Recent Accomplishments
Rock County First Education & Knowledge Sharing
- Hosted a three-part educational series led by expert speakers from the Wisconsin Institute of Law and Liberty, the Institute for Reforming (WI) Government and the Freedom Project on the current issues and challenges in the Wisconsin education system.
- Hosted an learning session on Wisconsin election integrity related matters
- Hosted a ‘Countering Mass Shooter Threats’ seminar – focused on schools and public locations
- Hosted officials from Rock County to discuss the new Rock County jail complex
- The Watchdog workgroup, through its citizen-led researchers and oversight teams, provided Rock County-centric information and trends on school district scorecard trends, election integrity, crime statistics and taxpayer-related matters, while providing citizen updates and alerts on key local matters.
Community Support
- In May, RCF donated school supplies to local Rock County schools in recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week.
- For Christmas, RCF donated food and Christmas presents to Rock County citizens and children in need.
- Creation of a new RCF Youth Development Fund which will award grants supporting educational programs in Foundational Civics.
Rock County First Political Fund
- Hosted multiple non-partisan local candidate forums for school board, county Sheriff and state assembly races.
- In the Spring 2022 election, RCF endorsed 30 non-partisan candidates for local office. Of the 30 endorsed, 21 candidates won, while 18 ran for office for the first time. An impressive 70% win rate!
Rock County First in 2 minutes
