THe B.I.G 

Initiative

Help Us launch a bold new chapter at Boggs Rural Life Center—where legacy is honored and the future is built B.I.G

Aerial view of a park with pathways, trees, a basketball court, and multiple buildings.

Build. Invest. Grow

The B.I.G. Initiative is more than restoration—it's a revival. As we celebrate 120 years, we're launching a campaign to transform the Boggs campus into a center for rural innovation, heritage and sustainable development. From rebuilding classrooms to reactivating farmland, our vision is BIG because our legacy demands it.

initiative Priorities

    • Secure ownership and title of the John I. Blackburn Chapel/Manse and title of core campus acreage through Covenant Revision.

    • Evaluate, renovate and/or demolish campus buildings and structures.

      • Cottage Rentals

      • Phelps Hall

      • Student Center

      • President’s House

      • Pool (to be inspected)

      • Tennis courts (demolition)

      • Dining Hall (to be inspected)

      • Classroom Wing (to be reimagined)

      • Gymnasium (to be inspected)

    • Repair and install robust irrigation and sewer systems to ground infrastructure.

      • Install new 6-8 septic systems.

    • Youth Agriculture & Workforce Program and Partnerships

    • Provide housing opportunities through cottages rentals, Georgia Supportive Housing Institute, and land lease program for aspiring farmers.

    • Community Farming & Land Stewardship Training and further develop Farmers Market structure.

    • Establish Rural Business Opportunities and establish community culture standards.

    • Build a trail system and eco-tourism plan to amplify our story.

    • Upgrade technology infrastructure and ADA compliance.

“Go to the People

Live among them.

Learn from them.

Plan with them.

Work with them.

Build on what they have.

Teach by showing .

Learn by doing,

Not a showcase but a pattern,

Not odds and ends but a system

Not relief but release.”

—Credo, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction, Silang Philippines

An outdoor swimming pool filled with stagnant, green water, surrounded by a chain-link fence, with a green metal roof building behind it, under a blue sky with scattered clouds and tall trees in the background.
A backyard with a large swimming pool in front of a brick house with a green metal roof, surrounded by trees and shrubs.
A red brick building with a curved roof, surrounded by green trees and grass, under a blue sky with clouds, and a cracked paved driveway leading to the entrance.
A brick building with large windows and a white curved roof, surrounded by grass and trees, under a clear blue sky.
Old brick building with a set of steps leading to a glass door entrance, surrounded by a cloudy sky and some trees.
A brick building with a set of stairs leading to a front door, multiple windows, and a small landscaped area in front.

Why give?

In 1906, on sacred soil in Keysville, Georgia, a transformative vision was born: Boggs Academy, a school founded to educate and empower Black students during segregation. It became a national symbol of excellence in education, character, and community.

Today, the Boggs Rural Life Center is carrying that legacy forward through the B.I.G. Initiative:

  • Build the campus and restore critical infrastructure.

  • Invest in rural education, youth leadership, and entrepreneurship.

  • Grow land-based programs in agriculture, sustainability, and innovation.

With your help, we're launching the first phase of this revival—reclaiming the land, restoring its purpose, and planting a new generation of promise.

Aerial view of a school campus with multiple sports fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, and various buildings surrounded by trees.

Give Now

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal”
— Peter Heller
3% Cover the Fee

Funds donated here support out capital campaign and campus capital projects.

As we approach our 120th Anniversary of Boggs Academy, we’re launching “The 120 Campaign: A B.I.G. Vision for Boggs.”
It’s time to Build. Invest. Grow. A new season is here—one that will reclaim land, restore legacy, and reignite innovation.