eXtension’s Impact Collaborative Summit Recap

ECOP Chair Ed Jones records thoughts
 on the evolution of eXtension (video found here).

The Impact Collaborative had its first national Summit last week with 32 teams representing 40 institutions alongside eXtension’s 40 Key Informants and 19 partner/supporting organizations. After developing their projects through the Impact Collaborative process, teams participated in the first ever PitchFest where they presented their projects and programs to a panel of leaders from Cooperative Extension, eXtension, and external partner/supporting organizations. Thirteen teams took home awards that provide strategic partnership and support for their projects and programs. You can find a list of awards and recipients here. eXtension will deliver evaluation results from the Impact Collaborative Summit on November 1st. In the meantime, you can hear what some of our participants had to say about the Summit here. Cooperative Extension/ECOP Executive Director Rick Klemme and ECOP Chair Ed Jones also share their thoughts on the evolution of eXtension to better serve Cooperative Extension, and their experience at the Impact Collaborative Summit here.


Save the Dates - ECOP Meeting Calendar - ECOP Chair Ed Jones is pleased to release the meeting calendar for 2019 (October 2018 - September 2019). To view/download the most recent edition go to www.extension.org/ecop where the calendar and more is available. ECOP Meetings are open. Agenda items are generated through contact with standing committees (Executive, Professional Development-formerly Personnel, Program, 4-H Leadership, Budget & Legislative), joint committees and task forces such as the National Impacts Database Committee and through contact with Liaisons, for example, eXtension Foundation, Board on Human Sciences (BoHS) and Council on Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET) with the support of the Extension Directors and Administrator (EDA) Team. Questions about ECOP materials and resources may be directed to Executive Director Rick Klemme rickklemme@extension.org or Assistant Director Sandy Ruble sandyruble@extension.org.


SNAP-Ed and EFNEP Core Competency Report RFP - With an awareness of the importance of continuing to build capacity and competencies in low-income nutrition education programs, and in anticipation of the possible changes due to the Farm Bill, the Land-grant University SNAP-Ed Program Development Team (PDT) and its National Land-grant University SNAP-Ed Office at South Dakota State University have posted a Request for Proposals (RFP; link is for direct download of a Word document and permission may be required) to create a “Core Competency Report” for Land-grant University SNAP-Ed and EFNEP Programs. SNAP-Ed and EFNEP state coordinators and program supervisors use core competencies in hiring, training, and performance management decisions. Competencies also contribute to systematic program effectiveness across the country, while allowing for state and local flexibility. The intent of this project is to conduct a thorough review of existing competencies and associated resources and to revise and update such so that programs remain current and relevant for the foreseeable future. Resources from the report will be used to enhance programmatic quality and improve professional results. Proposals are due no later than November 6, 2018. Extension Directors and Administrators  with oversight of EFNEP and/or SNAP-Ed Programs who do not have no members on the proposal selection committee are eligible and encouraged to apply. Direct questions about eligibility to Sandra Jensen at sandra.jensen@sdstate.edu and other concerns to Vicki Soren at SDSU at 605-688-4989. This project is affirmed by ECOP and the Board on Human Sciences, sponsored by the PDT, and is to be funded through the SNAP-Ed assessment.


National Digital Extension Education Team Provides Input on USDA National Initiative - The USDA Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Task Force Report, released in October 2017, lists advancing e-Connectivity to unserved/underserved communities as a top priority. In response, USDA Rural Utilities Service plans to invest $600 million to support the priority, released July 2018. The National Digital Education Extension Team provided input on this new opportunity during the comment period, with leadership from Monica Babine (Washington State), Brian Whitacre (Oklahoma State), Roberto Gallardo (Purdue), Neal Vines (Virginia Tech) and Keith Taylor (University of California), and the Southern Rural Development Center. Main points were (1) expanded definitions of minimum access speed to provide more equitable standards; (2) an appeal for improved data sources; and (3) showcase of ways Extension Service can assist communities through convening, facilitation, research, and education. The point of contact for the Team is Rachel Welborn rachel.welborn@msstate.edu.


SNAP-Ed PDT Represented at National SNAP Conference - To help raise awareness of Land-grant SNAP-Ed programs Lauren Tobey, Oregon State University, representing the Program Development Team (PDT), attended the 2018 annual conference of the American Association of SNAP Directors and the National Association of State TANF Administrators, held in Reno, Nevada in August. Lauren exhibited the PDT resources to an audience from 41 states, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands, as well as to USDA regional and national employees. Prior to the conference, Lauren collected impact reports from around the System to provide a sampling of program tools to showcase at the event. Highlights included:

• University-backed research and subject matter expertise
• Deep connections throughout states with residents and partner organizations that can leverage/expand SNAP-Ed funds 
• The power of Land-grants to connect between states and across the country to spread resources even further

As an example, FoodHero, the social marketing campaign that Lauren coordinates in Oregon is included in the SNAP-Ed toolkit and currently used in at least 42 states. For more information on what was present contact Lauren at lauren.tobey@oregonstate.edu.

TOMORROW Youth-Adult Partnerships Webinar

As part of the Well-Connected Communities initiative, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Youth-Adult Partnerships: Cultivating agency in youth and adults is about youth as key players in leading community change in collaboration. With adults, together they can achieve greater results. Learn how the power of positive youth-adult partnerships facilitate innovative ideas and synergy between teens and adults to create community health improvement.
    Date: Tomorrow, October 23, 2018 
    Time: 2:30 – 3:30 PM EST 
    Register here: https://extension.zoom.us/j/143393296 
Continue the conversation! Join a facilitated discussion from 3:30 – 4:00 PM EST immediately following the webinar (A different Zoom link will be shared at the end of the webinar). This is an opportunity to do a deeper dive on the topic of Youth-Adult Partnerships.


eXtension releases two eFieldbooks for Impact Collaborative Summit - An eFieldbook is a “go-to” interactive, multi-dimension communication resource for Extension professionals and project/program teams to begin discussion, help establish processes, and assist with the delivery of new programs. eFieldbooks open new ways to engage with information on critical topic areas. Extension professionals can take the eFieldbook in the field with them on their iOS compatible devices, upload and share information with others, and help pull the best resources together into one place from across the nation. Summit participants have access to web versions of two of our eFieldbooks (see below) and may volunteer to help test this beta versions on iPads before the full release in a few weeks.

• Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, curated by Shatomi Edward-Luster, University of Missouri, Impact Collaborative Fellow
• Opioid Response, curated by the ECOP Opioid Task Force led by Mark Skidmore, Michigan State University 

Coming Together for Racial Understanding Training - On August 27-31, 2018, teams of three from 20 states participated in the first cohort of Coming Together for Racial Understanding. The training is designed to build capacity within Cooperative Extension Service (CES) to help communities engage in civil dialogues around racial issues. Following the train-the-trainer workshop, the process for expanding capacity is two-fold:

• Conduct training within the CES system in the participating states, bringing together participants across the CES system in a state where applicable (1862, 1890, 1994)
• Facilitate one of two dialogue processes in at least one community 

The 20 pilot teams will be working collaboratively to measure impacts from this initiative under the leadership of the Southern Rural Development Center. Read more: http://srdc.msstate.edu/civildialogue/index.html

Join NUEL for Their Bi-Annual Meeting in Raleigh, NC on

December 3-5 - With changing demographics and a shift towards urbanization, the National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) has fostered regional and national collaboration in shared resources to grow Extension’s impact in urban communities. At the recent NEDA meeting in Portland, NUEL presented the ‘Urban Extension Implementation Plan’ to Directors and Administrators. As follow-up, NUEL is hosting their bi-annual meeting at the Sheraton Hotel in Raleigh, North Carolina, December 3-5 to advance their collaborative priorities with colleagues from across the country. Directors and Administrators are invited to the December meeting to explore NUEL’s regional caucuses and action team initiatives. Click image to view meeting schedule. Register here.

Save the Date for 2019 Joint ESS/CES-NEDA Meeting - September 23-26, 2019

ECOP thanks members of the Cooperative Extension Section, USDA-NIFA, eXtension Foundation, National 4-H Council, Joint Council of Extension Professionals, and National Urban Extension Leaders for participating in the 2018 NEDA conference. Participants are invited to complete an anonymous survey by Monday, October 22. There are several exciting and useful additions to the archive from this meeting found at www.bit.ly/CESpioneer.

• A large photo library
• The approved 2019 CES/ECOP Budget 
• Extension Program Evaluation References 
• Evaluating Engagement NEDA Participant Input 
• PowerPoint presentations are listed in the order they occurred during the meeting   

Please reserve September 23-26, 2019 on your calendar for the Joint ESS/CES-NEDA Meeting in Indianapolis [changed to Nashville]. ~Thank you.

APLU Annual Meeting Update - Directors and Administrators who plan to attend the APLU Annual meeting at the New Orleans Marriott, November 11-13 may still register at the higher rate. There are a number of interesting opportunities for engagement during the conference on behalf of Extension and to learn more about the Board on Agriculture Assembly and its work throughout the country. CLICK HERE to view and download the latest "Cooperative Extension Section" version of the schedule including awards program, November 10-11 and two collaborative Sessions at 1:45 p.m. on both November 11 and 12. 


USDA-NIFA Listening Sessions - The Extension Director and Administrator (EDA) team and ECOP Executive Committee have developed talking points, highlighted below, for written and verbal testimony for the 2018 USDA-NIFA Listening Sessions (4). CLICK HERE to view/download complete set.

1. NIFA is a valued partner 
2. Extension’s strategic priorities reflect the broad-based issues facing rural and urban America
   
   • Nutrition/health/wellness
   • 4-H positive youth development
   • Water quality and use
   • Food production and food security
   • Community and economic development 
3. Capacity funds are vitally important to leverage state and local investments in supporting the locally-based, national network.

Thanks Cooperative Extension - A USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) press release to thank producers for their participation in the 2017 Census of Agriculture and a Partner Thank You Toolkit is now available to use in State and Local programming. The press release includes the 71.5 percent national Census response rate; information about the Census being conducted this winter in Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories; details about Census data release starting on February 21, 2019; an announcement about the upcoming Census Special Studies in Irrigation and Aquaculture being conducted this winter; and the debut of the newly merged NASS/Ag Census website at www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus. In addition to the press release, NASS also sent a stakeholder update that thanked all who helped promote Census response over the last year. NASS is grateful for the Cooperative Extension partnership!

NEDA Resources Now Available

Last week, Directors and Administrators of the Cooperative Extension Section met in Portland, Oregon to conduct business, contribute to national dialogue, and expand knowledge in their leadership roles at National, State and Local levels.
Archives of the Meeting may be found at http://bit.ly/CESpioneer

Gary Palmer, University of Kentucky, Mark Latimore, Jr., Fort Valley State University, and Ken La Valley, University of New Hampshire, engage in national dialogue on October 2, 2018. 

Top to bottom, L-R, October 2, 2018: Chuck Hibberd passes gavel to Ed Jones, incoming ECOP Chair. Ed Jones congratulates Chuck Hibberd, outgoing ECOP Chair. Recognitions included a clock presented to Fred Schlutt for service to ECOP 2013-2018. Chuck Hibberd thanks Fred Schlutt and Jo Britt-Rankin, for uncommon leadership for SNAP-Ed Initiative. Chuck Hibberd thanks Casey Mull, JCEP, for leadership engagement with ECOP. Chuck Hibberd expresses appreciation to Rachel Welborn, SRDC, for championing "Coming Together for Racial Understanding". Chuck Hibberd thanks Jennifer Sirangelo for proactive leadership on 4-H name and emblem and growth campaign. Chuck Hibberd thanks Patrick Proden, NUEL, for championing of Urban Extension. 

Candid photos of participants at NEDA during the reception of tastings by the Food Innovation Center and celebration dinner. 

Invitation to Present at the 2019 National Extension Conference on Volunteerism - Directors and Administrators are invited to share the request for proposals for the semi-annual National Extension Conference on Volunteerism (NECV); due October 31, 2018. Information can be found at http://necv.msuextension.org/rfa/index.html. NECV is designed for all Cooperative Extension professionals who manage volunteers as a part of their programs and will be held May 14-16, 2019 in Billings, MT. Those who are interested in developing a proposal may benefit from the 2017 NECV, see https://projects.ncsu.edu/mckimmon/cpe/opd/necv/pdf/presentationSummary.pdf.

National Urban Extension Conference Call for Proposals Announced - Washington State University and the National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) are pleased to jointly announce a call for proposals for the National Urban Extension Conference on “Innovation in the City: A Land Grant University Experience,” which will be held in Seattle, Washington, May 20-23, 2019. The 2019 NUEC will focus on four core elements of building successful urban projects and programs: core competencies, subject matter expertise, personal experiences, and innovation. Proposals for presentations, workshops, posters, and panels for the 2019 Conference are encouraged with particular emphasis on abstracts that highlight research and/or outreach activities that involve partnerships between researchers, practitioners and Extension professionals. See https://sites.google.com/view/nuec2019/Proposals for details and act by November 21, 2018.

Rural Stress Conference December 10-12 - Directors and Administrators are invited to join representatives from across rural America to have a conversation, explore best practices, and learn from industry and academic experts. Speakers include Anne Hazlett, Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development, USDA. To learn more go to ruralstress.uga.edu.

NEDA Begins Today

The 2018 NEDA and Cooperative Extension Section (CES) Business Meeting begins today in Portland Oregon! To date there are 96 individuals from 50 States/US Territories/District of Columbia, with 60 of the 76 Section Member institutions gathering in Portland. To kick off the event participants are asked to:

• Review the sessions and links to materials listed in the online Program before arriving. 
• Voting members of the CES are asked to review the suggested changes to the Rules of Operation, the proposed 2019 CES Budget, and Calendar. 
• Begin reading background materials at www.bit.ly/CESpioneer. (List will be updated throughout the meeting.) 

Former ECOP Member Tim Cross,
University of Tennessee.

Tim Cross is the 2018 ESP Ruby Award Winner - Epsilon Sigma Phi’s most prestigious level of recognition, the Distinguished Service Ruby award, is designed to recognize outstanding leadership, innovative thinking and sustained exceptional performance across a lifetime of career service in Extension. Former ECOP Member Tim Cross, Chancellor-University of Tennessee, Institute of Agriculture, will accept the 2018 Epsilon Sigma Phi Distinguished Service Ruby award on Tuesday, October 2nd. To experience his presentation, "To Every Extension Program There is a Session," at 12:15 p.m. Central Time, register for this event at https://epsilonsigmaphi.wildapricot.org/event-3072323/Registration and a link will be provided.

Extension Community Nutrition Education Visioning Web Retreat - The SNAP-Ed Program Development Team (PDT) has developed a framework to help prepare us as a Land Grant System to meet the challenges and opportunity for our collective work in limited resource nutrition education. This on-line, 2-hour retreat is intended to facilitate discussion to strengthen nutrition programming through shared expertise, state agency relationships, financial accountability and collective evaluation. SNAP-Ed and EFNEP leaders are invited to this event that will occur on October 26, 2018, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET. Directors and Administrators are asked to encourage participation and registration by October 19, 2018 through this link Extension Community Nutrition Education Visioning Web Retreat Registration. A link and passcode will be received by email after registration. After an initial overview of PDT committee chairs, participants will be randomly assigned into discussion rooms with 10-12 people and a facilitator.

Caroline Crocoll, USDA-NIFA

Caroline Crocoll Receives Board on Human Sciences 2018 Ellen Swallow Richards Public Service Award - Caroline E. Crocoll, Director of the Division of Family and Consumer Sciences at the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), who currently represents NIFA on the ECOP 4-H Leadership Committee, is the winner of the Ellen Swallow Richards Public Service Award. The Board on Human Sciences award honors a nationally-recognized leader who has a significant history of promoting and advancing the human sciences. As Director of the Division of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) at NIFA for the past eight years, Crocoll has demonstrated a dedication to creating and facilitating a national agenda for human and community sciences research, education and Extension programs to promote the well-being of families and rural communities. She has served the Extension community at the county, state and federal level in FCS and 4-H since 1993. She is currently the Chair of the Alliance for Family & Consumer Sciences, past Foreign Agricultural Service and State Department Embassy Science Fellow, Corporation for National and Community Service National Service Fellow, and is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute focusing on Leadership in a Democratic Society.


Agricultural Resource Management Survey Participation Opportunity - National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) requests cooperation in alerting growers to an upcoming survey opportunity. In the next few weeks, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) representatives may contact corn, soybean and/or peanut growers to participate in the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). ARMS is the only USDA survey that assesses farm production practices and resource use, and the economic well-being of America’s farm businesses and households. This is an opportunity to have a voice heard! If a grower is contacted, encourage them to provide input on their nutrient and fertilizer use, tillage practices, and pest management practices, as well as production costs for soybean farmers. Thank you for your cooperation in encouraging grower participation! To learn more about this survey opportunity, visit: www.nass.usda.gov/go/arms. To learn more about this survey and its benefits, go to: https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2018/08/30/nass-economic-data-help-farmers-and-those-who-support-and-serve-them