Monday, August 31, 2020

2020 NEDA Meeting Begins in 3 Weeks

The ECOP Monday Minute will be on hiatus on September 7 and will return on September 14. Have a safe and pleasant Labor Day Weekend.


Almost a third of the Cooperative Extension Section have already registered for the 2020 National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting coming up September 23 and 24, 2020. With the timely theme: Leadership in a Time of Social, Economic and Political Disruption, this unique virtual meeting will provide Extension Directors and Administrators opportunities to engage in peer-based sharing and learning; learn to better explore and face the discomfort of the times; learn to create productive environments around uncomfortable issues; contribute to ECOP actionable items; and establish future themes, opportunities and best practices for reference by Directors and Administrators. For complete details and links to register go to neda.extension.org. Please register by close of business on September 17, 2020.




Disaster Network Annual Meeting Registration
 - Once a year, the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) delegates assemble at the EDEN Annual Meeting to share best practices, develop research, showcase projects that have been completed throughout the year, and enhance skill sets through professional development opportunities. EDEN's Annual Meeting takes place virtually September 22-25, 2020. This meeting is an opportunity for these delegates to capitalize on collaboration by providing a forum where important issues and big ideas are discussed. Breakout sessions, panel discussions, and keynote speakers will provide a glimpse into disaster programming throughout Extension. Learn more here



Military Family Readiness Academy Launches 2020 Series in September - A global pandemic, extreme weather events like hurricanes, derechos, wildfires, and heavy rains have affected people around the world. The Military Families Learning Network is pleased to introduce its Military Family Readiness Academy (MFRA), a learning opportunity that takes a multidisciplinary approach to a complex issue faced by military family service providers in their work. This free professional development is designed for military family service providers working in any field, with any organization. The 2020 Academy series includes three 90-minute sessions: September 16, October 28, and November 18, focusing on the added stressors and challenges when disasters and emergencies strike military families. Sessions will provide an overview of disaster and emergency readiness relevant to military family service providers, including Cooperative Extension, working in any field. For more information and to subscribe to the MFRA mailing list go to Military Family Readiness Academy.



Inventory of Climate Change Extension Programs - eXtension's Climate Fellows are creating a database of Extension programs relating to climate and extreme weather adaptation and mitigation. By cross-referencing eXtension’s work with the Drawdown Review’s climate solutions, we hope to find Cooperative Extension Service’s strengths when addressing climate and extreme weather issues, and where Extension may have room for improvement. As of this writing 37% of all 1862 and 1890 Extension Institutions located in 26 States, from 4 of the 5 Regions have contributed valuable data. Please add your institution's exemplary Extension programs that focus on adapting to a changing climate, mitigating the impact of extreme weather, expanding carbon sinks or reducing greenhouse gas emissions today! Learn more here.



eXtension Selects 8 Projects for Acceleration for 2020-2021 - As part of eXtension’s New Technologies for Agricultural Extension (NTAE) Cooperative Agreement with USDA-NIFA, eXtension selected 8 projects from 33 competitive nominations across the system for year two to participate in its project accelerator program. Projects will receive wrap-around services from eXtension to support and amplify the project outcomes. Nominations were reviewed for alignment to the USDA Strategic Goals by the eXtension Catalyst Team listed here. Selected projects represent Virginia Tech, Southern University, North Carolina State University, Oregon State University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Delaware, and the University of Connecticut. Learn more about this accelerator program, wrap-around services, and the selected projects here.

Monday, August 24, 2020

2020 NEDA Registration

The 2020 National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting will take place September 23 and 24, 2020. This unique virtual meeting in two parts will provide Extension Directors and Administrators from across the nation with opportunities for in-depth, peer-to-peer dialogue about Leadership in a Time of Social, Economic and Political Disruption and fully participate in the annual Cooperative Extension Section Business Meeting. For complete details and links to register go to neda.extension.org. Please register by close of business on September 17, 2020



130th Anniversary Celebration of 1890s Universities - Join higher education and civic leaders on August 31, 2020, 1-3:00 PM ET for a webinar celebrating the 130th Anniversary of the Morrill Act of 1890, which designated 19 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with land-grant status. This legislation gave states funds to establish state universities for persons of color if higher education wasn't already open to all in the state. The celebration will kick off the week of August 24th and conclude with this celebratory webinar. The webinar will be a chance to participate in a discussion of the legacy and future importance of the 1890s, led by 1890s leaders, policymakers, and others. Register here.



Calendar Update: Learning for Leaders - The ECOP Learning for Leaders series explores new and emerging system ideas and learning opportunities for Extension Directors and Administrators. The ECOP Chair and incoming Chair are considering new topics for the coming year. Please note that the Learning for Leaders event scheduled for September 4, 2020, 3-4:00 p.m. ET, is postponed. You may remove this item from your calendar. Stay tuned for relevant and interesting topics over the coming year.



Collecting Broadband Data to Drive Visibility & Funding for Cooperative Extension - On August 13th, the ECOP Executive Committee voted to participate in the American Connection Project Broadband Coalition, led by Land O’ Lakes, alongside more than 50 other businesses and organizations to advocate for robust federal investment in broadband internet connectivity. Aligned with this work, there’s an opportunity to increase visibility and funding for Cooperative Extension’s on-going response, in the face of COVID, to provide greater broadband access to youth and families through hot-spot lending programs and ‘turning-on’ Extension office Wi-Fi for public access in-office or from parking lots. To collect important data and help map locations to Wi-Fi public access and hot-spot lending locations, you or a staff member are encouraged to complete a short 5-minute survey by September 2nd https://msudafvm.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5upDYtwD6btcWB7 . If you have questions, please contact Heather Elliott (helliott@fourhcouncil.edu) and Rachel Welborn (Rachel.welborn@msstate.edu).



eXtension Fellowships Opportunity - A search has been initiated to fill two open eXtension fellowships focused on health and well-being. The work of the fellows will broadly focus on building the capacity of the Cooperative Extension System to ensure that all people have an equal opportunity to experience optimal health and well-being across the lifespan. The successful applicant will remain in their current position but devote roughly one day per week to system-wide work related to health and well-being as specified in a fixed-term contract of one year. Applicants should submit a letter of interest to Brenna Kotar by August 28, 2020. Questions regarding the fellowships can be directed to Roger Rennekamp at rogerrennekamp@extension.org. For more information visit https://impact.extension.org/2020/08/two-health-fellowship-positions-now-open-deadline-august-28-2020/

Monday, August 17, 2020

Appreciation, Upcoming Events and Important Information

E
COP Chair Mark Latimore, Fort Valley State University, pictured left, is grateful to all members of ECOP for their national leadership during the Joint COPs Meetings in July. Because of the commitment of time to that event and the necessity for ECOP Member's participation in Cooperative Extension Section meetings 5 weeks from now, the decision has been made to cancel the August 27th ECOP Meeting. Note that Mark Latimore’s last meeting as ECOP Chair will take place on September 22nd and his term culminating with the passing of the gavel to Chris Watkins, Cornell University, on September 24th. Registration for the virtual National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting, Leading in a Time of Social, Economic and Political Disruption, will be released this week!


Healthy People 2030 Launch Webcast - On August 18, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will unveil the latest edition of Healthy People. Healthy People 2030 is a set of science-based, 10-year national objectives for improving health and well-being in the United States. During the webcast, participants will learn the new 2030 goals and objectives and an overview of the development process. Guest speakers from HHS will discuss Healthy People 2030 data, social determinants of health, health equity, and more. No registration is necessary. Just visit hhs.gov/live on August 18, 2020, at 1 PM EDT.



Leadership in the City Course for Urban Extension Professionals - The Leadership in the City online comprehensive professional development program prepares Extension professionals working in urban areas to be relevant locally, responsive statewide, and recognized nationally. The program is based on a foundation of entrepreneurial theory and urban Extension practice and will build upon existing leadership experiences, management training, and Extension professional development. The five content modules span five months so participants can balance work and life. Each competency-based module incorporates interactive digital delivery and the flipped classroom for active learning and engagement. The course is led by Dr. Julie Fox from the Ohio State University Extension. Complete details and registration can be found at https://cityextension.osu.edu/leadership. The deadline for registration is November 30, 2020. For more information contact Michelle Gaston at gaston.6@osu.edu.



COVID-19 Resource for Restaurant Owners and Operators - Although COVID-19 continues to spread, businesses are beginning to re-open to the public. As they do, it is essential that they do so in a safe, thoughtful, and science-supported manner. In North Carolina, the NC Restaurant and Lodging Association, NC DHHS, Visit NC, and NC State Extension have collaborated to create Count on Me NC. This public health initiative provides retail food establishments, businesses, and their visitors/guests with training and guidance needed to keep individuals safe during this pandemic. The free comprehensive training includes courses for restaurant owners and operators; front house staff; and back house staff. Additionally, there are two generic courses for all businesses that address cleaning and disinfecting, and general best practices for COVID-19 management. All five courses are available in English and Spanish and may be used throughout the Cooperative Extension System. For more information, contact Ben Chapman



Urban Agriculture Stakeholder Input Gathered for NIFA
- In response to a recent call from NIFA for stakeholder input to help inform and set priorities for $40 million of grant funding for research, education and extension around urban, indoor and emerging agriculture the Western Center for Metropolitan Extension and Research, the National Urban Extension Leaders  (NUEL) and a number of local Farm Bureau chapters located in urban counties from across the country partnered to host four online, interactive listening sessions and an online survey. The listening sessions had 153 participants and the survey had 68 respondents. Input was gathered from stakeholders from 38 U.S. states, territories and districts. The summary report provided to NIFA on June 22 is available here.  

Monday, August 10, 2020

Nominations for the 2020 Seaman A. Knapp Lecture Due by August 21

Each year NIFA and APLU sponsor a lecture presented at the APLU Annual Meeting. NIFA and APLU are seeking nominations of an insightful topic and a dynamic speaker who can provoke discussion among meeting participants and prepare a formal lecture to be presented prior to the virtual APLU annual meeting in November to honor Seaman A. Knapp, the father of the Cooperative Extension concept. While seeking recommendations from those within the Land-grant University system, nominations are encouraged from all sources. Recommendations should include the name of the nominee, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address and topic that could be discussed. Please submit your potential topic and/or presenter on or before August 21, 2020. Recommendations should be forwarded electronically to Bill Hoffman at whoffman4@usda.gov. A committee will review submissions and narrow the scope of the recommendations in order to make a final decision. 



National Action Dialogue (NAD) Report Available - In partnership with ECOP, two National Action Dialogues focused on Extension Futures were held on July 13 & 14, 2020. The purpose was to imagine near-future possibilities for how Extension can better serve individuals and communities in the face of evolving needs. The outcome will support the transitional aspect of Extension to a more-virtual delivery platform and will inform the need for funding of infrastructure/equipment needed for the future. Two themes emerged in all breakout groups: (1) the need for universal, affordable broadband access (2) the need to strengthen existing and pursue new partnerships within local communities. Additionally, Infrastructure and Training needs were identified along with suggestions for new solutions. Read the full report here


  
AFRI Agricultural Workforce Training Priority Area - The Agricultural Workforce Training Priority Area, part the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development, addresses the need for training or retraining of agricultural workforce by providing institutional training grants to develop a technology- and data-savvy workforce, ready for the field and industrial jobs. These include opportunities for the development of new workforce training programs, and the expansion, improvement, or renewal of existing workforce training programs and curriculum. Projects must be developed by or for community/junior/technical colleges/institutes and their industry partners. All applications to this program area must demonstrate committed and active partnership with and/or relevance to industry. The application deadline is September 24, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. (ET). For more information about the program area priority, check the AFRI EWD RFA. Interested applicants are invited to register for an informational AFRI EWD webinar on August 19, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. (ET).



Closing the Opportunity Gap
- Opportunity4All Forum - The proven impact of Cooperative Extension’s 4-H positive youth development program in addressing the nation’s opportunity gap was the focus of the Opportunity4All Forum on August 5, a one-hour virtual program produced by National 4-H Council. Highlights included youth perspectives on social justice and mental health. Extension, celebrity, corporate and foundation leaders shared their views and expertise on the action needed to create more opportunities for youth and communities. In addition, a powerful new white paper, Beyond the Gap, co-authored by Oregon State University Professor and Youth Development Specialist Mary Arnold, is available here. The Opportunity4All Forum recording can be watched here. Forum interest was high with 1,142 registrants, including 657 Extension professionals. Click here for more information about the Opportunity4All Campaign.



American Journal of Public Health Includes Commentary on Cooperative Extension - Cooperative Extension is the subject of an article in a special issue of the American Journal of Public Health focused on rural health. The commentary, co-authored by David Buys and Roger Rennekamp, "advances the notion that Extension, by working hand-in-hand with public health professionals, has an important role to play in addressing the health needs of rural communities." The article highlights five key steps that Extension can take with its public health partners to improve health and well-being across the nation. These include addressing the determinants of health through local coalitions, connecting communities to land grant resources, restoring public confidence in science, utilizing new technologies to support lifelong learning and collaboration, and capitalizing on youth voice and action. To read the abstract or obtain copies of the full text of the article visit https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305767.

 

Monday, August 3, 2020

Message from Rick Klemme

July 31, 2020 - Rick Klemme: The past 42 months as your Executive Director has been a wonderfully fulfilling experience. I have learned a great deal about Cooperative Extension, even more than I had accrued over my over 36 years of prior Extension experience. I am appreciative of the support that I have received from all Extension Administrators and Directors with whom I have worked, particularly the ECOP Chairs (Fred Schlutt, Chuck Hibberd, Ed Jones and Mark Latimore). The national EDA team members (Ron Brown, Nancy Bull, Dennis Calvin, Albert Essel, Lyla Houglum, L. Washington Lyons, Ali Mitchell, Sandy Ruble, and Robin Shepard) have been invaluable in their support for my work and, more importantly, the success of the Cooperative Extension System. I am thrilled that Caroline Crocoll is the Executive Director. My two months of working with her transition affirms a great decision made by ECOP and bodes well for the support for Cooperative Extension across the 1862, 1890 and 1994 Land-Grants. I will be transitioning to a part-time position with eXtension as a NTAE project catalyst and look forward to staying connected with you through that work. You can contact me at rmklemme@wisc.edu. Best wishes for the continued success of your Extension programming across the country!



2020 APLU Annual Meeting Is Going Virtual - The 2020 APLU Annual Meeting will be held virtually, from November 9-11, 2020, 1-4:00 p.m. (ET). The theme of this year is Resilience & Equity. The Annual Meeting will include several keynotes, interactive and engaging concurrent sessions, and, of course, time to network with colleagues. Registration will open in September and information on BAA-related sessions will be shared once they become available.



NIFA FAQs Relating to Flexibility for Applicants and Recipients Webinar - NIFA’s FAQ website covers the most asked questions about impacts of the COVID-19 emergency on the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grants. NIFA continues to evaluate options and flexibilities related to coronavirus impacts and will announce updates to this FAQ in the NIFA Update. NIFA invites you to a NIFA FAQs Relating to Flexibility for Applicants and Recipients webinar August 7, at 3:30 p.m. (ET). Register for this free webinar online. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The webinar will be recorded and posted to the NIFA website if you are unable to attend. 



Closing the Opportunity Gap: Thought Leadership Forum on August 5 at 12:00 p.m. (ET) - Extension leaders are invited to this important conversation on the urgent need for positive youth development in addressing the nation’s opportunity gap. Opportunity4All Forum panelists will include 4-H youth leaders from across Extension supported by adult partners, experts and influencers. Louisiana 4-H alum Tay Moore and National 4-H Council President and CEO Jennifer Sirangelo will co-host the forum. Click here to register for the one-hour event.