Monday, December 21, 2020

Year End Wishes From the National Office

The ECOP Monday Minute will be on hiatus on December 28th and January 4th and will return on January 11th. The National Office is closed December 24th and reopens January 4th

To Extension Directors and Administrators and System Friends,
Throughout this extremely challenging year, Extension has done what it does best-serve the people of this nation both thoughtfully and selflessly. As 2020 comes to a close, we are reminded of what it takes to truly lead the critical work we do, and we thank you for your leadership and dedication to the enduring mission of Extension. We wish you and your loved ones a safe and pleasant holiday and may the New Year be kind to each of you.
Caroline (Crocoll) Henney, Sandy Ruble, and Roger Rennekamp


Learning for Leaders Coming Friday, January 8th - Last Monday, December 14ththis list of Extension Directors and Administrators and 1994 Extension Leaders were invited to register for 2 virtual conversations on Racial Equity in Leadership. 
-- 1/8/2021, 3-4:30 p.m. ET - "Inclusive and Equitable Organizations – An Evidence Based Model"
-- 2/5/2021, 3-4:30 p.m. ET - Working Title: "Improving Inclusivity in Our Institutions and ECOP"
To learn more and register, look for the email message from carolinecrocoll@extension.org sent on behalf ECOP Chair Chris Watkins, subject: Dates for Racial Equity Leadership Sessions. Contact Sandy Ruble to answer any questions. 



Funding Opportunity Follow-up
- To review Friday's webinar regarding a pending funding opportunity with Verizon to scale the 4-H Tech Changemakers program, individuals must register to receive the link to the recording here






Cooperative Extension Helps Communities Mask-Up - This fall, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in partnership with USPS and the National Council of Textile Organizations offered to provide free face coverings to community-based organizations that would be willing to distribute them to community members. Twenty-four land grant institutions, including three 1890s and one territory ordered, received, and distributed a total of 441,000 masks to residents of their respective states. Mask were provided to food banks, childcare facilities, SNAP-Ed and EFNEP program participants, farm workers, and 4-H families. Several states engaged young people as health ambassadors to distribute masks to as many as fifty additional community-based organizations. By utilizing its distributed network, Cooperative Extension placed masks in the hands of many of the nation’s most under-resourced individuals and their family members. For more information about this effort, contact Roger Rennekamp, Extension Health Director at rogerrennekamp@extension.org.




eXtension Fellows for Health and Well-Being - Erin Yelland, LaToya O’Neal, and Caitlin O’Brien have been selected to serve in one-year fellowships dedicated to advancing Extension’s work in health and well-being. Yelland is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist at Kansas State University with a specialty in gerontology. O’Neal is a medical sociologist by training and is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Health and Wellness at the University of Florida. O’Brien is the Director of Learning and Impact at the Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation and specializes in trauma-informed practice. Through their fellowships, each will devote a portion of their professional time to systemwide work. The fellowships are made available through generous support from the Molina and Scattergood Foundations. For more information about the fellowships, contact Roger Rennekamp, Extension Health Director at rogerrennekamp@extension.org.




National 4-H Council Announces Election of Two New Leaders to its Board of Trustees - Jon Boren, Associate Dean and Director of New Mexico Cooperative Extension Service, and Abby Durheim, 4-H Young Alumni Advisory Committee member and a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Boren and Durheim will support Council’s mission to increase investment and participation in the nation’s largest youth development organization. They will be key partners in the Board’s work to support the 4 H system’s ambitious goal of reaching 10 million young people by 2025, with a special focus on promoting youth voice and supporting 4-H’s ongoing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. 

Monday, December 14, 2020

Urban Extension Conversation Shared

Last Thursday, 32 Extension Directors and Administrators gathered on Zoom for Learning for Leaders - Urban Agriculture: Needs, Opportunities, and Actions. A panel of experts joined ECOP Chair Chris Watkins (Cornell University). Strategies were presented that support the sustainable development of commercial and community-focused urban agriculture, use the following link:
--> YouTube Video Recording: https://youtu.be/2zUlp5iZ5Rw
--> Slides with Links/Chat/Poll Results: Click here
--> May the conversation continue: ecopblog@gmail.com




Potential Funding Opportunity
- The ECOP 4-H Leadership Committee Co-chairs Jon Boren (New Mexico State University) and Andy Turner (Cornell University) invite Extension Directors & Administrators and 4-H Program Leaders to join an informational webinar on Friday, December 18, 2020, 12:00 – 12: 45 PM ET, regarding a pending funding opportunity with Verizon to scale the 4-H Tech Changemakers program. Register for the webinar here, which includes a brief overview of the program, the potential for leveraging it for greater visibility across campus and the timeline for submission (possibly early January 2021) and funding. Apologies for the short notice as this opportunity is evolving quickly. National 4-H Council, source for the opportunity and webinar, will record it for anyone unable to attend. Details will be released next week here on the ECOP Monday Minute. Additional contact is Heather Elliott, National 4-H Council, at helliott@4-H.org



2021 Military Family Readiness Academy Series - The Military Families Learning Network will launch its 2021 Military Family Readiness Academy series. In this series, dialogue will be a central component. Eight sessions will offer guidance on how to work effectively with families during disasters and hazards, and many will draw from recent and ongoing situations Extension educators and providers are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. A workshop based on the Asset-based Community Recovery Framework, will allow for the discovery the assets and capacities of communities to make military families more resilient and aid in their recovery after a disaster. This framework is different because it’s a bottom-up approach allowing individuals, organizations, and businesses to think about the roles people and communities play in moving forward. Extension educators are encouraged to contribute their voices, experiences, and lessons learned to this workshop and register here



Urban, Indoor and other Emerging Agriculture and Food Systems - In May 2020, Western Center for Metropolitan Extension & Research (WCMER) and National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) hosted listening sessions related to NIFA developing an Urban and Emerging Agriculture grant program. The Western Experiment Station and Extension Directors have formally created a development committee with a charge to establish a Western Urban, Indoor and other Emerging Agricultural Production Research, Education and Extension Initiative to facilitate and promote multi-state research and extension projects. Anyone, including those outside the Western Region, interested in joining this effort (all aspects of the food system including production, marketing, distribution, access, equity, and resource recovery) are encouraged to do so. The specific details of how to join can be found here or contact Brad Gaolach (Washington State University) gaolach@wsu.edu | 425-405-1734. 

Monday, December 7, 2020

NIFA Reporting Web Conference Series

The NIFA Reporting Web Conference Series is a bi-monthly series run by the NIFA Planning Accountability and Reporting Staff (PARS), which seeks to foster consistent, quality communication between NIFA leadership and its partners, including the Land-Grant University system. During the conferences, NIFA explains new or emerging reporting policies and procedures and gives grantees and administrators/business offices at the LGUs an opportunity to participate in real-time Q&A sessions. The next session will be held December 10, 2020, 2:00-3:30 pm ET. Conference link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1617169794 Dial to connect audio: US: +1 669 254 5252 or +1 646 828 7666. Meeting ID: 161 716 9794.



APLU Policy Considerations for President-Elect - APLU shared comprehensive higher education, research, and community engagement priorities with President-elect Biden's transition team. APLU's priorities fall under three main categories: 1) Expanding higher education access, affordability, and student success; 2) Fostering scientific discovery; and 3) Welcoming the contributions of immigrants to our nation. Click here to review the document published by the APLU Governmental Affairs Office.  



eXtension Launches Ask Extension - Building upon 14 years of Ask An Expert, eXtension's NEW Ask Extension platform is now available for Cooperative Extension at all Land-Grant Universities regardless of membership. For every question an Extension Expert answers through this platform, it reaches an additional 200+ people. Additionally, groups and experts that use Ask Extension can brand it any way they want. Other top features include a streamlined email system that allows simple replies, contact information for clientele now being available to experts, clientele login accounts for accessing question history, and greater control for groups and experts on who can access questions. Learn more and share with your faculty and staff here.



Enriching Resources Reminder - Use this full view version of the ECOP Monday Minute, a weekly news blog that appeals to the work of land-grant university system Extension Directors and Administrators in the USA, to check out the resources found on the right panel of the blog page. This includes links to Learning for Leaders, EDEN, NIFA, JOE, and much more. 

Monday, November 23, 2020

Urban Ag Event 12/10/2020

The ECOP Monday Minute is on hiatus on November 30th and returns on December 7th. Have a safe and pleasant Thanksgiving.

Urban Agriculture: Needs, Opportunities, and Actions - Last Thursday members of the Cooperative Extension Section were personally invited to a Zoom event set for December 10th, 3-4:00 p.m. ET organized by the Cooperative Extension System/ECOP National Office. A special Thursday edition of  Learning for Leaders is planned to network and engage with a panel of experts who will present multiple strategies that support the sustainable development of commercial and community-focused urban agriculture. ECOP Chair Chris Watkins will moderate the conversation with his colleagues and 2 experts to reveal findings of a NIFA-funded research study and for engaging current opportunities at the state, region, and national levels. To receive complete details and connection information, contact Sandy Ruble sandyruble@extension.org




USDA Ag Outlook Forum in 2021
- USDA announced that its 2021 Agricultural Outlook Forum will be a virtual event, and registration will be free. The two-day forum will take place February 18-21. Its theme is “Building on Innovation: A Pathway to Resilience,” and builds on the current administration’s Agriculture Innovation Agenda, launched earlier this year to align USDA’s resources, programs, and research toward the goal of increasing U.S. agricultural production by 40% while cutting the environmental footprint of U.S. agriculture in half by 2050. Agricultural Outlook Forum registrationUSDA – Agriculture Innovation Agenda




Safety Matters: Cybersecurity Put First for Youth - The FEMA Region 5 (out of Chicago) Regional Youth Preparedness Council is hosting a youth preparedness webinar next Monday, November 23,rd from 6:00 – 7:00 PM CT. This webinar is open to anyone interested. Please feel free to register for this informational webinar and share with any interested youth or youth-serving organizations in your network. Guest speakers include Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Amanda J. Knutson, Supervisory Special Agent and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): Tony Enriquez, Cybersecurity Advisor (CSA) Registration Link: https://fema.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_RXZo2NsNQaulxPijx8euwg



Sustainable Ag Funding Opportunity - Applications to the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Agricultural Systems program focuses on approaches that promote transformational changes in the U.S. food and agriculture system. NIFA seeks creative and visionary applications that take a systems approach for projects focused on the themes in the USDA Science Blueprint: sustainable agricultural intensification; agricultural climate adaptation; value-added innovation; and/or food and nutrition translation. These projects are expected to significantly improve the supply of affordable, safe, nutritious, and accessible agricultural products, while fostering economic development and rural prosperity in America. These approaches must demonstrate current needs and anticipate future social, cultural, behavioral, economic, health, and environmental impacts. For more information, read the AFRI SAS funding opportunity.

Monday, November 16, 2020

National Leaders Announced

ECOP Chair Chris Watkins-Cornell University, welcomes the newest member of ECOP, Rich Bonanno-North Carolina State University. Welcome also to the newest ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee (BLC) members, Karl Martin-University of Wisconsin, Blake Naughton-Colorado State University, Dan Lerner-University of Vermont, and Gina Eubanks-Louisiana State University. To all mentioned here, thank you for your national leadership and dedication to the Cooperative Extension System! Click here to view/download the current lists of Board of Agriculture Assembly affiliated Cooperative Extension Section National leadership. Contact Cooperative Extension System/ECOP Assistant Director Sandy Ruble sandyruble@extension.org to provide updates. 



FY2021 Budget Process Update - Last week's post by Cornerstone Government Affairs at www.land-grant.org is a response to the release of the Fiscal Year 2021 Agriculture Appropriations bill by the Committee on Appropriations of the United States Senate. Persons not receiving these messages directly from Cornerstone may contact Maggie Earle to sign up.




2021 National Health Outreach Conference
- The NHOC conference will be held virtually May 3-7, 2021. With the theme of “The Grand Challenge: Building a Healthy Future for All,” there will be sessions related to health equity, effective behavior-change messaging, policy system and environmental change, health behavior, and pandemic response programming. Keynote speakers, concurrent and posters sessions will be relevant for professionals who address health, nutrition, youth development, workforce development, and human development. Organized by Cooperative Extension professionals, invitees include faculty in human sciences, food sciences, medical and other academic institutions across public and private colleges, and universities; public health professionals; youth development professionals; local, state and federal agency partners; practitioners in the health care industry; and students. Click Here for additional details about the conference and help spread the word to save the dates.



USDA-NIFA Invests Millions to Support Educators, 4-H and Others in Workforce Training During Pandemic - USDA-NIFA has announced an investment of more than $10.5 million to support educators at technical schools, community and junior colleges, and youth development programs, including Cooperative Extension’s 4-H program. USDA-NIFA will invest in eight regional and national projects, including a $3 million grant to National 4-H Council to support the continued development of 4-H at Home, Cooperative Extension’s positive youth development digital platform on 4-H.org. 4-H at Home is a dynamic resource designed to meet the growing needs for virtual and non-virtual education resources that can be rapidly adopted at home or by various educators and Extension specialists. It is intended to level the playing field and address the widening opportunity gap for youth and families as a result of the pandemic. Details about the award recipients and initiatives can be found here.




Final 2020 Military Family Readiness Academy Session
- Planning for the Worst, Hoping for the Best: The final session of the Disaster and Hazard Readiness Foundations series, Planning for the Worst, Hoping for the Best, will be held Wednesday, November 18 from 11:00 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. ET. This final session ties together all planning aspects involved in military family readiness from both family and service professional perspectives. Dr. Angie Lindsey, University of Florida/IFAS, shares strategies, resources, and templates, with a focus on the who, what, when, where, and why of preparation, mitigation, and recovery. Nancy Beers, Director of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s Midwest Early Recovery Fund, will be the guest speaker. Nancy oversees The CDP Early Recovery Fund, which focuses on supporting vulnerable populations in 10 states in the Midwest, following a disaster. Her presentation will focus on a Minnesota flooding event and how some specific military families were impacted by it in different ways. The 90-minute session is free and several continuing education credits are also available. To register and get more information go to: https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org/event/mfra2020/

Monday, November 9, 2020

CDC’s Flu Season Digital Media Toolkit Available

As a trusted community resource, Cooperative Extension can play an important role in educating the public about the importance of immunizations, particularly in the months immediately preceding flu season. The CDC’s digital media tool kit is available to partners like Cooperative Extension to assist them in communicating the importance of vaccinations. This digital toolkit includes sample social media images, newsletter content, web assets, and media preparation materials. This material is downloadable, shareable, and some of the material is customizable. To access the media tool kit, visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/resource-center/toolkit/index.htm or to go directly to their #SleeveUp to #FightFlu social media resources, at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/resource-center/sleeveup/index.htm 




Calendar Update
- A Learning for Leaders Event on the topic of Urban Extension on Thursday, December 10, 2020, 3-4:00 p.m. ET, was recently added to the ECOP Calendar. Extension Directors and Administrators should should save the date and stay tuned to email for more details and the official invitation from ECOP Chair Chris Watkins (Cornell University) and Caroline Henney, Cooperative Extension System/ECOP Executive Director. 

Quick Tip: For all things ECOP, Calendar, Lists, etc., go to www.extension.org/ecop



SNAP-Ed Program Development Team Update - The SNAP-Ed Program Development Team (PDT) would like to welcome Lauren Sweeney to the new role of SNAP-Ed LGU Assistant. Lauren is no stranger to SNAP-Ed through the Land-Grant System, as she has previous experience as the Program Coordinator of SNAP-Ed at the University of Florida, served as chair of the ASNNA leadership committee (the national SNAP-Ed organization), and has served as a consultant for the SNAP-Ed PDT for the past year. The PDT looks forward to the expertise Lauren can provide in assisting LGUs across the nation serve our SNAP eligible population. Soon all Extension Directors will receive the annual request for data that Lauren has responsibility to collect. Please feel free to reach out to Lauren (lauren.sweeney@sdstate.edu) if you have any SNAP-Ed questions or concerns.



Updated NIFA RFA Calendar Available - NIFA has updated its RFA calendar. Note that target dates are subject to change until the RFAs are published in Grants.gov. The current list applies to continuations, directed and second year RFAs of a multi-year solicitation. Bookmark this list and check back often for updates as target dates draw near. A new notification will signal when AFRI RFAs are added to the schedule.



Summer Internship Job Opportunities - For sharing with widely throughout the land-grant system, the OneUSDA Summer Pathways Student Internship Program is an exciting opportunity for both students and Extension's federal partner, USDA. Pathways interns have been an excellent source of talent helping advance the USDA mission. The deadline for summer 2021 internship applications is Monday, November 16. Application review will begin immediately and candidate notification will take place in early spring 2021. For more information on the program and eligibility, email internship@usda.gov.

Monday, November 2, 2020

Registration Extended for Leading Through Crisis and Uncertainty

Last week ECOP Chair Chris Watkins and all members of the ECOP Executive Committee met with Dr. Beth A. Cohen, a clinical and organizational psychologist with deep roots in Extension and with mass trauma expertise to inform the planning of a special 2-Hour edition of Learning for Leaders to be held this Friday, November 6, 2020, 3-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The demand for this opportunity has been overwhelming! Therefore, registration is extended through this week! Leadership Teams are encouraged to attend. Click Here to learn more and to register.  



 
LEAD21 - Apply By November 30 - Applications for Class 17 (2021-2022) of Leadership in the 21st Century (LEAD21) by November 30, 2020. The LEAD21 program provides leadership and professional development training for faculty and professionals within the land-grant system. The LEAD21 Board of Directors (BOD) consists of representatives from the various Board of Agriculture Assembly Section's Committees on Organization and Policy (headquartered at APLU) and strategic partners. The ECOP appointees to LEAD21 BOD are Carolyn Williams, Prairie View A&M University (TX), and Mike O'Neill-Chair, University of Connecticut. More information and the link to apply is found here.




2020 Proposals for EDEN’s Development Grants Program Due December 4
- The purpose of the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) Development Grants Program is to invest in the development of innovative educational resources and Extension initiatives that can advance the work of EDEN and the broader land-grant and sea-grant systems across the nation in addressing the preparation for, response to, and recovery from hazards and disasters. The program focuses on a wide array of topics and issues. The anticipated amount available for grants in FY 2021 is approximately $140,000. The maximum amount allowed for any singular EDEN grant proposal is $35,000. Applicants are allowed a 10 percent indirect cost rate in their budget. However, the total amount may not exceed the $35,000 allocation. Applications may be submitted by Extension professionals employed by land-grant or sea-grant universities. At least one individual on the project must be an EDEN delegate. The RFP is found here.




Extension’s Role in Urban Green Infrastructure - The Western Center for Metropolitan Extension and Research has released the next white paper in their Leading Edge Dialogue series: Urban Green Infrastructure – Extension’s role. Green infrastructure is a strategically planned network at the city and even regional scale that includes both land (parks, urban forests, raingardens, bioswales, greenspace, to name a few), and water (rivers, watersheds, etc.). Working in green infrastructure also enables the clear illustration of often forgotten connections between local and regional food systems and water (roof gardens, community gardens, urban farms, fruit orchards, etc.). Other benefits of green infrastructure include improvements of physical and mental health, (e.g., decreasing high blood pressure and stress) for those who live or work in close proximity to urban green spaces, or have access to them. Emerging opportunities for collaboration from a panel of experts and participants at the 2019 National Urban Extension Conference during the 90-minute interactive Leading Edge Dialogue are available here.

Monday, October 26, 2020

History Travels to a New Home

S
pecial publications of the 100+ years history of Extension are packed, labeled and ready to move to a new home. The collection has been headquartered at APLU was packed by Executive Director Caroline (Crocoll) Henney and Assistant Director Sandy Ruble last month. According to authorities from the President's Office, the boxes shown here will be temporarily transferred to storage before landing at its permanent location at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. To learn more about the volumes of history click here or contact Sandy at sandyruble@extension.org.  


American Connection Project Interactive Wi-Fi Map Available - Several partner organizations have announced the launch of the American Connection Project (ACP) interactive Wi-Fi map https://www.americanconnection.io. The map provides a free resource to help the public locate more than 2,300 free Wi-Fi locations across 49 U.S. states. The map includes Wi-Fi locations from Land O’Lakes, Inc. and its ag retail owner network, along with several partner organizations including National 4-H Council and Cooperative Extension (providing half the locations), and many other corporations. The Wi-Fi map is an extension of efforts undertaken by the American Connection Project to drive meaningful progress toward closing the digital divide to create opportunities and reduce digital inequality for rural and urban communities in the United States. The map is designed to provide immediate but temporary access for those people who lack access to the internet today. Throughout the next several months, additional locations will be added to the map. 



Use Links to Register Today! 
  • A Community of Scholars Celebrating Excellence: Cooperative Extension and Research Awards Presentation and Seaman A. Knapp Memorial Lecture.
    Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM Eastern Time. 

  • Learning for Leaders Special Event - Leading Through Crisis and UncertaintyFriday, November 6, 2020, 3:00-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Registration is free and required by close of business November 1, 2020. This session will not be recorded. Feel free to share this opportunity with Extension Director and Administrator leadership teams.

    This special event has great potential to understand today's challenges and provide tools to minimize negative impacts and maximize psychosocial adaptability, resilience and the potential for post-traumatic growth. Topics that will be covered: Understanding COVID-19 from a Psychosocial Lens; Reimagining, Redesigning and Reconstructing Work; Social Neuroscience: Threat, Our Brains and Relationships; Adaptive & Agile Management Strategies to Protect Health & Well-Being; and Strategies and Tools for Adaptability, Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth. 

Monday, October 19, 2020

Communications and Marketing Committee Proposal Vote is Coming

The voting members of the Cooperative Extension Section can expect to receive a letter this week from the ECOP Executive Committee asking for a vote to support the Communications and Marketing Committee's proposal to hire personnel that will be employed by APLU and headquartered in the Office of Food, Agriculture & Natural Resources within the Board on Agriculture Assembly. The personnel will be responsible for implementing the Strategic Communications Roadmap that is in final stages of development by Forbes Tate Partners. Background and FAQ's will accompany the message.



Celebrating Excellence Events Registration - Register at the links provided.

OCT 28, 2020,  3:00 PM - 5:30 PM Eastern Time
A Community of Scholars Celebrating Excellence: Cooperative Extension and Research Awards Presentation and Seaman A. Knapp Memorial Lecture

NOV 3, 2020, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Eastern Time
2020 BoHS Celebrating Excellence in the Human Sciences



Summit on Mental Health and Well-Being Resources Available - In this unprecedented time, we are witnessing mental health challenges playing out across our nation, impacting all communities and creating stress and hardship across all sectors of society. Making available science-based mental health resources to our communities and institutions has never been more important. On October 1, 2020, the APLU Commission on Food, Environment, and Renewable Resources (CFERR) hosted a National Resource Summit on Mental Health and Well-Being for all CFERR Boards/Councils/Sections/Committees and their members. Each of the CFERR Boards-Board on Human Sciences; Board on Agriculture Assembly; Board on Veterinary Medicine; Board on Oceans, Atmosphere and Climate; and Board on Natural Resources were provided time during the Summit to share an overview of the current mental health challenges they are seeing in their particular sector, examples, and relevant resources and programs. Resources from the Summit are available here.




Military Family Readiness Academy Disaster and Hazard Session
- Session 2 of the 2020 Military Family Readiness Academy, Impacts and Responses in Disaster and Hazard Readiness, will be held Wednesday, October 28 from 11:00 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. ET. The session looks in-depth at disaster and hazard impacts and responses. Dr. Angie Lindsey, University of Florida/IFAS, discusses social and emotional, family and community, agricultural and environment, and housing and food security impacts. She addresses response phases, factors impacting community recovery, and what professionals and families can do now for better outcomes using a whole community response and recovery approach. The session will also feature a case study by Commander Brendan T. Byrne, Deputy Force Surgeon, USMC Central Command, MacDill AFB. Dr. Byrne is an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine of the University of Michigan Medical School. The 90-minute session is free and several continuing education credits are also available. To register and get more information go to: https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org/event/mfra2020/



NACo Virtual Federal Policy Summit Announced October 21-22, 2020
- NACo’s Virtual Federal Policy Summit will connect county officials, members of Congress, federal agency partners, and other key decision makers and thought leaders. Please join us for this two-day summit featuring informative speakers with practical advice on a range of policy issues and updates on the federal policy landscape – broadband, healthcare, infrastructure, COVID-19 relief, public lands, disaster assistance and more. With ongoing challenges related to in-person meetings, NACo’s Virtual Federal Policy Summit is a prime opportunity to connect, learn and share practical information and resources to help strengthen your county. Register here.

Monday, October 12, 2020

Action Plan for Brand New Strategic Directions

Each year, the ECOP Chair establishes goals for their 1-year term. 2020-2021 Chair, Chris Watkins from Cornell University states, "My vision as Chair of the Board on Agriculture Assembly Cooperative Extension Section is to ensure that the ECOP Strategic Directions is a living document. The Strategic Direction document will will ECOP to enhance its relevance to Members of the Section, and provides outcomes for the Cooperative Extension System that advance delivery of evidence-based education to all." Find the Action Plan Overview here and stay tuned for the release of the full plan which details the action steps to be taken. 



2020 APLU Annual Meeting Registration Now Open
- For the first time in its 133-year history, the APLU Annual Meeting with the theme Resilience & Equity will be held virtually, from November 9-11, 2020. According to APLU President Peter McPherson, while the world is rapidly changing, the APLU Annual Meeting is still here to provide higher education leaders with an opportunity to strengthen our community with opportunities to share best practices and strategies and make lasting connections with colleagues from across North America. Click Here for the Cooperative Extension Section’s Guide to APLU/FANR Events which includes links to register for the APLU Annual meeting.  



County Connectivity Landscape Dashboard
 - COVID-19 has sped the adoption of virtual programming in Cooperative Extension across the nation and has highlighted a need for information about connectivity at the county level for use in planning virtual programs. A new tool developed by a team at Purdue University may help. With funding backed by the New Technologies for Agricultural Extension (NTAE) cooperative agreement with USDA-NIFA through Oklahoma State University, the team received a grant from eXtension to create a County Connectivity Landscape Dashboard to help inform Cooperative Extension professionals as they plan online programming and outreach methods. Users can quickly identify a range of county-level statistics. Learn more here.



Webinar on Social Determinants of Health in Rural Populations - Social determinants of health are defined by the World Health Organization as "the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age." For rural populations, many of these conditions are not conducive to achieving optimum health and well-being. Building on work conducted by the Rural and Minority Health Research Center, this presentation will review some of the key elements associated with health across rural White and minority populations, such as education, income, and health facility availability. Join Jan Probst, PhD, of the Rural and Minority Research Center for a deep dive into how social determinants are influencing rural health on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at 1:00 PM Eastern. For more information, visit https://www.ruralhealthresearch.org/webinars/sdoh-in-rural-populations.



CECE Enhances Online Communications - The Commission on Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) was established to lead and coordinate APLU's mission pillar of "expanding engagement." CECE convenes senior university economic development and community engagement administrations, presidents and chancellors, provosts, senior research officers, Cooperative Extension leaders, communications and government affairs administrators, and others across APLU member universities and university systems across North America who maintain responsibility for planning, executing, or communicating their institution’s work in economic development and public engagement. A new opt-in Listserv platform is available to CECE members to share resources, opportunities, and relevant news directly with one another. To become a member of CECE and opt-in on the ListServ at no cost, complete this form today.

Monday, October 5, 2020

Top Honors in Extension Excellence and Diversity

Jamie Ellis, University of FloridaThe National Excellence in Extension Award is given annually to a Cooperative Extension professional who excels at programming, provides visionary leadership and makes a positive impact on constituents served. Jamie Ellis, recipient of this year's award, is a Professor and Extension Specialist in Agriculture in the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida, where he directs the Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory. Regional Award winners are listed below. The National Diversity in Extension Award recognizes significant contributions and accomplishments in achieving and sustaining diversity and pluralism. The University of Missouri’s 4-H Center for Youth Development is the recipient in 2020. USDA-NIFA and Cooperative Extension have sponsored the awards since 1991. The awards will be presented virtually on October 28 (Registration will be appear here soon). Click Here to read more including quotes by ECOP Past-chair and Acting NIFA Director and here to learn more about the awards program.
University of Missouri 4-H Center for Youth Development

Regional Excellence in Extension Awards 
· 1890s Region: Sanjun Gu, Horticulture Specialist, North Carolina A&T State University, for expansion of horticulture science to all communities.

· North Central Region: Lisa A. Bottomley, Senior Extension Specialist and Manager of Volunteer Services, Michigan State University, for leadership in best practices in volunteer and youth engagement.

· Northeast Region: Jennifer Robertson-Honecker, STEM Specialist, 4-H Youth Development Program, West Virginia University, for innovative programming to educate youth in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

· Southern Region: Hailin Zhang, Nutrient Management Extension Specialist, Oklahoma State University, for using agricultural science to advance public understanding of effective agricultural practices.

· Western Region: Paul Allen Hill, Extension Professor, Applied Sciences and Technical Education, Utah State University, for innovative economic development program empowering rural communities through remote work.



NIFA's New Integrated Reporting System - The New NIFA Reporting System will eventually be home to all research (competitive and capacity) and Extension programs, and enable the new, service-oriented NIFA and Land-Grant Institutions to more fully "tell the story" of how they are working together to advance agricultural research and Extension across the nation. The current phase of work to be released will bring AREERA research and Extension activities together for the first time in a centralized reporting portal equipped with dashboards. Cooperative Extension will have the means to describe their programs in greater detail and offers the expanded format requested for the Plan of Work. NIFA designed the Extension module with representatives from the Land-Grant University System at the table, providing valuable input and guidance. For several months, the Extension Working Group worked with NIFA staff to develop a user-friendly product to collect quality information to serve both NIFA and our partners, while streamlining the overall effort. A similar effort is underway with the Research Working Group to streamline reporting requirements for Hatch, Hatch Multistate, and Evans-Allen. REEport will remain unchanged until the new system is completed and fully operable. Additional guidance will be provided at monthly webinars and on this website. To receive invitations to the project’s monthly webinars, contact pow@usda.gov



Planning for NEDA 2021 - Thank you to all (5% rate of response) who have completed the 2020 NEDA Survey so far. For everyone else, please take a few moments to assess this year's virtual NEDA meeting and speak to next year's planning committee. Click Here to begin. 




RFA Announcement - Military Teen Adventure Camps
- Due November 5, 2020 - Purdue Extension announces an opportunity to land-grant university colleagues to support military teens by hosting military teen adventure camps during summer, 2021. As part of an ongoing partnership between the Department of Defense, Office of Family Policy, Children & Youth and USDA/NIFA, this project and funding opportunity allows the Extension system to offer to military teens some of the best “adventure” camping opportunities that can be found across the nation. The link to the RFA is here.


Community Learning With Data-Driven Discovery Strategies Webinars - As a follow-up to the ECOP sponsored National Action Dialogue and Day 1 NEDA discussions, Oregon State’s three-state partnership team has developed a six-part webinar series for Extension professionals. Organizers will take the concepts of community learning through data driven discovery and provide strategies to help Extension professionals maximize their time, develop responsive programs using data insights, and foster impact in collaboration with communities. Extension professionals are invited to register for webinar series here.

   October 7, 2020--The Process: Community Learning for Data Driven Decision Making
   October 14, 2020--The Community: Community Capital Framework for Economic Mobility
   October 21, 2020--The Team: Team Science & Working Virtually as a Team
   October 28, 2020--The Discovery: Data Discovery Process
   November 4, 2020--The Culture: Building a Data-Ready Culture
   November 18, 2020--The Action Plan: Finding Insights in Data

Monday, September 28, 2020

Annual Passing of Gavel and 2020 Report!

At the 2020 NEDA Cooperative Extension Section meeting on September 24th, the ECOP Chair gavel was officially passed from Mark Latimore, Jr., Associate Dean for Extension at Fort Valley State University to Christopher Watkins, Professor and Director of Cornell Cooperative Extension. Dr. Watkins’ vision as ECOP Chair is to ensure that the ECOP Strategic Directions is a living document that guides the Committee in a fashion that enhances relevance to its membership, and provides outcomes for the Cooperative Extension System that advance the goals of delivering evidence-based education to all U.S. citizens. Our sincere appreciation for the outstanding leadership and commitment to the mission of Extension by Dr. Latimore over the past year. 

A year in review was provided by Dr. Latimore. The complete 4-page 2020 Cooperative Extension Section Annual Report is available here to view and download. Watch for progress of the detailed 2021 Action Plan by Dr. Watkins here in the ECOP Monday Minute throughout the year.

Carolyn Williams, Prairie View A&M University, and Ed Jones, Virginia Tech, were recognized for their service to ECOP, the body of decision makers for the Cooperative Extension System. Please welcome 3 new members of ECOP. Left - Right below are Rosalind Dale, North Carolina A&T State University, Brent Hales, Penn State, and Laura Perry Johnson, University of Georgia:

The complete list of ECOP members is located here



Invitation to the Mental/Behavioral Health - A National Summit and Resource Gathering Opportunity for CFERR Members and their Stakeholders: In this unprecedented time, we are witnessing mental health challenges playing out across our nation, impacting all communities and creating stress and hardship across all sectors of society. Making available science-based mental health resources to our communities and institutions has never been more important. On behalf of Noelle Cockett, President, Utah State University and Commission on Food, Environment and Renewable Resources Executive Committee Chair, you are invited to attend the CFERR National Virtual Mental Health Summit on Oct. 1 from 11:00 AM-12:30 PM ET with a focus on what the five CFERR Boards are doing within their disciplines to address concerns about mental health and well-being across their sectors. Please register and join us for this important and timely event.



Association of Extension Administrators (AEA) Executive Committee Launches Newsletter - Extension Today is a monthly newsletter that highlights Cooperative Extension and provides updates across the 1890 land-grant system. It is published by the Association of Extension Administrators and the Marketing and Communications Committee. Contact communications@1890aea.org for more information, or to join the mailing list.

Monday, September 21, 2020

Virtual NEDA Meeting Breaks Record

Registration for this week’s National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting, Leading in a Time of Social, Economic and Political Disruption, September 23-24, 2020, has broken records of all previous years for face-to-face meetings. The average participation is 104 colleagues from 64 of a possible 76 land-grant institutions. At last count, there will be 154 participants from 71 universities participating this week! Last week everyone was invited to read materials posted in the "Prepare" menu (upper right) at neda.extension.org. Stay tuned to the ECOP Monday Minute for the release of meaningful outcomes from this historic meeting!



Communications and Marketing Roadmap Draft Framework Available for Review/Comment - The Board on Agriculture Assembly, Cooperative Extension, Experiment Station and Administrative Heads Sections has engaged Forbes Tate Partners to develop a new strategic communications plan roadmap. The draft of the initial framework of that roadmap includes an overview of the plan objective, strategy, a sample menu of potential tactics, and some information on best practices for the BAA to ultimately, fully realize and execute a plan. This outline is representative of what needs to be considered in developing the final plan and building a communications process – it is not intended to be the plan itself. As such, the message frames and communications tactics are examples, and are not meant to be exhaustive or exclude additional ideas. Rather, it is a guide that will allow the BAA to build a comprehensive, effective messaging effort to support its advocacy goals. Private comments on the draft can be sent to FT-BAA@forbes-tate.com



FANR Meetings Schedule During the APLU Annual Meeting - The 2020 APLU Annual Meeting will be held virtually. The office of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources (FANR) continues to work on the agenda’s, minutes, speakers, and special events that are typically a part of the APLU Annual Meeting. Information on various meetings, some of which involves participation of Cooperative Extension Section membership, and events that are associated with the APLU Annual Meeting are located at this link. Invitation(s) to register coming soon from the FANR Office and the APLU Office of the President.


  
May 2021 National Urban Extension Virtual Summit
- After discussion and thoughtful consideration, the National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) has decided to postpone the May 2021 National Urban Extension Conference (NUEC), until May of 2022. Details on the 2022 NUEC will be forthcoming. In lieu of holding the conference face-to-face, NUEL will host a National Urban Extension Virtual Summit on May 18-20, 2021. Please save the dates! A detailed agenda and registration information will be released in early 2021.


Economic Development & Community Engagement RFP for 2021 Summer Meeting - Please Save the Date, June 14-16, 2021, and Submit Session Proposals for APLU’s 2021 CECE Summer Meeting, to be held in Pittsburgh, PA. Meeting registration will open in  January 2021. The theme is Maximizing Public Value through Partnerships and will allow Extension Directors and Administrators and their colleagues opportunities to reflect and strategize around how the “engagement” mission of public research universities can advance the economic and societal good in meaningful, intentional and substantive ways. The deadline for proposals is Friday, October, 2, 2020, 5:00 PM PST. Questions regarding the RFP process or the meeting may be directed to APLU’s Milan Ephraim.



NIFA Releases Projected FY21 RFA Publication Timeline - NIFA has released the Projected RFA Publication Timeline for fiscal year (FY) 2021 for non-AFRI competitive programs. These are target timelines only and are subject to change until the RFAs are published in Grants.gov. The current list applies to new RFAs, continuations, directed and multi-year solicitations. Bookmark this list and check back often for updates as target dates draw near. A new notification will signal when AFRI RFAs are added to the schedule. Questions regarding this timeline, should be directed to the NPL with the associated program or email policy@usda.gov.

Monday, September 14, 2020

Agency Related Survey Action Request

On behalf of the leadership of  National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research (NCFAR), the insight of the ECOP as a member and/or sponsor is requested. ECOP Monday Minute readers are asked to share how their institutions value USDA programs in the research, extension and education (REE) mission area. Toward that end, please take a moment to complete a short survey at https://aavmc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4TqsGbJPVlwo6qx. For more information, go to www.ncfar.org


Rural Broadband and Digital Tools in Ag Conference Opportunity - APLU’s Office of Economic Development & Community Engagement is currently soliciting Expressions of Interest from researchers and Extension professionals working at the intersection of community broadband access and the application of digital tools in agriculture to participate in an online conference. Extension Directors and Administrators and their associates are invited to complete this online form to express your interest. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. ET on September 30.


4-H Congressional Staff Briefing - In 2019, ECOP approved the formation of a subcommittee of the ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee (BLC) to increase government funding for Extension/4-H from sources other than USDA. On September 8, 2020, the ECOP BLC Subcommittee for 4-H partnered with the 4-H Congressional Caucus to host a virtual 4-H Congressional Staff Briefing to raise awareness of the diversity and relevance of today’s Cooperative Extension’s 4-H program and to thank Congress for their support of 4-H funding through 1890 Extension and Smith-Lever, the 4-H Mentoring (OJJDP) funding, and other opportunities. Speakers included ECOP Budget & Legilsative Committee Chair, Jon Boren (New Mexico State University), Jennifer Sirangelo (National 4-H Council), Clyde Van Dyke (4-H Member from NY) and Congressman Mike Conaway (TX).


eXtension Foundation Meeting Invitation - The eXtension Foundation invites all Extension Directors and Administrators to attend the eXtension Foundation Meeting on September 24th from 2:15 PM - 3:45 PM ET, as part of NEDA. During this meeting, eXtension and ECOP will be facilitating a discussion on the results of the National Action Dialogue for Extension Futures including infrastructure needs, training needs, and other emerging themes. The eXtension Climate Fellows will also provide a report to the CES section on their work followed by a short presentation on how the eXtension Foundation has been serving the system through its New Technologies for Ag Extension Accelerator Program and its Impact Collaborative program. NEDA registration and details are available at neda.extension.org.  


NIFA 1890 Centers of Excellence Program Opportunity - Nineteen Land-grant Universities associated with the Cooperative Extension System  are eligible to apply for NIFA Centers of Excellence Program. Originally established in 2015 in conjunction with the 125th Anniversary of the Second Morrill Act of 1890, he 1890 COEs goals are: 1) increasing profitability and rural prosperity in underserved farming communities; 2) addressing critical needs for enhanced international training and development; and 3) increasing diversity in the science, technology, engineering, agriculture and mathematics (STEAM) pipeline. Read RFA/Apply here. Last year's recipients are found here.


Military Family Readiness Academy: Disaster & Hazard Readiness 101 - The Military Family Readiness Academy opens its 2020 series on September 16 with a session entitled Disaster and Hazard Readiness 101 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET.  The session will provide a bird’s-eye view of disasters and hazards. Dr. Angie Lindsey, University of Florida/IFAS, begins with a high-level overview addressing terminology, phases of management, and types of disasters and hazards. Dr. Lindsey will also provide insights into significant research guiding disaster and hazard readiness and response, as well as the role and impact of media, and emergent conversations around the COVID-19 pandemic. The 90-minute session is free and several continuing education credits are also available. For more information and to register go to:   https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org/event/mfra2020 


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.