Call for 2021 Cooperative Extension Award Nominations

Nominations are being accepted for the 2021 Extension Awards program through May 1, 2021. The Excellence in Extension Awards, recognize Cooperative Extension professionals - 1 National Award, and 5 Regional Awards - who excel at Extension programming, make a positive impact on constituents served, and provide visionary leadership for the System. The Award for Diversity is designed to focus national attention on innovative models and techniques that ensure that Extension programs equitably and effectively engage all audiences. A new Team Award for Excellence is under development for later release. The Awards include a cash prize and travel stipends to attend a reception and the Board of Agriculture Assembly Awards Session at the 2021 APLU Annual Meeting. With only 3 months before the deadline, visit www.aplu.org/CESAwards and start completing nominations today.



Application Process Open for FSLI's Seventeenth Cohort - Applications are now being accepted for the seventeenth cohort in the Food Systems Leadership Institute starting in the fall of 2021. The Food Systems Leadership Institute (FSLI) offers executive leadership development to upper-level leaders in higher education, government, and industry to prepare them to meet the leadership challenges and opportunities of the future. More information on the FSLI program can be found in the short video on their website. Go to https://fsli.org/apply to apply. For optimal consideration interested parties should apply before March 1! 

Updated Guide to Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches, and Communities - It can be difficult for farmers and ranchers to navigate the wide range of USDA resources and stay up to date with program changes after each Farm Bill. Thanks to the newly updated Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches, and Communities, producers, researchers, nonprofits, and landowners can easily find USDA programs that can help them achieve their goals. For more information, download your free copy of Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches, and Communities.

eXtension Responds to Evolving System Needs for Operational Excellence Online - eXtension Foundation would like to remind Directors & Administrators that all Extension professionals can join Connect Extension regardless of membership in the eXtension Foundation. Extension staff are invited to join the Technology in Extension Education Subgroup to access and contribute resources for delivering Extension programming in a virtual world. Also, for 2021, the Impact Collaborative program is hosting a Leadership series available to members leading teams of five or more. The topics in this series are a result of work with individuals & teams from across Extension wondering: What does effective leadership look like when we no longer have the ability to put a hand on a shoulder? How do we reduce friction, confusion & underperformance for individuals, teams, and organizations? Learn More & Register here.

Upcoming Webinar on Federal Resources for Creative Community Development - On Tuesday, February 9 at 4 p.m. ET, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations, and Metris Arts Consulting are offering a free web seminar on Federal Resources for Creative Community Development. This seminar is designed to help gain access to federal funds and harness the power of arts and culture for community development. The seminar will feature the new Creative Placemaking Public Resources Guide and will discuss a curated selection of federal funding sources that can be used to advance equitable community development, examples of initiatives that have transformed community development through create partnerships, and practical tips on accessing federal grant programs. To view the complete session details and register, click here.

Regional Rural Development Centers Issue Urgent Call for Investment in Rural Broadband

Rural areas still struggling to recover from the 2008 Great Recession may face even greater economic fallout as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While broadband access was critical to the pre-COVID-19 economy, the current crisis dramatically highlights the implications of this digital divide in rural areas. The Regional Rural Development Centers have issued a research-based explanation of why investments in broadband access and education are critical to ensuring that rural areas will be able to compete in the post-COVID-19 economy, and that rural-urban differences and inequities do not become even more pronounced. Read more and respond here.




May National Activities - Be sure to know your regional representatives here.

• Chair Jon Boren (New Mexico State University) will preside on Tuesday, May 12, during the ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee (BLC). Chuck Ross (University of Vermont), ECOP Chair-elect, serves as Vice-Chair. Be sure to know representation by Region. 

• Thursday, May 14, the ECOP Executive Committee holds an enhanced meeting with all ECOP voting members. On the agenda is the 2021 Cooperative Extension Section/ECOP Budget Process and 2020-2023 Strategic Directions. Chair Mark Latimore (Fort Valley State University) will preside.
• The National Office, EDA Team and APLU are gearing up for the arrival of Caroline Crocoll as Executive Director of Cooperative Extension System/ECOP on June 1. 

For more information contact Rick Klemme rickklemme@extension.org.



Summit on Virtual Programming - On the first 2 days of eXtension's recent Impact Collaborative Summit, dozens of small groups from across the system identified immediate needs for Virtual Programming and priority issues. During the Summit, they and looked deeply at ways to progress on key topic areas including Digital Engagement Strategies; Low/No Tech Engagement Strategies; ADA/Accessibility/DEI: Equitable Access Strategies; Virtual/Online Impact & Evaluation Strategies 98% of participants stated that they recommend the Impact Collaborative Summit to their colleagues. On May 15, 2 PM - 3 PM ET, the Summit continues with strategies for working during and post-crisis, Impact Collaborative Innovation Skill-Building tools, and connecting participants with their locally trained Innovation Facilitators. All member insitutions are invited to participate in the final day regardless of past participation. To register for a free account go to connect.extension.org. 




Thrive Rural Awareness - Last month, with the support of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (also funding source of land-grant Well Connected Communities), the Aspen Institute and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute launched Thrive Rural. The two-year project will address the issue of vast diversity of rural expertise and help to modernize rural legislative policy. Due to the initiative's strong emphasis on Public Health, Directors and Administrator should contact either Health Extension Director Roger Rennekamp rogerrennekamp@extension.org or ECOP Member Jason Henderson (Purdue University) jhenderson@purdue.edu, Thrive Rural Steering Committee, for more information.

COVID-19 Proposal and Ideas for Rapid Response for Funding in the Future

On, April 7, 2020, ECOP Budget & Legislative Committee Chair Jon Boren moderated a virtual conversation with Directors and Administrators during PILD. Click here to listen to the 25 minute, to-the-point conversation, COVID-19 Proposal and Ideas for Rapid Response for Funding in the Future; reasons why the proposal was was made; the need to collect impact data and tell stories of Extension's response to crisis; ideas for ECOP to consider on to rapidly respond to budget and legislative initiatives in the future. At the end, Jon Boren invites his colleagues to send him feedback.





Economic and Community Engagement 2020 Webinar Series - The founder of the Rural Learning Exchange Forum, APLU’s Commission on Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) is proud to announce the 2020 CECE Webinar Series Green Economies and Community Engagement. Cooperative Extension Section members who serve on the CECE Executive Committee and the Commission welcome Cooperative Extension colleagues members to join the free webinar series. In an era where climate change, energy innovation, and sustainability initiatives are poised to be an integral part of economic development, the agenda will feature sessions developed by CECE members and their partners addressing a wide variety of programs, projects, and strategies universities deploy to address these particular needs of their economies and communities. The webinar series will take place the second Thursday of every Month from 2:00-3:15 PM EST June-November. Click Here to sign up.



Answering the Call - The Role of Extension After an Emergency - Last week, with the historic Louisiana Flood of August 2016 as their conceptual lens, a Team of Extension Professionals described how their land-grant institution responded to help mitigate future losses and much more. The recording of the highly instructive webinar by Southern University Ag Research and Extension Center is available here. The Team participated in the Impact Collaborative Summit in October 2019 and received a $5,000 grant from eXtension to support their recovery efforts.



Addressing Kids’ Needs During COVID-19 - 55 million school children have been impacted by school closures and need help, especially the 7 million who do not have internet access in the United States. To respond to these Kids needs for a sense of belonging and caring adult mentors, The Fourward Fund was launched to inspire donors and consumers to support Cooperative Extension as it responds to COVID-19. More information can be found through this FOURWARD Fund FAQ document. Assuming the minimum funding level is reached by June 1, Institutions and 4-H Foundations may apply for funding.

1890 and 1862 Extension Leaders Applaud 1994 Colleagues

Doug Steele, APLU VP, (right) presented the ECOP resolution on behalf of Chair Mark Latimore, Jr., Fort Valley State University, who was unable to be present. Dr. David Yarlott, Jr. (left), President, Little Big Horn College, Chair, AIHEC Board of Directors and Carrie L. Billy (center), AIHEC President were the recipients. 

On February 4, 2020, leaders of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) who had gathered in Washington for a Legislative Summit received a resolution from ECOP. ECOP arranged for Brian Kowalkowski, College of Menominee Nation, to serve in an important advisory role representing the 37 tribal institutions, AIHEC and First Americans Land-grant Consortium (FALCON) in 2017. The wording of the resolution (Click Here to view) was sparked by Brian's faithful engagement with the Cooperative Extension System/ECOP and the feedback received from members of the Cooperative Extension Section to the announcement of the recent hallmark anniversary of the 1994 legislation that started USDA's Tribal Extension Program.


Input from Stakeholders on the Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP) Ends 2/15/2020 - Extension Directors and Administrators should know that USDA-NIFA is accepting stakeholder input until Wednesday this week through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NIFA-2020-0001. For more information contact Erin Riley at 816-926-2131 or email at erin.riley@usda.gov. Click here to view the full Federal Register Notice online.


Impact Collaborative Virtual Innovation Facilitator Training - The eXtension Foundation's Impact Collaborative program is hosting a national Innovation Facilitator Training virtually from February 18th - 20th. The registration deadline is February 13, 2020. This training is included with eXtension membership and institutions are invited to register as many faculty/staff members as they'd like to participate. This training will provide individuals with a new way of looking at program and project development (new or existing) to help identify gaps in planning, ensure readiness for implementation, and explore all considerations to maximize local impact. Learn more and register here.


State Ag Departments Comment on USDA Hemp Regulations - Industrial hemp production and processing is growing at a rapid pace across the country. There are a myriad of state and tribal regulations, and USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is in the process of the Establishment of a Domestic Hemp Production Program interim final rule. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) has long been active in promoting the legalization of hemp production across the country and very engaged with AMS in the rule development. NASDA recently released a press release noting the need for state level flexibility in assisting the development in hemp production. See https://www.nasda.org/news/flexibility-for-the-states-is-key-to-hemps-future-says-state-ag-officials for details.


Producers Assistance Program Sign-Up Deadline Approaching - USDA Farm Service Agency's (FSA) enrollment deadline for the Agriculture Risk (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2019 crop year is March 16, 2020. ARC and PLC provide financial/economic protections to farmers/producers. Extension Directors and Administrator are encouraged to promptly spread the word for producers to call their FSA county office and make an appointment soon to ensure their elections are made and contracts are signed well ahead of the deadlines. For more information on ARC and PLC, view the program fact sheet or the 2014-2018 farm bills comparison fact sheet. Online ARC and PLC election decision tools are available at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc.

2020 National Awards Program Launched

Last Friday the nominations for the 2020 National Extension Awards program were opened to all 1890 and 1862 Land-grant institutions. Nominations are open for 3 months until May 1, 2020. Visit www.aplu.org/CESAwards today to learn more and nominate. The Awards include a cash prize and travel stipends to attend a reception and the Board of Agriculture Assembly Awards Session at the 2020 APLU Annual Meeting. NIFA officials and the ECOP Chair will present these prestigious awards before an audience of Extension, research, teaching and administrative faculty. The nominating experience is better than ever with suggestions from experts found in a YouTube recording, Systems Thinking, and Winning Words (26:00 - 36:00) and brand new "Prep" Forms!


Opportunity to Connect to Rural Learning Exchange Forum - Extension Directors and Administrators and their colleagues working in and/or with focus in rural communities are invited to join APLU's Learning Exchange Forum for Rural Engagement for Resilient Communities. Extension's own Mike Gaffney, Washington State University, co-chairs these forums with Sheila Martin. Each month members of the forum exchange best practices; engage philanthropic, private sector, and government funders; and more. Click Here to sign up by February 5, 2020 to connect to this month's forum and beyond, every third Tuesday at Noon ET.

Regional Rural Development Centers Work Spans the Nation - The Regional Rural Development Centers work to advance rural prosperity and strengthen Rural America. Working collaboratively throughout the past year with land-grant universities, Extension, community partners, and local, state and federal agencies, the Regional Rural Development Centers provided 76 workshops/conferences with over 1,200 participants, led 18 multi-state groups on a variety of topics from local foods and rural health to digital literacy and economic development, have published 24 research articles and delivered over 100 presentations. For program highlights from each center and funds leveraged, click here to review on the two-page impact report.

Updates from eXtension - eXtension is pleased to share highlights from 2019 including its progress on the New Technologies for Agricultural Extension Cooperative Agreement, the Pesticide Safety Education Funds Management Program, and the Impact Collaborative. Additionally, for 2020, eXtension's Impact Collaborative will be moving to a virtual format after listening to suggestions and input from members across Cooperative Extension. Unlike previous years, there are no restrictions on the number of individuals or teams that can participate in our Innovation Facilitator Training or Summits. The Innovation Facilitator training is February 18-20; more information and registration is available here. The Impact Collaborative Summits are scheduled April 28-29 and October 13-14. Registration will be available for the Summits at a later time.

Turning Toward 2020

The ECOP Monday Minute returns on January 6, 2020.

Last Chance to Register - Use the last issue of the ECOP Monday Minute as the source for the links to register for 2 webinar interviews, 11AM and 2PM ET, 12/17/19 - tomorrow, with the candidates for Cooperative Extension/ECOP Executive Director. The ECOP Search Advisory Committee values the input into this key decision by the Cooperative Extension Section for 2020 and beyond. A Qualtrics survey will be released immediately following the candidate interviews. The Committee's recommendation is to be shared with the ECOP Executive Committee during their Zoom meeting on January 9, 2020, 11:00 a.m. ET. 

Save January Date - Positioning 4-H and Extension for Investment - Recently the ECOP Executive Committee rescheduled the popular Learning for Leader Series from Friday, January 3 to January 10, 2020, 3-4:00 p.m. ET. Please save the date and watch for a calendar invitation to all members of the Section with connection details. Andy Ferrin (National 4-H Council) will present a comprehensive overview of 4-H and its many assets, including a recent national survey of 4-H Alumni outcomes. The presentation will be followed by a conversation on how Cooperative Extension can position its high-quality 4-H programs for growth --and for increased investment from public and private sources.

eXtension Hosts 3^rd National Impact Collaborative Summit - 21 Project and Program teams across Cooperative Extension representing 24 institutions attended the Impact Collaborative in Atlanta for a unique opportunity to create impactful results by increasing Cooperative Extension's organizational readiness and capacity for innovation and change. Teams were connected with skills, tools, resources, Coaches, Facilitators, and Key Informants that helped expand and deepen their impact. Evaluation results demonstrate team growth, uncovered gaps, new ideas, and new or increased innovation for participants and teams. 93.2% of responding participants recommend the Impact Collaborative Summit to others. The 2020 Impact Collaborative Summits will be delivered virtually, removing the limit on the number of teams that eXtension members can send to participate. The full report is available at eXtension.org/success.



NIFA Highlights Research, Education, and Extension Successes of 2019 - One of the many ways USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture communicates the value of the science, education, and extension investments with our Land-Grant Universities to the general public and to Congress is through our year end success report. The 2019 accomplishment report can be found at https://nifa.usda.gov/blog/nifa-successes-2019
There are numerous ways to connect with NIFA including:
   • NIFA Programs: https://nifa.usda.gov/programs
   • NIFA Search for Funding Opportunities: https://nifa.usda.gov/page/search-grant
   • NIFA Grants (information for awardees): https://nifa.usda.gov/grants
   • NIFA Data Gateway: https://www.nifa.usda.gov/data
   • Sign up for Weekly Updates: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDANIFA/subscriber/new?qsp=USDANIFA_2

Extension Journal, Inc (EJI) Adopts New Strategic Plan - The Extension Journal, Inc (EJI) recently adopted a new strategic plan. The 5-year plan focuses on 4 main priority areas: 1) developing a more efficient, streamlined, and sustainable Journal of Extension editorial model; 2) improving the JOE website user experiences with new dynamic features; 3) expanding partnerships, collaboration and communications around both JOE and Extension Jobs; and 4) establishing financial stability. Since ratifying the new strategic plan in September, the board has focused considerable effort on development of the new editorial model, which includes volunteer associates and more closely aligns with the model used by most academic journals. EJI plans to unveil this new model in the coming months. Ami Smith, West Virginia State University, is the ECOP Liaison and President-elect to EJI Board of Directors.

Welcome Florencia Drumwright

The ECOP Monday Minute will return on December 9, 2019 - Happy Thanksgiving!

On November 18, Florencia Drumwright joined Executive Director Rick Klemme and Assistant Director Sandy Ruble at the Cooperative Extension/ECOP Office. As the Program Associate, Florencia has begun to assist Sandy and Rick with an array of administrative support for special projects and meetings. In the Office of Food, Agriculture, & Natural Resources at APLU, the majority of her work will be with the Board on Human Sciences (BoHS) and Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET). Florencia graduated from Marymount University with a B.S. in Health Sciences and is currently a MPH student at the University of Vermont. Before joining APLU, Florencia worked as an agent of Medicaid serving high risk populations. Welcome Florencia - 202-478-6093, fdrumwright@aplu.org.


The Next Generation of eXtension Technology - eXtension has adopted new technologies to better support the Cooperative Extension System. With the success of its legacy tools such as Ask An Expert and Articles, eXtension is looking to the future by bringing in commercially available tools and technology services, and making those available to Cooperative Extension. These tools include a new social intranet and professional development platform, WordPress sites for multi-state and national projects, an online version of the Impact Collaborative's Innovation Skill-Building methodology for members, and several new eFieldbooks. Additionally, eXtension has launched a new national initiative, Ask Extension, that leverages AI and machine learning to serve as the next generation tool for connecting the public with Extension expertise and their local Extension professionals. Learn more here.

2017 Census of Agriculture Special Study Data Released - USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently released the data from the first 2017 Census of Agriculture Special Study, the Irrigation and Water Management Survey. The full report, press release, and Highlights publication are available on the NASS website. Aquaculture is the next census special study to be released, scheduled for December 19. Census of Agriculture products continue to be made available. Currently online are State and County Profiles, Congressional District Profiles and Rankings, Ag Census Web Maps, Zip Code Tabulations, Watersheds, American Indian Reservations, and Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Profiles. The census Specialty Crops report will be available December 5.

Trust In Food Symposium - With a focus on helping farmers scale conservation agriculture, reconnecting the public to agriculture, or both, the 2020 Trust In Food Symposium will take place Jan. 29-30, 2020. at the Hilton Downtown Chicago Hotel. Extension Directors and Administrators are invited to join executives from across the agri-food value chain representing academia, farms, ranches, conservation NGOs, government agencies, agribusinesses, food companies, food retailers, technology firms and more. This year’s theme is Bridges Over Barriers and will focus on actionable steps we can be taking to accelerate positive economic, environmental and social outcomes for farmers and the public in conservation and natural resource stewardship. For more information or to register, visit www.TrustInFood.com/Symposium.

Building Relationships News

Cooperative Extension is a relational system that leverages public investment with a wide range of partnerships. Likewise, on behalf of the entire Cooperative Extension Section (CES), ECOP maintains a number of mutually beneficial relationships with partner organizations including its collective dealings with the APLU. Recent relational assignments include:

• Brian Kowalkowski, College of the Menominee Nation, 1994 Tribal Colleges
• Allen Wysocki, University of Florida, Academic Programs Committee on Organization and Policy (ACOP)
• Karla Trautman, South Dakota State University, CES/ECOP representative to the Communications and Marketing Committee
• Rich Bonanno, North Carolina State University, CES/ECOP representative to the BAA Committee on Legislation and Policy
• Beverly Durgan, University of Minnesota, ECOP Liaison to the Joint Committee of Extension Professionals (JCEP) and Chair of the International Extension Committee
• Ami Smith, West Virginia State University, ECOP Liaison to the Journal of Extension, Extension Journal Inc. Board of Directors
• Mike O’Neill, University of Connecticut, ECOP co-liaison to the LEAD 21 Board of Directors
• Mike Gaffney, Washington State University, ECOP Budget & Legislative Committee

Please join ECOP Chair Ed Jones in thanking these people and their respective administrations for stepping up to their voluntary national duties. ECOP in relationship with the five Regional Associations, devotes a total of 3.25 FTE from EDA Team to staff the complexities of these national relationships.

Well Connected Communities Wave 2 Pre-award Request for Applications: Informational Call - As reported earlier here and here, Wave 2 funding of Well Connected Communities, is coming soon! Today ECOP and National 4-H Council (Council), through a competitive grant opportunity from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), announces a special informational call on September 5, 2019 from 2:00 – 3:00 PM ET to learn more about the Well Connected Communities initiative pre-award Request for Applications (RFA) submission process. All Land-Grant Universities (LGUs) and the Cooperative Extension System within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories are invited to Click Here to register and become part of the groundbreaking health initiatives of Cooperative Extension and anticipated funding from RWJF; helping to drive transformational change to create the conditions that will foster a Culture of Health in communities across America. Note: The RFA will be posted before the call on September 5. Stay tuned to the ECOP Monday Minute for information on where to access the RFA. Questions can be directed to Shay McNeil at Council; smcneil@fourhcouncil.edu, 301-961-2858.

National eXtension Impact Collaborative Summit - The Cooperative Extension Section is reminded that a national Impact Collaborative Summit, with the benefit of five free registrations for each eXtension membership, is coming on October 15 - 17, 2019 to Atlanta, GA. The registration deadline is September 20, 2019. Additional project or program teams or team members are welcome to join with payment of a registration fee. Summits are designed to catalyze teams in their various stages of either planning or implementation. This includes individualized support to help propel teams through their journey towards launching their project or program. Click here to learn more, and visit here to learn more about team results and success stories.


New Strategy to Reach Stakeholders - Positive, effective outreach to new and existing stakeholders is at the core of any community-based, educational program such as Extension. Projects in Iowa and Nebraska celebrate current owners of unclaimed, mid-1800s land granted by the federal government to states to establish a university. Both have resulted in extensive, positive visibility for Iowa State University (ISU) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and their respective Extension function. Ray Hansen, Program Manager, ISU Extension and Outreach, coordinated the Iowa Land-Grant Legacy Project which launched in September 2016 at the Clay County Fair. Nebraska followed Iowa’s lead in 2019 under the leadership of Chuck Hibberd, Nebraska Extension Dean and Director. Nebraska Land-Grant Connects maps 135,000 land-grant acres, the sale or lease of which contributed to opening university doors in Lincoln 150 years ago. Current efforts in Nebraska focus on county and state fair recognitions of landowners, some of which have retained the land in one family for more than 150 years. A special emphasis is placed on past and current connections to the university as a student, 4-H member or other means.

Rural Program Funding Opportunity for Cooperative Extension ONLY: Opioids

The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), building on a collaboration with USDA, is accepting applications for fiscal year 2019 Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Grants (Short Title: ROTA). The purpose of this program is to develop and disseminate training and technical assistance for rural communities adversely affected by opioid use disorder (OUD). USDA Cooperative Extension Service grantees will facilitate the identification of model programs, develop and update materials related to the prevention, treatment and recovery activities for OUD, and ensure that high-quality training is provided. ROTA grant applications are due by June 7, 2019. Note: FY18 ROTA grantees are not eligible to apply. See https://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/ti-19-010 for more details.

Register for the CECE-CoR Joint Summer Meeting - Cooperative Extension Directors and Administrators are encouraged to attend the APLU Commission on Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) Summer Meeting, June 16-19, 2019. This meeting is an excellent opportunity to learn more about mutually beneficial Extension-CECE partnerships and the Council on Research (APLU VPs for research). The keynote speaker will be Antoine Van Agtmael, co-author of The Smartest Places on Earth: Why Rustbelts are the Emerging Hotspots of Global Innovation. In the book, Van Agtmael shows how onetime rust-belt areas in the U.S. and Europe are emerging as new centers for innovation - including sharing between research universities and corporations, physical spaces that encourage collaboration, and environments that attract talent. APLU’s 6th Annual Innovation & Economic Prosperity Universities workshop will also take place during the meeting. Learn more and register here.

Coming Together for Racial Understanding Pilot Initiative Survey Results - As reported earlier, on August 27-31, 2018, teams of three from 20 states participated in the first cohort group of Coming Together for Racial Understanding. The purpose of the training is to build capacity within Cooperative Extension Service (CES) to help communities engage in civil dialogues around racial issues. The week-long training was designed to prepare participants to build capacity within their home states’ CES, working across the borders of the Land-Grant Universities within a given state (where there are multiple LGUs within a state). Plans for a second workshop are underway; tentatively set for October 2019. Click Here for review survey results. This training initiative is endorsed and co-funded by ECOP ($12,000 spent in 2018; up to $20,000 pledged in 2019).

Land-Grant Impact Database Product Showcased - This week, ECOP showcases Minimizing Pesticides to Maximize Crop, Land Benefits. Directors and Administrators are encouraged to download and share this fact sheet for institutional, state, and local marketing and communication efforts in communities that care about this topic. This fact sheet was developed from the impact statements that are submitted by the Land-Grant University Extension and Research community. "Environmental Stewardship" is just 1 of 6 areas of impact areas found on the website. An equally important way to maximize the investment into the Impact Database  ($15,000/year by Cooperative Extension Section; matched by Experiment Station Section) is to ensure that impact statements are submitted into the database. An excellent overview and training resource of how to do this is available at https://youtu.be/FNrU_qNXvk8.

eXtension Hosts National Impact Collaborative Summit - Twenty-eight Project and Program teams across Cooperative Extension representing 36 institutions attended the Impact Collaborative in Atlanta for a unique opportunity to create impactful results at the local level by increasing Cooperative Extension's organizational readiness and capacity for innovation and change. Teams were connected with skills, tools, resources, and partners that helped expand and deepen their impact. Six teams received pre-approved applications for a $5,000 grant to bring new capacity to their projects, and 22 teams have been invited to apply for a separate $5,000 grant. The next Impact Collaborative Summit will be held from October 15th - 17th, 2019 in Atlanta, GA. Stay tuned to the ECOP Monday Minute and eXtension.org/summit to learn more.

ECOP Assigns Hadley to National 4-H Congress

Gregg Hadley,
Kansas State University

ECOP thanks Gregg Hadley, Kansas State University Director of Extension, for accepting an appointment to represent the Cooperative Extension Section and to serve high school aged learners on the National 4-H Congress Board of Advisors. The first National 4-H Congress was held almost 100 years ago in Chicago, where over 100 young people met to exchange ideas and receive recognition for individual accomplishments and community service. Congress grew to include exhibits, demonstrations and a parade, with the participation of delegates, Extension staff, volunteers, partner representatives, exhibitors and other friends of 4-H. The event moved to Atlanta in 1998. This year the dates are November 29 – December 3. To learn more about what delegates will experience while participating in 2019 Congress, stay tuned here.

Irrigation Survey Extended Through April - Please let producers know that the deadline for the Irrigation & Water Management Survey was extended through April – every response matters! Producers can respond online or by mail. The Irrigation survey will provide a single source of comprehensive, up-to-date information on irrigation and water use across the agricultural industry; the results will aid efforts to promote efficient irrigation practices. This is the last week to respond to the Census of Aquaculture! This census is the only comprehensive source of information on the aquaculture industry in the nation; the data serve as the baseline for many decisions involving the sustainability and growth of U.S. aquaculture. For more information, visit www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus or call (202) 690-8123.


Awards Tied to Reporting Land-grant Extension Impacts -

Screenshot of the online submission form for the Extension Diversity Award.

All Extension leaders should know that while submitting a nomination for the National Excellence in Extension or the Diversity Award, nominators must agree to also submit an impact statement into the National Impacts Database www.landgrantimpacts.org. The deadline to submit is 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, May 1, 2019. For more information contact is Sandy Ruble, sandyruble@extension.org. 

Impact Collaborative Registration Deadline is Approaching - The Cooperative Extension Section is reminded that a national Impact Collaborative Summit, with the benefit of five free registrations for each eXtension membership, is coming on April 30 - May 2, 2019 to Atlanta, GA. The registration deadline is April 7, 2019. The event is the first of two national Impact Collaborative Summits in 2019. Additional project or program teams or team members are welcome to join with payment of a registration fee. Summits are designed to catalyze teams in their various stages of either planning or implementation. This includes individualized support to help propel teams through their journey towards launching their project or program. Click here to learn more or contact CEO Chris Geith, christinegeith@eXtension.org.

Top: Career Impact Awardees: Barbara Brown | Oklahoma State University;
Charlotte Cross | University of New Hampshire (Retired)

Bottom: Early Career Achievement Awardees:
Jacquelyn Benson | University of Missouri-Columbia;
Heather Wallace | University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Family Life Specialists Recognized - Please congratulate four Family Life Extension Specialists who were recognized with awards during the recent Federal Update and Family Life Specialists’ Awards webinar held on February 26, 2019. The National Awards are awarded to state Extension specialists who have made important contributions to the work of Cooperative Extension and who provide clear evidence of program impacts. These awards honor research-based programming that is effective at improving people's quality of life and well-being and are given annually in partnership with NIFA’s Division of Family & Consumer Sciences.

National Awards - What Directors and Administrators Need to Know

The 2019 National Extension Awards program offered by ECOP in partnership with USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) began February 1. The deadline to submit nominations is May 1.  Last Friday's Next Generation Extension – Learning for Leaders, National Extension Awards, Systems Thinking, and Winning Words, is available for review at https://youtu.be/k7zLKEB2q8s. Top comments from the session: Start process EARLY, there are many benefits to nominating, use a more systematic approach, resubmit nominations from past years, add value with quotes.  Click Here to View/Download the slides. Contact information for the experts Ann Kellett and Suzanne Deatherage is found on the last slide. Go to www.aplu.org/CESAwards to begin. Direct nomination process questions to Sandy Ruble sandyruble@extension.org.

Go to: bit.ly/AboutCoopExt

2019 Cooperative Extension Infographic - To use for relationship building and awareness at local, state and national levels, Directors and Administrators are invited to share the 2019 ECOP Infographic, available at bit.ly/AboutCoopExt. This evolving document will gradually be improved over time to align with the Cooperative Extension Section Strategic Agenda www.aplu.org/CESagenda and the future of Extension. The contact is National Office Executive Director Rick Klemme rickklemme@extension.org.



4-H Grows FAQ - The 4-H Grows Engagement Campaign has developed a resource to support the discussions that are planned with Extension Directors and Administrators following January's "Next Generation Extension: Learning for Leaders" session on the 4-H Brand. The 4-H Grows Engagement Campaign FAQ is available now and will also be distributed to state 4-H program and fundraising leadership across the country prior to the opportunity institutions will have to re-invest or invest for the first time in 4-H Grows, beginning this March. Contact Jen McIver, Vice President, Field Marketing and Partnerships, jmciver@fourhcouncil.edu.

Impact Collaborative Innovation Facilitator Training - By popular demand, eXtension will host a second Innovation Facilitator Training March 12-14, 2019 in Atlanta. Click here to listen to what some of the 41 newest Innovation Facilitators had to say about the January session. The training for one Facilitator is at no cost to 2019 member institutions, and includes travel, lodging, meals, and registration. Additional Facilitators are welcome; a registration fee will apply and the additional costs are at the responsibility of the member institution. Registration deadline: February 18, 2019. Direct Facilitator Training questions to Ashley Griffin at agriffin@eXtension.org. Direct 2019 eXtension member inquires to Chris Geith at christinegeith@eXtension.org.

Well Connected Communities Launches Web Site to Help Cultivate Wellness Across the U.S.

The Cooperative Extension System, in partnership with National 4-H Council and support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is working to equip volunteer leaders to help their neighbors be healthier at every stage of life through the Well Connected Communities (WCC) initiative. Recently, a new website for the WCC effort was developed and is now up and running. Visitors to the site can learn more about the public health priorities being addressed by each community and how local health councils, comprised of both youth and adults, are working to develop and implement action plans. The site also features a variety of resource documents that include webinars, curriculum, a communications toolkit and other interactive tools to help build a culture of health. Information on the website, including the resources and community progress, will be updated on a regular basis to track the momentum of this growing effort. Please direct any questions about the WCC to Michelle Rodgers, Well Connected Communities national project director.

2019 Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) - Registration is open for institutional teams for the Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Conference, sponsored by the Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP). The PILD conference will take place in Arlington Virginia on April 14-17, 2019. A pre-Conference webinar for all registered participants will be held on March 14 at 2:00 p.m. ET. The webinar will help team members prepare for a successful conference and visit to Washington DC. PILD is a professional development opportunity open to all Extension professionals and volunteers interested in learning leadership and advocacy skills that effect public policy issues important to Extension. In addition to nationally recognized keynote speakers, the conference features breakout sessions focusing on successful Public Issues Education programs. PILD attendees will prepare for visits to their federal congressional representatives and senators. For more information and registration details go to https://www.jcep.org/pild.

Report to ECOP from the Extension Opioid Crisis Response Workgroup - In previous posts in February and April 2018, the Extension Opioid Crisis Response Workgroup (EOCRW) provided updates regarding its efforts to help develop a strategic plan for Extension’s involvement to help address the opioid crisis. The EOCRW has completed its work, which culminated in a final report for ECOP. In addition, EOCRW compiled resources for those within the land grant system interested in assisting with the crisis. These resources include information about eight opioid programs currently being used within Extension, potential partners and funding sources, extensive literature review, EOCRW planning session report, and summary results of a nationwide survey of Extension leadership to collect information about existing behavioral health programs. These resources are available at the Opioid Response website. Contact Mark Skidmore (mskidmor@msu.edu) for more information.

eXtension Trains 41 New Innovation Facilitators - eXtension's Impact Collaborative held its Innovation Facilitator Training last week in Atlanta, GA. Forty-one Cooperative Extension professionals representing 28 institutions completed initial learning and application of the Impact Collaborative methodology. Their skills will help them lead innovation skill-building experiences at state or institutional events and at the national Impact Collaborative Summits. Upon completion of the training, eXtension will work directly with its trained Facilitators and institutional leadership teams to design a local event that helps project and program teams find innovative ways to advance local impact. To learn more about scheduling a statewide or institution-wide event, please contact Chris Geith at christinegeith@eXtension.org. For a listing of our newest Facilitators, please click here.

BoHS and CAFCS Meeting March 5-8, 2019 in Arlington, VA

The ECOP Monday Minute returns January 28 to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Extension Directors and Administrators and their colleagues are invited to the Board on Human Sciences (BoHS) and the Council of Administrators of Family and Consumer Sciences (CAFCS) Joint Meeting, The Human Sciences’ Role in Promoting Rural Prosperity and Quality of Life. Participants will take a closer look at issues confronting rural communities throughout the country—opioid addiction, mental and physical wellness, affordable housing, and discrimination revolving around sexual/gender orientation—and the unique role of the Human Sciences to research, educate, and engage our communities to promote the science and art of living well in our complex world. Click here to view a meeting schedule. Registration details:  http://www.cvent.com/d/qbqjqw.



National Extension Awards Request for Nominations Begins 2/1/19 - Save the date of Friday, February 1, 2019, 3-4:00 p.m. ET for the Next Generation Extension - Learning for Leaders Zoom Meeting. ECOP Members Carolyn Williams, Prairie View A&M University, and Vonda Richardson, Florida State A&M University, will join Chair Ed Jones, Virginia Tech, to launch the annual call for nominations. Colleagues who have succeeded with nominations will be invited to share their experiences and given ample time to ask questions. The 1-hour session will feature a segment on "Winning Words" from experienced writers Suzanne Deatherage and Ann Kellett (formerly from Texas A&M University). Directors and Administrators are encouraged to participate and share the invitation with associates with responsibility for preparing award nominations. Stay tuned to email for connection details.


Announcement and Action Item: True Leaders in Equity Institute - The newly formed True Leaders in Equity Institute will equip 26 youth-adult pairs to be change agents within the Cooperative Extension System as it seeks to create a more inclusive environment for all youth. Youth and adults who exhibit the following characteristics are invite to apply to participate in this three-day convening and training at the National 4-H Conference Center in Chevy Chase, MD, April 5-7, 2019.

•   Aged 15 and up 
•   A desire to champion equity in your community 
•   A passion for an experience to create belonging for marginalized groups 
•   Connection to the Cooperative Extension System through 4-H, Well Connected Communities, SNAP-ED volunteering, National Mentoring Project volunteering or other Extension programs 

Applications available at www.4-h.org/trueleadersinequity are due February 2, 2019. Interested parties may register to join the Q&A call January 17, 2019, 2:00 p.m. ET, for additional information and/or inquire with Dr. Dorothy Freeman, Equity Director, National 4-H Council, at dfreeman@fourhcouncil.edu.

eXtension's Impact Collaborative: Statewide and Institution-Wide Events - eXtension members are invited to schedule an Innovation Skill-Building experience by state or institution to help develop innovative programs to strengthen local and statewide impact. Members provide their own venue, food, and teams. eXtension provides the staffing and support for prior planning with leadership teams on designing an experience contextualized to specifically meet each members' needs. Plus during the event, eXtension works with project and program teams on building skills in innovation, ideating using design thinking and lean experimentation methodology, and helping the teams create action plans for their projects and programs ready for incubation. To learn more about scheduling an event, please click here or contact Chris Geith at christinegeith@eXtension.org.

New Report: Social Mobility in Rural America

Social mobility is often determined by where you’re born: 43% of children born into families at the lowest income levels remain at those income levels as adults. A newly released joint study, Social Mobility in Rural America, by The Bridgespan Group and National 4-H Council, in partnership with Cooperative Extension, offers a close-up view of rural communities whose young people are climbing the income ladder. It reveals six common factors that seem to support young people’s economic advancement in these high-opportunity places—factors that other communities might build on.


Deadline Approaching for Comment Period for 2020 Capacity Budget - The USDA-NIFA Office of Budget and Management (OMB) seeks feedback and comments from land-grant institution stakeholders by 5:00 p.m. ET December 15, 2018. This is a follow up to the letter from Rick Klemme sent on November 13. Extension Directors and Administrator are strongly encouraged to respond! CLICK HERE to learn more. OMB contacts for this effort are Erin Daly (edaly@nifa.usda.gov) or Maggie Ewell (Margaret.ewell@nifa.usda.gov).

eXtension Facilitation Training and Development - Registration is now open for the January 2019 Impact Collaborative Innovation Facilitator Training & Development. This eXtension member benefit allows for each Director or Administrator to appoint one individual from your institution to be trained in the Impact Collaborative innovation skill-building process. Registration, travel, lodging, meals/per diem are provided by eXtension. Deadline for registration is December 21, 2018 and institutions must have membership status for 2019. Facilitators help bring new state-wide contextualized innovation to the Cooperative Extension System. The invitation with a promo code for the one free registration was released to members recently. Contact Aaron Weibe at aaronweibe@eXtension.org if your institution did not receive one. Go to the website for more information.

Unlocking Potential Webinar: Engaging young people in community change -
When? December 11 at 3:00 PM ET
How? Register Here
Young people are key players leading community change to achieve greater results. Directors and Administrators are invited to join co-hosts from the Well Connected Communities initiative (including our colleagues from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps) to learn how communities across the country are forming youth-adult partnerships to facilitate innovative ideas to improve health and advance equity. During this webinar youth and field experts will share ways in which young people are informing decisions and taking action. Well Connected Communities is a nationwide effort to cultivate wellness led by the Cooperative Extension System in partnership with National 4-H Council and support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.


USDA-NASS Census Special Studies – Please help spread the word to Producers: two Census of Agriculture Special Studies will be conducted this winter. As part of the Census of Agriculture program, both are conducted once every five years. Everyone who receives a report form is required to respond (Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105-113), even if they did not operate a farm in 2018. The 2018 Census of Aquaculture expands on the data collected during the Census of Agriculture and provides a comprehensive picture of the aquaculture sector. The Census of Aquaculture mails out December 17. Deadline for response is January 14. The Irrigation and Water Management Survey (formerly the Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey) will be mailed on January 3 to a sample of farmers who indicated on their Census of Agriculture that they use irrigation on their operation and has a deadline to respond by February 15. For more information and/or promotion tools, visit www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.