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Tuskegee Public Dialogue Team strengthens project planning through Impact Collaborative

“The Impact Collaborative provided an excellent space for this team to collaborate on and develop their project with a network of experienced Extension professionals and find innovative ways to build off the work from the Coming Together for Racial Understanding cohort. Even more amazing has been their ability to adapt what they have gained from the Impact Collaborative and apply it to local issues. At each Impact Collaborative experience, the team has returned to Tuskegee University with a more developed project plan, and the opportunities they’ve had with the Impact Collaborative has helped shape a better vision for addressing this strategic priority. Their experience has also helped us to develop outcomes related to critical dialogue across all of our programming.” – Dr. Raymon Shange, Interim Assistant Dean for Cooperative Extension at Tuskegee University. 

Background on the Tuskegee Public Dialogue Team

Alabama, like much of the Southern Black Belt exhibits a deep need for racial understanding and equity. Formally beginning with the appointment in 1906 of Thomas Monroe Campbell as the first extension agent in the United States, the Tuskegee University Cooperative Extension Program (TUCEP) maintains a rich tradition of serving limited resource and underserved audiences who grapple first hand with hardships of structural racism. Through the establishment of the Tuskegee Public Dialogue Team, TUCEP is building internal capacities to help communities engage in civil dialogue around racial issues and their intersections with the food system. 

In 2016, the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) recognized a need to explore ways Cooperative Extension could respond to the need for improving race relations across the nation. Through their thoughtful leadership, the Rapid Response Team on Civil Discourse on Race Relations formed to explore existing efforts within the Cooperative Extension Service, catalogue resources available, and recommend next steps for building capacity. Tuskegee University Cooperative Extension Program (TUCEP) responded by sending a specialist to the first cohort group of Coming Together for Racial Understanding Train the Trainer event.

Following the training, the Tuskegee Public Dialogue Team (TPDT) was formed. The team includes Lindsey Lunsford, Sustainable Food Systems Resource Specialist and eXtension Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fellow; Sheila De-Heer, Carver Integrative Sustainability Center (CISC) Intern; Danielle Smith, Sustainable Food Systems Resource Specialist; and Marquess James, Sustainable Food Systems Resource Specialist.

The TPDT focuses on building capacity within the Tuskegee University Cooperative Extension Program to help communities engage in civil dialogue around racial issues and their intersections with the food system. This project represents an integrative community-based public dialogue program tailored for the Black Belt region that produces community assessments enabling a platform for action unlike programs that overlook the impacts of the race within community understanding. 

A key aim of this project is to chart a course for Extension to become more relevant in the Black Belt Region. This program builds upon a fundamental element of effective Cooperative Extension programming: the need for community input to design programs. The program’s design is to gather members of the community from diverse demographics and hold space for their individual contributions, representing the inclusivity and equity sought by the initiative. The TPDT project represents an innovative way to reach clientele by bringing diverse levels of Extension and community to the table at once. 

Leveraging the Impact Collaborative

The TPDT traveled to the first national Impact Collaborative Summit to establish a clear project roadmap for creating a program aimed at helping communities engage in civil dialogue around racial issues. According to Lunsford, “we were a newly established team and the Impact Collaborative was one of our first joint outings as a group. At the October 2018 Impact Collaborative Summit, the ‘why statements’ through the Impact Collaborative’s Innovation Skill-Building workbook helped us formulate and solidify our guiding ideas. We also worked with Renée Wallace, one of the Impact Collaborative’s Key Informants, through a concept-mapping activity that helped us better visualize our project.”

At that Summit, the TPDT had the opportunity to present their program to a panel of Extension leaders and external partners at a “PitchFest.” Teams participating in the PitchFest not only gained valuable feedback from the panel and their peers across Extension, but teams that are most-ready to implement their projects and programs had the chance to secure an opportunity for strategic support. For the TPDT, their success at the PitchFest awarded them a free trip to the April 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit, and consulting from eXtension’s Partnership Development team consisting of Teresa Hogue, Andrea Hernandez, and Lynn Luckow. 

The Partnership Development team provided advice on developing a suite of investment partners and worked to link the TPDT with potential partnership opportunities. 

The TPDT used their experience with the Impact Collaborative to continue to deepen their project development. “After the Summit, we reviewed our curriculum to decide the best format for this project. We were doing a lot of research on different methods of public dialogue and different curriculums to help solidify our approach. We also used the time to do some internal practice and piloting, leading up to creating a more finalized plan,” said Lunsford. 

Refining their project plans

The team traveled to the April 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit to further strengthen their project planning as they moved towards launching their project. This Summit was designed to provide greater one-on-one support to project and program teams than the previous Summit, including a coach for each team, the opportunity to access a graphic artist and a concept-mapping coach to help visualize, connect, and identify gaps in their project planning, and several Key Informants on staff with subject-matter-expertise in specialized areas. 

According to Lunsford, “the visualization stations at this Summit was very helpful in creating a new way of looking at our project. This Summit also gave us the chance to realign our strategic vision after our first experience and reevaluate our direction a second time before we continued to move forward.”

The culminating event of the April 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit was an opportunity for teams to present their projects and programs to a panel of Extension leaders and external partners at a “LaunchFest.” Similar to the PitchFest in October 2018, teams participating in the LaunchFest not only gained valuable feedback from the panel and their peers across Extension, but teams that are most-ready to implement their projects and programs have the chance to secure an opportunity for funding. As a result of their presentation at the LaunchFest, the TPDT received a pre-approved application for a $5000 grant funded by eXtension to move their project towards implementation.

Piloting the TPDT Project

The TPDT project is beginning by mapping internal assets within CISC and TUCEP to identify stakeholders willing to participate in the initial pilot dialogues series. The pilot phase of the project serves as an opportunity to assess the best frameworks and practices to use when engaging internal communities. Following the pilot phase, there will be a subsequent rollout of the external community-focused phases of the project. 

Reflecting on her experience with the Impact Collaborative, Lunsford shared “the experience and the chance to focus alongside Extension leaders and the Impact Collaborative’s support networks outside of our regular environment was extremely valuable. The synergy and the cohesion of the Impact Collaborative national community has provided a better way to connect across Extension.”

About the eXtension Foundation

The eXtension Foundation is a membership-based non-profit designed to be the engine fueling U.S. Cooperative Extension’s advancement in making a more visible and measurable impact in support of education outreach from land-grant universities/colleges located in every state and territory. eXtension provides an array of opportunities for Extension professionals that foster innovation creation, the adoption of innovations at member institutions, and increased impact of Extension programs.

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University of Vermont Extension team leverages eXtension’s Impact Collaborative, new connections, to deepen project development

“One of UVM Extension’s strategic priorities is to find new ways to create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable atmosphere within our system and our program planning. We leveraged the opportunity to send members from our diversity committee to participate with eXtension’s Impact Collaborative. Their involvement with the Impact Collaborative provided connections to resources and contacts like the Carver Center at Tuskegee, creative ideas to build out their work plan, guidance on developing outcomes for their project, and metrics to support them.” – Chuck Ross, Director of Extension at the University of Vermont

Vermont DEI, a project team from the University of Vermont Extension (UVM), is promoting a shift in culture within their Cooperative Extension service and its programs to embrace and operationalize a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive atmosphere, recognizing multiple dimensions of identity and experience. The team is part of a 11-person committee from UVM focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, consisting of program and administrative staff and faculty. 

The goal of their work is to shift their organization towards a culture of belonging for UVM staff, faculty, and service-users regardless of their position, identity, and experience. This project has an internal focus and is looking to grow capacity to bring emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion to all external programs. The team is engaging critical internal stakeholders in conversations and learning activities to ensure that programs are more accessible. 

Joining the Impact Collaborative

The team first joined eXtension’s Impact Collaborative in October, 2018, at the first national Impact Collaborative Summit. That team included Cheryl Herrick, Communications & Office Manager; Alison Nihart, Strategic Implementation Specialist; and Sarah Kleinman Director of 4-H, Farmworker & Family Education Programs. Nihart also serves as a trained Innovation Facilitator with the Impact Collaborative.

A strategic priority for UVM Extension, the team had the support of their Extension Director to participate in the Impact Collaborative as an opportunity for deep engagement into this project. According to Herrick,“UVM Extension has a long history with a diversity committee with the purpose of increasing access along multiple dimensions of difference. After several iterations since the 1990s, we had a new Extension Director at the helm and he was very dialed in to the national conversation, including the American conversation and the Extension & Land-Grant conversation; he was able to see the opportunity to engage in this in a new way… we joined the Impact Collaborative with his encouragement as we are all passionate about building our capacity to be more effective in addressing inequity and injustice.”

At the October 2018 Impact Collaborative Summit, teams participated in an Innovation Skill-Building experience to help catalyze innovation in their program planning, informed by resources and expertise made available at the event. “We were walked through steps that asked a lot of different questions, and we ended up with a more complex set of answers than we may have otherwise received elsewhere. For me, the most important thing was being in the room with our national cohort. The coaches, Key Informants, eXtension Staff, and the fact we had historically white and historically black institutions in the same space able to talk to each other about how we are seeing these issues provided a transformative experience,” said Herrick. 

At that Summit, the team had the opportunity to present their program to a panel of Extension leaders and external partners at a “PitchFest.” Teams participating in the PitchFest not only gained valuable feedback from the panel and their peers across Extension, but teams that are most-ready to implement their projects and programs had the chance to secure an opportunity for strategic support. For the Vermont DEI team, their success at the PitchFest awarded them a free trip to the April 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit, and strategic coaching support from eXtension’s Partnership Development team consisting of Teresa Hogue, Andrea Hernandez, and Lynn Luckow. 

Strategic coaching support with the team focused on strengthening goals and anticipated outcomes of the Summit; clarifying external partner benefits and opportunities for sponsorship; and, defining considerations for future programming.

In addition to working with eXtension’s Partnership Development team, the team had the opportunity to connect with Dr. Shatomi Luster-Edward, eXtension’s 2018 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fellow. “Dr. Luster-Edward was really helpful in providing grounding and framing as we worked through our planning at the October 2018 Impact Collaborative Summit. She especially encouraged us to include the framework around building emotional intelligence as part of the internal culture shift we’re looking for,” said Herrick.

Continuing to Build Upon their Framework 

The team joined the Impact Collaborative again at the April 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit, including another member of their DEI committee – Beret Halverson, State Program & Education Coordinator. Building upon the first Impact Collaborative Summit, the April 2019 experience was focused more on providing individual support to teams through one-on-one coaching, focusing on potential audiences, and thinking more strategically about engaging partners. According to Herrick, “getting back in the room again with our national cohort was very valuable. For me, it was critical to continue connecting with our Extension colleagues at Tuskegee University and Prairie View A&M University as they are also working on DEI issues in different contexts.”

At this Summit, the Impact Collaborative created an Innovation Lab consisting of two graphic artists and a concept-mapping coach to work with teams on visualizing their projects and programs. “The opportunity to be forced to think differently about the words you’re using and how that translates across media is super valuable in communications efforts. Seeing what a visual artist creates based upon your own complex concepts was really interesting because it allowed us to see how our language may be perceived across different formats and by different audiences,” said Herrick. 

The culminating event of the April 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit was an opportunity for teams to present their projects and programs to a panel of Extension leaders and external partners at a “LaunchFest.” Similar to the PitchFest in October 2018, teams participating in the LaunchFest not only gained valuable feedback from the panel and their peers across Extension, but teams that are most-ready to implement their projects and programs have the chance to secure an opportunity for funding. As a result of their presentation at the LaunchFest, the Vermont DEI team received a pre-approved application for a $5000 grant funded by eXtension to move their project to the next level. 

The team is also receiving strategic coaching from the eXtension partnership development team and is coming together next month with their full committee to create a work plan. “Thanks to Dr. Andrea Hernandez from the eXtension Partnership Development team, we are going to focus the first part of our discussion on outcomes and impact to make sure we are at the operating at a broader level. We’ll be using the resources she’s provided to inform and guide this important discussion.”

Additionally, interacting with other Impact Collaborative teams at the Summit has resulted in a new collaborative opportunity for this team. During the Summit, Herrick had the opportunity to connect with members of the Tuskegee Public Dialogue team from Tuskegee University. During their conversations, they discussed collaborative opportunities between the Carver Center for Integrative Sustainability and the Center for Sustainable Agriculture. After the Summit, the two centers were able to begin dialogue and discuss plans to pursue potential collaborative work. “That only happened because we were at the Impact Collaborative Summit,” said Herrick.  

Reflecting upon her Impact Collaborative experience and what made it unique, Herrick shared that “the gathered wisdom and resources in the room including peers, leadership, and designated experts – people that really know how to work with organizational structure and change management in the context of Extension – is an effective recipe that the Impact Collaborative has put together.”

About the eXtension Foundation

The eXtension Foundation is a membership-based non-profit designed to be the engine fueling U.S. Cooperative Extension’s advancement in making a more visible and measurable impact in support of education outreach from land-grant universities/colleges located in every state and territory. eXtension provides an array of opportunities for Extension professionals that foster innovation creation, the adoption of innovations at member institutions, and increased impact of Extension programs.

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Seven Teams Awarded Grants for Achievements at Impact Collaborative Summit

For Immediate Release
July 23rd, 2019
Contact: Aaron Weibe, aaronweibe@eXtension.org

Seven teams that participated in the April 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit in Atlanta, GA, have been awarded $5000 grants to assist in furthering their project and program development and help push them closer towards implementation. One team from each region was selected for the grant based upon their presentation during the Impact Collaborative LaunchFest at the Summit. Teams participating in the LaunchFest not only gained valuable feedback from the panel and their peers across Extension, but teams that are most-ready to implement their projects and programs were able to secure an opportunity for funding. 

All teams that did not receive a LaunchFest grant award were eligible to apply for a separate grant.

Teams that received awards included:

Southern Region

Team Name: CIVIC
Institution(s): University of Florida and Florida A&M University
Project Description: This project fosters civil and inclusive dialogue to cultivate a climate of sustained community conversation around complex and pressing local issues through technical resources and professional development training to enable CES agents to effectively serve as conveners, moderators, and coordinator.

1890 Region

Team Name: Tuskegee Public Dialogue Team
Institution(s): Tuskegee University
Project Description: In 2016, ECOP recognized a need to explore ways Cooperative Extension Service could respond to the deep need for improving race relations across the nation. Through their thoughtful leadership, the Rapid Response Team on Civil Discourse on Race Relations formed to explore existing efforts within Cooperative Extension Service, catalogue resources available, and recommend next steps for building capacity. Tuskegee University Cooperative Extension Program (TUCEP) responded by sending a specialist to the first cohort group of Coming Together for Racial Understanding Train –the – Trainer Training. Following the training, the Tuskegee Public Dialogue Team (TPDT) formed and travelled to the first national Impact Collaborative Summit to establish a clear project roadmap for creating a program aimed at helping communities engage in civil dialogues around racial issues.

Western Region

Team Name: HEART Team
Institution(s): Utah State University
Project Description: This project is a new four-year initiative focused on the Health & Wellness needs of Utah, specifically the opioid epidemic.

North Central Region

Team Name: Wellness in Tough Times
Institution(s): University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Project Description: Help rural families create and maintain connections for mental wellness; Help local communities in supporting farming/ranching families to address mental wellness and identifying meaningful and impactful ways to create communities of care to support mental wellness.

Team Name: Learn It, Live It, Work It (Separate Grant Award)
Institution(s): Purdue University
Project Description: There are seven sequenced steps in this project: (1) Members of our DEI Indy Team increase their individual DEI competencies and associated skills; (2) DEI Team members assist other Purdue Extension-Marion County staff members and key volunteers in increasing their own DEI knowledge, awareness, competencies and skills; (3) key program constituent groups such as Master Gardeners, 4-H adult volunteers, urban farmers, money mentors, food corps volunteers and Extension Board members examine and strengthen their DEI recruitment and operating practices; (4) impacts brought about by changed internal practices are identified and summarized; (5) CityLAB partners are identified and DEI participation barriers removed to solidify a successful partnership; (6) lessons learned are shared with other organizations; and (7) the DEI Team identifies external organizations to assist in this collective impact work.

Northeastern Region

Team Name: Vermont DEI
Institution(s): University of Vermont
Project Description: This program promotes a shift in culture within CES and its programs to embrace and operationalize a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive atmosphere, recognizing multiple dimensions of identity and experience.

National Grant Award:

Team Name: National Sustainability Summit
Institution(s): University of Florida, Florida A&M University, Washington State University, North Dakota State University
Project Description: The National Sustainability Summit conference brings leading sustainability and energy educators and practitioners together to showcase land grant university Extension and research program successes, share challenges, and identify opportunities to strengthen our collective impacts. It also provides conference hosts with opportunities to build a strong, supportive local community of Extension supporters and partners.

About the eXtension Foundation

The eXtension Foundation is a membership-based non-profit designed to be the engine fueling U.S. Cooperative Extension’s advancement in making a more visible and measurable impact in support of education outreach from land-grant universities/colleges located in every state and territory. eXtension provides an array of opportunities for Extension professionals that foster innovation creation, the adoption of innovations at member institutions, and increased impact of Extension programs.

 

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Evaluation Report from April 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit Now Available

For Immediate Release
June 12th, 2019
Contact: Aaron Weibe, aaronweibe@eXtension.org

26 Project and Program teams across Cooperative Extension representing 36 institutions attended the April 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit 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. The Summit evaluation report is available at eXtension.org/reports, including the full report and a glance sheet version.

Partners representing organizations external to Cooperative Extension were invited to attend the Impact Collaborative Summit and participated in our first national Partner Forum, with a guided discussion by leaders from the Institute for the Future. This forum was designed to connect private and public sector organizations focused on community impact, including leaders from Cooperative Extension, and look for future opportunities to engage collectively. After the forum, partners had the opportunity to spend time talking with teams and learning more about the work they are doing to make an impact in their states, locales, and across the nation.

After three days of hard work, teams participated in a LaunchFest where they presented their project or program to a panel of partners and Cooperative Extension leaders. As a result of their work, teams deemed most ready to launch within their region have a pre-approved application for a $5000 grant that brings new capacity to their project. All teams have an opportunity to apply for a $5000 grant to bring new capacity to their project and attend the October 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit.

eXtension will continue its support of all project and program teams through Engage & Empower Online, our new resource that offers Impact Collaborative teams and Innovation Facilitators unique professional development opportunities including webinars and learning circles, exclusive access to publications and presentations, access to a new online version of the Impact Collaborative Innovation Skill-Building Experience tool, and a place where the Impact Collaborative can continue to connect teams with the resources they may need to continue project or program growth towards increasing innovation and local impact.

The next Impact Collaborative Summit will be from October 15th – 17th, 2019 in Atlanta, GA. Registration will be available soon at eXtension.org/summit.

All reports from Impact Collaborative events, including this Summit report, are available at eXtension.org/reports. 

About the eXtension Foundation

The eXtension Foundation is a membership-based non-profit designed to be the engine fueling U.S. Cooperative Extension’s advancement in making a more visible and measurable impact in support of education outreach from land-grant universities/colleges located in every state and territory. eXtension provides an array of opportunities for Extension professionals that foster innovation creation, the adoption of innovations at member institutions, and increased impact of Extension programs.

 

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National Sustainability Summit, representing 4 institutions, receives top score for national project teams at Impact Collaborative Summit

For Immediate Release
May 9th, 2019
Contact: Aaron Weibe, aaronweibe@eXtension.org

The National Sustainability Summit team, representing the University of Florida, Washington State University, North Dakota State University, and Florida A&M University, participated in eXtension’s Impact Collaborative Summit. The team received the top score for the national project category during the LaunchFest portion of the Summit, an opportunity for teams to pitch their projects and programs to a panel of Cooperative Extension leaders and external partners.  As a result of their work, they have a pre-approved application for a $5000 grant that brings new capacity to their project. Members of the team include Jennison Kipp Searcy, Ramona Madhosingh Hector, Linda Seals, Jennifer Taylor, Patricia Townsend, Kimberly Davis, and David Ripplinger.

28 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.

Partners representing organizations external to Cooperative Extension were invited to attend the Impact Collaborative Summit and participated in our first national Partner Forum, with a guided discussion by leaders from the Institute for the Future.  This forum was designed to connect private and public sector organizations focused on community impact, including leaders from Cooperative Extension, and look for future opportunities to engage collectively. After the forum, partners had the opportunity to spend time talking with teams and learning more about the work they are doing to make an impact in their states, locales, and across the nation.

eXtension will continue its support of the National Sustainability Summit team through Engage & Empower Online, our new resource that offers Impact Collaborative teams and Innovation Facilitators unique professional development opportunities including webinars and learning circles, exclusive access to publications and presentations, access to a new online version of the Impact Collaborative Innovation Skill-Building Experience tool, and a place where the Impact Collaborative can continue to connect teams with the resources they may need to continue project or program growth towards increasing innovation and local impact.

The next Impact Collaborative Summit will be from October 15th -17th, 2019 in Atlanta, GA.

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ZoAtopia from UC ANR participates in Impact Collaborative Summit

For Immediate Release
May 9th, 2019
Contact: Aaron Weibe, aaronweibe@eXtension.org

The ZoAtopia team, representing the University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources, participated in eXtension’s Impact Collaborative Summit. As a result of their work, they have been invited to apply for a $5000 grant to help bring new capacity to their project. Members of the ZoAtopia team include Mark Bell, Megan Marotta, John Bailey, Shane Feirer, and Vanity Campbell.

28 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.

Partners representing organizations external to Cooperative Extension were invited to attend the Impact Collaborative Summit and participated in our first national Partner Forum, with a guided discussion by leaders from the Institute for the Future.  This forum was designed to connect private and public sector organizations focused on community impact, including leaders from Cooperative Extension, and look for future opportunities to engage collectively. After the forum, partners had the opportunity to spend time talking with teams and learning more about the work they are doing to make an impact in their states, locales, and across the nation.

After three days of hard work, teams participated in a LaunchFest where they presented their project or program to a panel of partners and Cooperative Extension leaders.

eXtension will continue its support of the ZoAtopia Team through Engage & Empower Online, our new resource that offers Impact Collaborative teams and Innovation Facilitators unique professional development opportunities including webinars and learning circles, exclusive access to publications and presentations, access to a new online version of the Impact Collaborative Innovation Skill-Building Experience tool, and a place where the Impact Collaborative can continue to connect teams with the resources they may need to continue project or program growth towards increasing innovation and local impact.

The next Impact Collaborative Summit will be from October 15th -17th, 2019 in Atlanta, GA.

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Wellness in Tough Times team from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln receives top score at Impact Collaborative Summit for North Central Region

For Immediate Release
May 9th, 2019
Contact: Aaron Weibe, aaronweibe@eXtension.org

Atlanta, GA. The Wellness in Tough Times Team, representing the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, participated in eXtension’s Impact Collaborative Summit. The team received the top score for the north central region during the LaunchFest portion of the Summit, an opportunity for teams to pitch their projects and programs to a panel of Cooperative Extension leaders and external partners.  As a result of their work, they have a pre-approved application for a $5000 grant that brings new capacity to their project. Members of the team include Brandy VanDeWalle, Michelle Krehbiel, Robert Tigner, Susan Harris-Broom, and Soni Cochran.

28 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.

Partners representing organizations external to Cooperative Extension were invited to attend the Impact Collaborative Summit and participated in our first national Partner Forum, with a guided discussion by leaders from the Institute for the Future.  This forum was designed to connect private and public sector organizations focused on community impact, including leaders from Cooperative Extension, and look for future opportunities to engage collectively. After the forum, partners had the opportunity to spend time talking with teams and learning more about the work they are doing to make an impact in their states, locales, and across the nation.

eXtension will continue its support of the Wellness in Tough Times team through Engage & Empower Online, our new resource that offers Impact Collaborative teams and Innovation Facilitators unique professional development opportunities including webinars and learning circles, exclusive access to publications and presentations, access to a new online version of the Impact Collaborative Innovation Skill-Building Experience tool, and a place where the Impact Collaborative can continue to connect teams with the resources they may need to continue project or program growth towards increasing innovation and local impact.

The next Impact Collaborative Summit will be from October 15th -17th, 2019 in Atlanta, GA.

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Small Farms team from Virginia State University participates in Impact Collaborative Summit

For Immediate Release
May 9th, 2019
Contact: Aaron Weibe, aaronweibe@eXtension.org

Fidelis Okpebholo, representing Virginia State University on the VSU SFOP team, participated in eXtension’s Impact Collaborative Summit. As a result of his work, he has been invited to apply for a $5000 grant to help bring new capacity to his project.

28 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.

Partners representing organizations external to Cooperative Extension were invited to attend the Impact Collaborative Summit and participated in our first national Partner Forum, with a guided discussion by leaders from the Institute for the Future.  This forum was designed to connect private and public sector organizations focused on community impact, including leaders from Cooperative Extension, and look for future opportunities to engage collectively. After the forum, partners had the opportunity to spend time talking with teams and learning more about the work they are doing to make an impact in their states, locales, and across the nation.

After three days of hard work, teams participated in a LaunchFest where they presented their project or program to a panel of partners and Cooperative Extension leaders.

eXtension will continue its support of the VSU SFOP team through Engage & Empower Online, our new resource that offers Impact Collaborative teams and Innovation Facilitators unique professional development opportunities including webinars and learning circles, exclusive access to publications and presentations, access to a new online version of the Impact Collaborative Innovation Skill-Building Experience tool, and a place where the Impact Collaborative can continue to connect teams with the resources they may need to continue project or program growth towards increasing innovation and local impact.

The next Impact Collaborative Summit will be from October 15th -17th, 2019 in Atlanta, GA.

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Vermont DEI from the University of Vermont receives top score for Northeastern region teams at Impact Collaborative Summit

For Immediate Release
May 9th, 2019
Contact: Aaron Weibe, aaronweibe@eXtension.org

Atlanta, GA. The Vermont DEI Team, representing the University of Vermont, participated in eXtension’s Impact Collaborative Summit. The Vermont DEI team received the top score for the northeast region during the LaunchFest portion of the Summit, an opportunity for teams to pitch their projects and programs to a panel of Cooperative Extension leaders and external partners.  As a result of their work, they have a pre-approved application for a $5000 grant that brings new capacity to their project. Members of the team include Beret Halverson and Cheryl Herrick.

28 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.

Partners representing organizations external to Cooperative Extension were invited to attend the Impact Collaborative Summit and participated in our first national Partner Forum, with a guided discussion by leaders from the Institute for the Future.  This forum was designed to connect private and public sector organizations focused on community impact, including leaders from Cooperative Extension, and look for future opportunities to engage collectively. After the forum, partners had the opportunity to spend time talking with teams and learning more about the work they are doing to make an impact in their states, locales, and across the nation.

eXtension will continue its support of the Vermont DEI team through Engage & Empower Online, our new resource that offers Impact Collaborative teams and Innovation Facilitators unique professional development opportunities including webinars and learning circles, exclusive access to publications and presentations, access to a new online version of the Impact Collaborative Innovation Skill-Building Experience tool, and a place where the Impact Collaborative can continue to connect teams with the resources they may need to continue project or program growth towards increasing innovation and local impact.

The next Impact Collaborative Summit will be from October 15th -17th, 2019 in Atlanta, GA.

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Tuskegee Public Dialogue team receives top score for 1890 Region at Impact Collaborative Summit

For Immediate Release
May 9th, 2019
Contact: Aaron Weibe, aaronweibe@eXtension.org

Atlanta, GA. The Tuskegee Public Dialogue Team, representing Tuskegee University, participated in eXtension’s Impact Collaborative Summit. The Tuskegee Public Dialogue team received the top score for the 1890 Region during the LaunchFest portion of the Summit, an opportunity for teams to pitch their projects and programs to a panel of Cooperative Extension leaders and external partners.  As a result of their work, they have a pre-approved application for a $5000 grant that brings new capacity to their project. Members of the team include Danielle Smith, Marquess James, Sheila De-heer, and Lindsey Lunsford.

28 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.

Partners representing organizations external to Cooperative Extension were invited to attend the Impact Collaborative Summit and participated in our first national Partner Forum, with a guided discussion by leaders from the Institute for the Future.  This forum was designed to connect private and public sector organizations focused on community impact, including leaders from Cooperative Extension, and look for future opportunities to engage collectively. After the forum, partners had the opportunity to spend time talking with teams and learning more about the work they are doing to make an impact in their states, locales, and across the nation.

eXtension will continue its support of the Tuskegee Public Dialogue team through Engage & Empower Online, our new resource that offers Impact Collaborative teams and Innovation Facilitators unique professional development opportunities including webinars and learning circles, exclusive access to publications and presentations, access to a new online version of the Impact Collaborative Innovation Skill-Building Experience tool, and a place where the Impact Collaborative can continue to connect teams with the resources they may need to continue project or program growth towards increasing innovation and local impact.

The next Impact Collaborative Summit will be from October 15th -17th, 2019 in Atlanta, GA.