News Roundup – October 2018

31 project teams representing 40 institutions across Cooperative Extension from around the nation joined us at the 2018 Impact Collaborative Summit in Indianapolis, IN this past month to develop, accelerate, and better inform their projects and programs with the help of the Impact Collaborative, our Key Informants, and external partner/supporting organizations.

October 2018 Roundup

Important Announcement regarding eXtension’s Membership Structure.We have revamped our membership structure. There will no longer be two separate levels of membership. No more Premium and Basic members. There will only be one level of membership.

Currently, membership levels are based upon the 2014 assessment levels. For Premium Member institutions, the fee is 75% of the total assessment. Basic Member institutions are 60% of the total assessment. Moving forward, we are eliminating Premium and Basic membership levels and going with a single membership level. The new membership fee will be 65% of the 2014 assessment. Premium members will see a reduction from 75% to 65%; Basic Members will see a 5% increase from 60% to 65%, however, current Basic Members will be grandfathered into their current assessment of 60% for the next two years.

All members will now have full access to the Impact Collaborative including hosting institutional Impact Collaborative events, and having a Facilitator trained in the Impact Collaborative Innovation process at no cost. By adjusting our membership structure, we can now supply more institutions with professional development opportunities through the Impact Collaborative.

Read the full announcement, including information about what eXtension has to offer, here. 
Collective Impact: From Uncommon Goals to Uncommon Results Webinar. 

As we move beyond the 2018 Impact Collaborative Summit, we look forward to connecting with you about the implementation of your projects as part of the Impact Collaborative Virtual Bridge. The Virtual Bridge is an online co-learning community connecting local and regional Impact Collaborative projects across the U.S. for collective impact and is the “backbone” resource designed to collectively drive innovation and action forward toward real and meaningful impacts.  eXtension is bringing together some of the best people in the nation to talk to you about collective impact as part of our Virtual Bridge including national leaders from the Collective Impact Forum:

Webinar Date/Time: November 15th, 2018; 1-2 PM EDT, 10-11 AM Pacific

What will the webinar cover? The term “collective impact” has become widely used in the social sector. But, what really is the collective impact approach, and how can it help us achieve our goals, especially in Impact Collaborative projects?

This webinar will provide an overview of the collective impact approach from those supporting the national network of those practicing the approach, and will cover topics such as:

  • How the collective impact approach works
  • Why collective impact is a valuable approach
  • The mindset shifts necessary for collective impact to succeed
  • The roles that different organizations, like Cooperative Extension, can play in these collaborations

Register for the Webinar Here. 

2018 Impact Collaborative Summit PitchFest

The eXtension Foundation’s Impact Collaborative Summit, held October 16-18 in Indianapolis, Indiana, united design thinkers from the Cooperative Extension System and partners from organizations confronting the most pressing challenges of our time to shape positive futures for communities.  Three days of co-creating, hands-on learning, and collaborative conversations sparked innovation and creative implementation planning in over 30 projects designed for local community impacts. Summit teams, which included Extension professionals and partners, along with diverse partners from regional and national organizations and businesses explored the processes and practices that enable co-creative approaches to the challenges and opportunities in our communities.

Recognizing the Impact Collaborative Summit is just the beginning, the eXtension Foundation will provide ongoing learning and support to the teams in a variety of ways.  All teams and projects will have the support of the eXtension Foundation’s Virtual Bridge, a timely digital-based platform for interactive workshops, co-creation and networking spaces, and avenues for building synergy by sharing resources, ideas, and successes.

The teams attending the Summit participated in a “PitchFest” on the final day where they each presented the advancements on their projects and the important next steps and investments needed to move forward.  The PitchFest was judged by external partners/investors, Extension leaders, and peer co-creators.  The following projects were recognized and are tapped to move forward with supports tailored to their immediate needs.

A complete list of the award winning teams can be found here. 

Other Announcements

January 2019 Facilitator Training. The Impact Collaborative will be hosting another Facilitator Training in January, 2019. Since there are no longer two membership levels, the Facilitator Training is available to all member institutions. Members who have committed/renewed their membership for 2019 are entitled to send a Facilitator at no cost to their institution including registration, travel, meals, and lodging. Additional facilitators are welcome to join, but the cost of registration, travel, and lodging will be the responsibility of the institution.Our Facilitators assist the Impact Collaborative at Innovation Kit Workshops and Designathon One events statewide at member institutions, along with their contribution to the Impact Collaborative Summit as a Facilitator or Key Informant. Additionally, the Impact Collaborative process provides them a framework to lead informal workshops and skill-building sessions at their own institutions to help move projects and programs forward. For a complete list of our current Facilitators, please click here.

PSEFMP Reminder. Reminder that the submission deadline for applications for the Pesticide Safety Education Funds Management Program (PSEFMP). The deadline to submit applications is December 1, 2018 at 8 pm EST.

Key Dates:

Application System Opens: October 1, 2018 at 8 am EST
First round of reviews: October 22, 2018
Second round of reviews: November 19, 2018
Remaining applications due: December 1, 2018 at 8 pm EST
Final round of reviews: December 10, 2018
Subaward notifications: December 21, 2018
Funds distributed by: January 15, 2019

If you have any questions or concerns, please send an email topsefmp-helpdesk@extension.org.

Upcoming Webinars

Check out all upcoming professional development events listed on learn.extension.org

  • Informational Webinar about MSU Extension’s Farm Stress Summit  November 9th, 2018 at 12 PM EDT. Learn More or Register
  • Family Finances Series: Raising Financially Responsible Children. November 27th, 2018 at 11 AM EDT. Learn More or Register
  • Water, Trees, and Arid Urban Landscapes. November 13th, 2018 at 4 PM EDT. Learn More or Register

This work is supported by New Technologies for Agriculture Extension grant no. 2015-41595-24254 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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eXtension Request for Information

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We invite you to respond to the Request for Information found below, due November 5th, 2018. 

The eXtension Foundation is exploring new ways to leverage the existing digital assets of its members and to shape new programs for national scale, local impact, and new revenue. We are reviewing our digital strategy and partnerships in support of our membership base and are seeking to expand our support of our members in reaching new audiences in solving community problems, training volunteers and convening of experts with new partnerships, support services and technologies beyond our current offerings.

Please click here for an attachment with more details.

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News Roundup – September 2018

Registration for the Impact Collaborative Summit has closed and we are excited about the level of participation!

This News Roundup also includes another Impact Collaborative success story, information about the latest issue of the Journal of Extension, and our January 2019 Facilitator Training.

September 2018 Roundup

Journal of Extension – The Innovation Issue. eXtension was proud to support the latest issue of the Journal of Extension in September 2018. This special issue is focused on Innovation. The issue includes a commentary by our very own eXtension team: Informing Innovations Through Deeper Insight on Strategic Priorities and Expansive Ideas. You can read the full issue here. 

Impact Collaborative Success: From Concept Mapping to Mobile Messaging Campaign. A National Framework for Health and Wellness study identified a Health Insurance Literacy (HIL) national team to identify and develop systematic programs and curriculum and initiate system-wide program impact evaluation. Members of the new HIL were also members of eXtension’s Financial Security for All Community of Practice, and brought their project to the Impact Collaborative. Through a concept-mapping activity, the team was able to explore possibilities, question concepts, and identify new and existing relationships among concepts. Additionally, the team had access to Key Informants which better informed some of their marketing plans, and the opportunity to practice their project pitch. The team launched a pilot of their program in summer 2018 to test mobile messages that increase millenials’ health insurance literacy and take advantage of essential health benefits. Read more about this teams’ project and their experience with the Impact Collaborative from the Journal of Human Sciences and Extension here.

Impact Collaborative Summit. We are just a couple of weeks away from the Impact Collaborative Summit. Over 30 teams from 40 institutions will join us in Indianapolis, alongside our 40 Key Informants and 19 supporting partner organizations to propel their projects and programs forward, and help build capacity for their teams and institutions. Weren’t able to attend this October Summit? Our next Summit is scheduled for April, 2019!

January 2019 Facilitator Training. The Impact Collaborative will be hosting another Facilitator Training in January, 2019. If you’re from a Premium Member Institution, and your institution did not send someone to be trained as a Facilitator during the July 2018 training, your institution can send one member to be trained in the Impact Collaborative process at no cost to their institution including registration, travel, meals, and lodging. Additional facilitators are welcome to join, but the cost of registration, travel, and lodging will be the responsibility of the institution.

Our Facilitators assist the Impact Collaborative at Innovation Kit Workshops and Designathon One events statewide at member institutions, along with their contribution to the Impact Collaborative Summit as a Facilitator or Key Informant. Additionally, the Impact Collaborative process provides them a framework to lead informal workshops and skill-building sessions at their own institutions to help move projects and programs forward. For a complete list of our current Facilitators, please click here. 

Upcoming Webinars

Check out all upcoming professional development events listed on learn.extension.org

This work is supported by New Technologies for Agriculture Extension grant no. 2015-41595-24254 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.


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Journal of Extension: The Innovation Issue, September 2018 made possible by support from eXtension Foundation

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For Immediate Release
September 13th, 2018

Contact
Aaron Weibe
Communications & Engagement Manager, eXtension
aaronweibe@extension.org

This Journal of Extension (JOE) special edition explores innovative applications in technology, case studies of road-tested breakthroughs in effective volunteer management, new methods for needs assessment, new business models for sustainable programming, new or adapted program delivery methods, mobile learning and social media, innovative access to Cooperative Extension resources and evaluated models of engagement with new audiences.

This issue was made possible by support from the eXtension Foundation. A full link to the issue can be accessed here.

 

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eXtension Foundation and National Pesticide Safety Education Center (NPSEC) Pesticide Safety Education Funds Management Program (PSEFMP) Funding Opportunity

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The eXtension Foundation (EF) is pleased to announce a funding opportunity for Land Grant University Pesticide Safety Education Programs (PSEP) for 2019. This opportunity is made available through a cooperative agreement (#X8-83698001) with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish and administer a national sub-award program in support of pesticide applicator education, and training for certified applicators of restricted used pesticides. The National Pesticide Safety Education Center (NPSEC) will continue to collaborate with EF to lead the professional development part of the project and to assist PSEPs in enhancing some of the educational products they develop as part of the expectations attached to the funding.

Requirements of sub-awardees for this program to receive funding are as follows:

    • Agree to share one educational material or product for the purposes of enhancing PSEP programs both regionally and nationally.

    • Submit progress reports every six (6) months using a standard online template.

    • Attend a minimum of one of the following 1-hour training webinars as part of this program for reporting system training and professional development. Anticipated dates are: January 31, 2019 at 3 pm EST; May 6, 2019 at 1 pm EST; September 30, 2019 at 3 pm EST and December 2, 2019 at 3:00 pm EST.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for this funding opportunity applicants must be affiliated with a U.S. Land Grant University. Only one application per state will be eligible for funding and preference will go to 1862 Land Grant Universities. Please contact psefmp-helpdesk@extension.org if you have any questions regarding eligibility.

Funding Period

The funding period for this subaward will be Jan. 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019.

Funding Available

Each PSEP will be eligible to apply for a base amount of $18,750.00 USD plus 5% of the funds divided proportionally based on the percentage of the number of certified applicators in each state or territory. The number of certified applicators in a state or territory will be based on the most recent figures of certified applicators as supplied by the EPA. Additional amounts available to the state or territory will be listed in the budget section. Payments to successful sub-awardees will be made January 3 – 15, 2019.

Key Dates

Application System Opens: Monday, October 1, 2018 at 8 am EST

First round of reviews: October 22, 2018

Second round of reviews: November 19, 2018

Application Deadline: Saturday, December 1, 2018 at 8 pm EST

Final round of reviews: December 10, 2018

Sub-award Notification Announcement: December 21, 2018

Funds distributed by: January 15, 2019

Application Review Process:

EF will use a multi-step approach in the receiving and review of applications for this program. Each application will be reviewed by EF and an advisory panel including representatives from NPSEC, APPCO, AAPSE, PERC and the PSEP community for eligibility, compliance, completeness and potential collaboration. Additionally, through this process, applicants will have the opportunity to be involved in a NPSEC subject group to create educational materials.

Application Submission

In an effort to make the application process as streamlined and user friendly as possible, applicants will be able to download, sign, scan, and upload the sub-award agreement from the application site. Applications that have not been signed will not be considered for funding. The average time for completion of an application is 56 minutes.

Applications for this funding opportunity can be accessed at the following link on October 1, 2018 at 8:00 am EST: https://applyextension.smapply.io (Note: Link will not be active until October 1, 2018 at 8:00 am EST).

Online Application System Training:

PSEPs will receive an invitation for optional training via Zoom for October 1, 2018 at 11 am EST for the online application system. During training, EF will provide a step by step walk through of the application site, application and submission. For those who are unable to attend the training, it will be recorded and sent via email to view at your convenience. Additional trainings will also be held the same week.

Applicants with any questions please send an email to psefmp-helpdesk@extension.org.

About eXtension Foundation

The United States Cooperative Extension System, with funding from Cooperative Extension directors and administrators, and USDA-NIFA, shares resources and tools through eXtension that enables the Extension workforce to scale up its local and national impact. eXtension is an integral part of the national Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) and is organized as a 501(c)3 non-profit membership organization. Its Board of Directors represents the five regions of Cooperative Extension, ECOP, and USDA-NIFA.

About National Pesticide Safety Education Center

The NPSEC seeks to strengthen the national system of university extension Pesticide Safety Education Programs by improving the quality, consistency, and accessibility of educational offerings, promoting collaboration and leveraging of educational resources and learning assessment tools, and increasing revenue generation. The Center, originally incubated by eXtension Foundation received start-up funding from CropLife Foundation and crop protection companies BASF, Bayer, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, and Syngenta. NPSEC does not receive any EPA funding under the EPA-eXtension Foundation cooperative agreement.

Attachments

2019 PSEFMP Application Instructions
2019 PSEFMP FAQs

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News Roundup – August 2018

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There are lots of things going on at eXtension this month! Registration is happening for the Impact Collaborative Summit! We also have some general information pertaining to the January 2019 Impact Collaborative Facilitator Training. A new success story from the Pesticide Safety Education Funds Management Program, and news about the 1890 Extension Leadership Academy!

Did you miss the Impact Collaborative Summit Webinar? You can view the entire video here. There is lots of great information about what the Impact Collaborative and the Summit is all about, and how it can help you.

August 2018 Roundup

Impact Collaborative Summit. The Impact Collaborative is hosting its first national Impact Collaborative Summit in Indianapolis, IN, from October 16-18, 2018. The Summit is available to all member institutions and includes anInnovation Kit Workshop and Designathon Two. The registration fee is waived for Premium Member Institutions for the first 5 members sent as a team, and the first 3 members for Basic Member Institutions. More details including FAQs and Registration can be found here.

January 2019 Facilitator Training. The Impact Collaborative will be hosting another Facilitator Training in January, 2019. If you’re from a Premium Member Institution, and your institution did not send someone to be trained as a Facilitator during the July 2018 training, your institution can send one member to be trained in the Impact Collaborative process at no cost to their institution including registration, travel, meals, and lodging. Additional facilitators are welcome to join, but the cost of registration, travel, and lodging will be the responsibility of the institution.

Our Facilitators assist the Impact Collaborative in leading statewide Innovation Kit Workshops and Designathon One events, along with their contribution to the Impact Collaborative Summit as a Facilitator or Key Informant. Additionally, the Impact Collaborative process provides them a framework to lead informal workshops and skill-building sessions at their own institutions to help move projects and programs forward. For a complete list of our current Facilitators, please click here. 

Pesticide Safety Education Funds Management Program (PSEFMP) Success. eXtension received this grant from the EPA to establish and administer a national sub-award program in support of pesticide applicator education and training for certified applicators of restricted use pesticides. eXtension was invited in early 2017 to apply for this grant by pesticide safety education coordinators and the National Pesticide Safety Education Center (NPSEC). The goal of NPSEC is to support Extension Pesticide Safety Education Programs (PSEP) across the nation. Forty-six PSEPs are benefitting from this grant with projects aimed at improving the quality of pesticide applicator training.

Katie Moore, an Extension Associate for Pesticide Safety Education saw a need to improve the quality of pesticide applicator training material and classes. Prior to her project, pesticide applicators in South Carolina were required to complete a 7-hour video-based course for training. Through the Pesticide Safety Education Funds Management Program (PSEFMP) grant, Katie created a new training program that would be delivered by Extension educators to improve the overall educational quality, and reduced the training time to 3-hours, saving thousands of man-hours for applicators in South Carolina, and increasing overall compliance. The current passing rate for this training is 85%.Listen to Katie’s story here. 

1890 Extension Leadership Academy. The 1890 Extension Leadership Academy is a customized experience by eXtension’s Impact Collaborative, designed alongside 1890 leaders. 1890 Administrators are requested to select three individuals to participate in the 1890 Extension Leadership Academy. This effort will encourage cross-collaboration among states on important issues as related to program areas as well as build essential leadership skills for this cohort.

The Leadership Academy is designed to:

  • Foster the incubation, development, and implementation of innovative ideas in the 1890 communities, toward creating measurable impacts in all program areas. 
  • Enhance innovation and impactful change using co-innovative approaches that build from a community engagement base.
  • Build a cohort and network of early/mid-career Extension professionals who are emergent leaders in your institution.

The delivery methods include face-to-face and virtual sessions, including anImpact Collaborative Designathon One Event. The duration of this training is 6 months and includes travel days from November 13th – 15th. Extension educators with 2-10 years of experience should be selected for this opportunity. The 1890 Extension Leadership Academy provides lodging, food, educational materials, and two days of training. The goals are to:

  • Demonstrate how design-thinking and lean-experimentation can help generate innovative ideas
  • Engage with stakeholders (local, state, national) and create a communications plan to inform impact
  • Provide professional development opportunities for Cooperative Extension professionals.
  • Reach new audiences through inclusion.
1890 Extension Leadership Academy: Welcome Back
Administrators have been contacted with a registration link to submit the names of their designated individuals to attend the 1890 Extension Leadership Academy. 
This work is supported by grant no. 
2018-38821-27770 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Upcoming Webinars

Check out all upcoming professional development events listed on learn.extension.org

  • 2018 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Winterizing Your Home to Keep Out Pests.  September 7th, 2018 at 2 PM EDT. Learn More or Register
  • Cooking Under Pressure. September 13, 2018 at 1 PM EDT. Learn More or Register
  • Paying for College: The Forever GI Bill and Repayment Plans. September 25, 2018 at 11 AM EDT. Learn More or Register
This work is supported by New Technologies for Agriculture Extension grant no. 2015-41595-24254 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Registration for the Impact Collaborative Summit Is Now Open

The Impact Collaborative is hosting its first national Impact Collaborative Summit in Indianapolis, IN from October 16-18, 2018. All member institutions are invited to send teams to the event. Registration information will be available shortly and a link will be placed under the Links section below. The deadline for registration is September 20, 2018.

Cost

For Premium Member Institutions, there is no registration fee for up to five members of the Designated Premium Member Team*. Community partners are encouraged to attend as part of the team and can be included as a free attendee. For additional team members, the registration fee is $295 per person. Additional Premium Member Teams can attend the Summit with a registration fee of $295 per person.

For Basic Member Institutions, the registration fee is waived for three members of the Designated Basic Member Team*. Community partners are encouraged to attend as part of the team and can be included as a free attendee.  Additional team members will have a registration fee of $395 per person. Additional Basic Member Teams can attend the Summit with a registration fee of $395 per person.

* A team wishing to represent their member institution as the Designated Member Team attending with free registration, as noted above, must coordinate this designation with their Extension Director or Administrator.

About the Summit

The Impact Collaborative Summit is a three-day event available to all member institutions that includes an Innovation Kit Workshop and Designathon Two. The event is hosted twice annually.

Day One: Innovation Kit Workshop
Day Two: Designathon Two (Part I)
Day Three: Designathon Two (Part II)

Institutions have the ability to send project teams to the Impact Collaborative Summit to work together on ideas to move their institutional goals forward.

Learning Outcomes

In addition to the networking opportunity that participants will gain from this Summit, they will also walk away with the knowledge and skills learned in the Innovation Kit Workshop and Designathon Two including:

  • A clear understanding of how teams might expand their membership and ownership of a respective project, program, or initiative.
  • A clear project roadmap to gain additional insights that is enabled by ongoing Impact Collaborative support.
  • Clarity of how to co-create in the community, showing what successful project implementation will look like.
  • A sense of readiness to confidently pitch their project story internally and to the world.
  • See themselves as members of new networks with connections and resources through ongoing engagement with the Impact Collaborative
  • Potential for new partnerships.
  • When participants leave the Summit, they should be ready to implement their projects or programs back at their institutions or in their communities.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE HOTEL

This conference has a block of rooms at the Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Airport. You will be asked to reserve your room during the Summit registration process to obtain the discounted rate.  If you book directly through the hotel you will not receive the discounted rate.

Registration Tips:

  • Before the Team Registers identify a Team Name. Attendees will be coming to the Summit in teams. In order for us to coordinate this attendance please discuss and determine with your team members a Team Name you will use for registration purposes. This will assist us in coordinating your experience at the Summit. Tip: a short keyword driven Team Name is most appropriate and does not have to be the final title of your team idea. All Team members will need to know this precise name to provide during registration.
  • Hotel booking is part of your registration. Be prepared with a form of payment for your hotel booking at the time of registration, even if you are part of a Designated Member Team receiving complementary free registration. Note: The Summit consists of three full days, October 16-18, 2018.

Links

2018 Impact Collaborative Summit Flyer
Registration Link
Schedule at a Glance

Please subscribe to the Impact Collaborative Newsletter to get the latest updates and information regarding the Summit. Click here to subscribe.

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News Roundup – July 2018

Another exciting month at eXtension. The Impact Collaborative trained 29 new Facilitators from 22 Premium Member Institutions to take the Impact Collaborative Process back to their institutions and help get innovative ideas for projects and programs moving forward. We are scheduling Designathon One events and Innovation Kit Workshops at Premium Member Institutions, a job opportunity and fellowship opportunity, an update on the Pesticide Safety Education Funds Management Program, and some big news about our October 2018 Summit!
Making An Impact: Video Feature

Making An Impact Video Series

Angela Allen, Associate Professor and Communities Educator, from the University of Wisconsin Extension – Milwaukee County shares how she’ll be able to help her institution with the skills she’s learned from the Impact Collaborative.

 

News Roundup

  • Impact Collaborative Summit. The Impact Collaborative is hosting its first national Impact Collaborative Summit in Indianapolis, IN, from October 16-18, 2018. The Summit is available to all member institutions and includes an Innovation Kit Workshop and Designathon Two. The registration fee is waived for Premium Member Institutions for the first 5 members sent as a team, and the first 3 members for Basic Member Institutions. The Summit Flyer, with registration information, can be found here.
  • Fellowship Opportunity. eXtension has a Fellowship opportunity for a Customer Relationship Management Sandbox and it is open to all Land-Grant Universities regardless of eXtension membership status. eXtension is funding an opportunity for a Fellow position to lead a process with a national committee and eXtension to explore and document needs and potential solutions for Customer Relationship Management functions in Cooperative Extension across the country. For more information on this opportunity, click here.
  • Now Hiring – Innovation Facilitator Manager. We are seeking an expert facilitator and experienced innovator to join our Impact Collaborative team and help lead innovation capacity-building for our members of the U.S. Cooperative Extension System. If you, or someone you know, may be interested in this opportunity – please click here for more information.
  • Pesticide Safety Education Funds Management Program Update. On June 30th, 2018, the first 6-month progress reports were due for the PSEFMP projects. A survey was created and sent to the coordinators to gauge their experience with the training and submission of the report. A complete summary of the results are available here.

From the eXtension Blog

  • Community Video Can Build Capacity in Extension. Read more
  • The Business of Farming. Read more

Upcoming Webinars

Check out all upcoming professional development events listed on learn.extension.org

  • Understanding, Tracking, and Predicting Harmful Algal Blooms. August 8th, 2018 at 2 PM EDT. Learn More or Register
  • Tree Stewards: Case Study of Two Virginia Urban Tree Volunteer Programs. August 16, 2018 at 1 PM EDT. Learn More or Register
  • Family Finances Series: Financial Planning for Life Events. August 28, 2018 at 11 AM EDT. Learn More or Register
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eXtension Job Opportunity: Innovation Facilitator Manager

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eXtension Foundation logo

We’re searching for an Impact Collaborative Innovation Facilitator Manager. Join our virtual team from any location.

First round of application reviews: August 9, 2018.

Impact Collaborative Innovation Facilitator Manager, eXtension Foundation

We are seeking an expert facilitator and experienced innovator to join our team and help lead innovation capacity-building for our members of the U.S. Cooperative Extension System. Innovation is critical to eXtension and the Cooperative Extension System and other eXtension partners across the nation. eXtension is known for technological leadership over the past several years and now for our Impact Collaborative. The six-phase Impact Collaborative process is creating measurable and visible impact at the local level through various strategies including our current products: Innovation Kit Workshops, Designathons One and Two, a Virtual Bridge, an Impact Collaborative Summit and Facilitator Trainings. In partnership with our members, we are fostering strategic innovation and organizational change utilizing a growing cadre of trained innovation facilitators. This new role on our team will continue to build this capacity and collaborate in the design of our products and services in support of our member institutions.

The Impact Collaborative Innovation Facilitator Manager will lead in the following areas:

  • Work as a member of the Impact Collaborative Leadership Team to strategically integrate innovation and organizational change models and methods into the work of the Impact Collaborative and to continuously improve our design and delivery.
  • Catalyze and support innovative practices in partnership with our member institutions through the practice and products of the Impact Collaborative.
  • Serve as the lead eXtension facilitator for the Impact Collaborative product events nationally and across the country at member institutions (currently Innovation Kit Workshops, Designathon Ones, Impact Collaborative Facilitator Training and Summits).
  • Train, schedule and evaluate institutional Innovation Facilitators to serve our growing schedule of national and institutional events. Current schedule includes facilitator training January 2019 (planned for twice a year), up to 37 Innovation Kit Workshops or Designathon One events per year, and two national summits per year.
  • Grow and strengthen the IC Innovation Facilitator role in institutional capacity building, and continually expand and deepen their knowledge and skills.
  • Evaluate facilitator skills and abilities and results of their events using the Impact Collaborative Evaluation Protocols to make recommendations based on results, feedback, and needs.
  • Provide mentoring and coaching to IC Innovation Facilitators, maintain an updated database and be in constant communication to assist them in their professional development and certification process.
  • Lead a variety of planning teams to contextualize Impact Collaborative products for local institutional needs (up to 37 planned per year).
  • Share expertise and experience with the Impact Collaborative through a variety of presentations, webinars, social media and publications.

Qualifications:

  • An experienced innovator within an organization who has taken ideas to implementation and demonstrated experience in co-creation/co-innovation of projects & programs. Community-based projects/programs with measurable impact preferred.
  • Strong public speaking and facilitation skills required.
  • Master’s degree preferred in community development, organizational development, or related field.
  • Ability to work in a fast changing environment with multiple priorities. Willingness to evolve with the needs of the organization.
  • Knowledge of, or experience in, the Cooperative Extension System and the audiences they serve preferred.
  • Knowledge and experience using innovative methodologies, design thinking strategies, concept mapping and Adobe Kickbox preferred.
  • Experience managing programs, managing people and managing organizational change required.
  • Experience in effectively working with, and managing, several projects at once and working with a virtual team.
  • Personal computer and social media skills required.

This is a 1.0 FTE  employee position with eXtension.  The position reports to the Impact Collaborative Program Director. Travel nationally, possibly up to 70% time. We are a virtual organization and require the use of G-Suite, Zoom, Slack and your own computer, internet and work space during business hours.

First round application review will be August 9, 2018.  Position will be advertised until the position is filled.

Please send your letter of interest and your resume to ceoassistant@extension.org by August 8 for first round reviews.  For more information on the position contact:

Dr. Beverly Coberly
Chief Operation Officer
eXtension Foundation
beverlycoberly@extension.org
573-239-9409

 

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eXtension Fellowship Opportunity – Customer Relationship Management Sandbox

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This opportunity is open to all Land-Grant Universities regardless of membership with eXtension as part of our cooperative agreement with USDA-NIFA.

eXtension is funding an opportunity for a Fellow position to lead a process with a national committee and eXtension to explore and document needs and potential solutions for Customer Relationship Management functions in Cooperative Extension across the country. The Fellow will conduct and create needs assessments, user journeys, personas, and use cases as well as review and provide a landscape summary of potential solutions. Proactively managing multiple customer relationships, with multiple products, services, events and programs is a challenge for Cooperative Extension.  eXtension is requesting names of those interested in serving on the CRM Sandbox Committee working with the Fellow. eXtension is seeking a Fellow to work with eXtension and a national committee to explore what is needed by participating institutions, to review potential solutions and to create a “sandbox” with eXtension to test up to two solutions with participating institutions. A final report summarizing the process and the findings is due by July 31, 2019.

The NTAE-CRM Fellowship will begin by October 1, 2018 and will conclude July 31, 2019.  eXtension is a virtual organization and work will be conducted virtually.

The specific requirements of the fellowship include:

  1. Expertise with workflow and technologies supporting customer relationship functions.
  2. Knowledge and experience designing and implementing relational databases.
  3. Understanding Cooperative Extension and the unique audiences and relationships among those audiences, programs, evaluation, funding, and communication.
  4. Ability to work with all levels of expertise and positions.
  5. Experience conducting user needs assessment and analyzing workflows.
  6. Experience creating user journeys, personas and use cases.
  7. Experience writing recommendations for solutions.

The Fellow will report the results via eXtension’s web site. The Fellow is encouraged to develop a peer-reviewed paper for publication in an appropriate journal. The Fellow will use eXtension’s Zoom, Slack, and G-Suite to conduct the work of their fellowship.

Funding for the Fellowship comes through a cooperative agreement with USDA-NIFA to eXtension and includes: paid travel to one eXtension Impact Collaborative Summit planned for April 2019; and buyout of time from their current positions of up to $25,000. Additional funding may be available for testing up to two solutions.

Application Process

To apply please submit the following information in a PDF document to Beverly Coberly (beverlycoberly@extension.org):

  • A maximum 1-page letter highlighting your areas of expertise in CRM, technology and knowledge of Cooperative Extension.  
  • A copy of vitae/resume focusing on your expertise in technology and databases, educational or experience background working with CRMs.  Limit of 2 pages.
  • Letter of support from your institution Director/Administrator for Cooperative Extension

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee.

Questions regarding the application process should be directed to:

About the eXtension Foundation

The eXtension Foundation is a membership-based non-profit designed to be the engine fueling U.S. Cooperative Extension 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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This website is supported in part by New Technologies for Ag Extension (funding opportunity no. USDA-NIFA-OP-010186), grant no. 2023-41595-41325 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Extension Foundation.

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