Formula Grant NI23SLBCXXXXG019

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND CURRENT SITUATION AS A PUBLICLY FUNDED ORGANIZATION, UMASS EXTENSION RESOURCES SHOULD BE ALLOCATED MORE JUSTLY AND MORE EQUITABLY TO BETTER SERVE COMMUNITIES AND RESIDENTS IN WAYS THAT ACCURATELY REFLECT THE SOCIAL, RACIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION OF MASSACHUSETTS CITIZENS. ENHANCED LEADERSHIP, COORDINATION AND TRAINING IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR STAFF TO ENGAGE URBAN AUDIENCES RESULTING IN THE EXPANSION OF EXISTING PROGRAMS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PROGRAMS THAT REACH URBAN AUDIENCES IN WAYS THAT RESPECT AND BUILD UPON EXISTING COMMUNITY NEEDS, RESOURCES AND AREAS OF EXPERTISE. UMASS EXTENSION STAFF CURRENTLY DELIVERS LONG-STANDING AND WELL-ESTABLISHED NUTRITION EDUCATION AND 4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS. EXTENSION STAFF AND FACULTY MEMBERS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DELIVER A RANGE OF ADDITIONAL EXTENSION PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES (E.G., FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, FOOD SAFETY, MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, ARBORICULTURE) IN SPRINGFIELD, HOWEVER OUR ORGANIZATION IS LACKING SOME OF THE KEY EXPERIENCES, SKILLS, INSIGHTS AND PROGRAM MODELS THAT WOULD HELP EFFECTIVELY ENGAGE URBAN AUDIENCES, IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES, DESIGN AND DELIVER PROGRAMS. THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS GAP IN OUR CURRENT CAPACITY IN SPRINGFIELD, MA WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE A STRONG RECORD AND COMMUNITY TRUST TO BUILD UPON, SO WE CAN EVENTUALLY MAKE EXTENSION PROGRAMMING ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS MORE EQUITABLE, DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE. AUDIENCE THIS PROJECT HAS TWO PRIMARY AUDIENCES. ONE AUDIENCE IS UMASS EXTENSION STAFF AND FACULTY WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM ENHANCED LEADERSHIP, COORDINATION, TRAINING AND COLLABORATION WITH URBAN AUDIENCES TO DESIGN AND DELIVER PROGRAMS THAT BETTER SERVE THESE COMMUNITIES. THE OTHER AUDIENCE IS MEMBERS OF THE SPRINGFIELD COMMUNITY WITH WHOM UMASS EXTENSION STAFF WILL ENGAGE AND PARTNER FOR THE COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS THAT SERVE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY OR EQUITABLY SERVED BY UMASS EXTENSION. THE PROJECT WILL BUILD UPON AND EXPAND EFFECTIVE, YET NARROWLY FOCUSED EXTENSION ACTIVITIES IN THE GREATER SPRINGFIELD AREA OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS BY COORDINATING DISPARATE EFFORTS, ENGAGING DIVERSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND BUILDING NEW SKILLS AND CAPACITIES AMONG OUR EXTENSION FACULTY AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF. ACTIVITIES AND IMPACTS PRIMARY PROGRAM ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: O CONTRACT WITH PRIVATE CONSULTANTS TO CONDUCT TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES FOR EXTENSION FACULTY AND STAFF O ENGAGE INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN URBAN AREAS TO ASSESS LOCAL RESOURCES, NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES O VISIT MODEL URBAN EXTENSION ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS IN NEARBY STATES. IN THE SHORT TERM, WE EXPECT EXTENSION STAFF AND FACULTY TO EXPAND THEIR KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND MOTIVATION FOR ENGAGING URBAN AUDIENCES, WHILE INDIVIDUALS/ORGANIZATIONS IN SPRINGFIELD WILL INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY UMASS EXTENSION AND BECOMEMORE INTEREST IN PARTNERING WITH US. THIS WILL RESULT IN AND EXPANSION OF EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS AS WELL AS NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS FOCUSED ON THE DESIGN AND DELIVERY OF EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS FOR URBAN AUDIENCES. ULTIMATELY THIS WILL RESULT IN GREATER TRUST, MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION AS WELL AS AN EXPANSION OF SUSTAINED URBAN EXTENSION PARTNERSHIPS, ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS IN SPRINGFIELD AND IN OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE.