Strategic planning is the deliberative, disciplined effort to produce decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization is, what it does, and why. [State] Cooperative Extension invested considerable time and effort in conducting a statewide process to engage internal and external stakeholders and nonusers. The strategic planning…

Conducting needs assessments serves as a valuable way for Extension educators to ensure that they are designing programs that meet community needs. We developed a needs assessment tool kit that educators across urban, suburban, and rural communities can use to answer the question "What are the youth development needs in my county?"…

Declining government funding for higher education requires colleges and universities to seek alternative revenue streams, including through philanthropic fund-raising. Extension-based subject matter centers and other programs can benefit from the thoughtful supplementation of traditional revenue sources with individual, corporate, and private…

We describe a participatory co-learning exercise that can help elucidate and navigate the unique perspectives of farmers, researchers, Extension personnel, and other agricultural professionals engaged in managing complex systems. We developed the exercise to help a diverse advisory panel collaboratively identify and prioritize ecosystem services…

The SR4-HVAG combines the efforts of states to provide quality educational programming for volunteers and Extension professionals using an advisory group system. An advisory group rather than a council was created because the group provides programmatic input rather than sets policy. The purposes of the SR4-HVAG are to: provide a mechanism for…

Youth Advisory Councils (YACs) ensure that students are represented in school wellness discussions. YACs empower students to present ideas, insights, and input on nutrition and physical activity; work alongside peers to assess wellness needs; and develop recommendations for enhancing/expanding the school wellness environment. YACs provide a…

The ability of Leadership Advisory Boards within Texas AgriLife Extension Service to function as the primary visioning/needs assessment source is paramount to maintaining the grassroots connection for programs. The study reported here sought to measure the self-perceptions of members' ability to meet the demand associated with this role. The study…

Effective advisory committees are the cornerstone of relevant, quality Extension programs. They provide stakeholder input to Extension personnel, which is required under the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act (AREERA) of 1998. This article describes the implementation of a virtual statewide Extension program advisory…

Includes "Surveying Client Satisfaction" (Warnock); "Teaching Clientele What or How to Think" (Jones); "Understanding Clientele Differences" (McKenna, Martin); and "Selecting Advisory Council Members" (Black et al.). (JOW)

A random sample of 50 percent of extension home economists in seven midwestern states was surveyed, with an 85 percent response. Results showed that the most used methods of needs assessment were advisory committees, requests, questions from clients, and program spinoffs. (JOW)

The Citizens Changing Communities program trained advisory boards in time and meeting management, conflict management, problem solving, goal setting, action planning, and decision making. Although evaluations revealed high interest in program content and delivery methods, actual participation did not match responses. A holistic approach focused on…

The Watershed Stewardship Education Program (WSEP) is a multidisciplinary Oregon Extension designed to help watershed councils, landowners, and others work effectively together on water management. Components include practical, easy-to-use educational materials, training in effective collaboration, a Master Watershed Stewards program, and advanced…

Presents a model of organized advisory councils containing three components: structural knowledge, programing skills, and group process skills. This framework can be used to train advisory council members and improve the effectiveness of extension programs. (SK)

This article presents two examples of how the Educational Teleconference System has been used in Missouri to achieve program objectives in home economics that might not otherwise have been possible. County-based home economists have received subject-matter updates, and food and nutrition specialists have been able to conduct advisory committee…

A program that enables young people to understand economic practices of business and industry, originally conceived at the 1972 National 4-H Congress but expanded to include many agencies, is described. A format of four one-day modules is suggested. Businessmens' involvement, local advisory committees, and coordination are important aspects…