A Connect Extension NUEL subgroup was created.  Aaron Weibe, Extension Foundation, completed  the review/audit of NUEL's current webpage hosted by the Extension Foundation and shared the  results with the NUEL Executive Committee so that they could make decisions about how to move  forward with changes to the website. Aaron and the NUEL fellow, Cayla Taylor, worked together to  rework the layout of the website and connect it to the NUEL Connect Extension site so that  information on the website would be pulled from the NUEL Connect Extension site. This ensures  that News items, the calendar and much of the other information on the site stays fresh and up-to-date. Aaron conducted an audit of the NUEL website and created a NUEL subgroup in Connect  Extension. Website was redesigned and widgets were integrated that directly connect to Connect  Extension Subgroup. 

The National Urban Extension Leaders subgroup held its first virtual chat on Friday, May 13 titled,  Reimagining Our Future…Together with Urban Extension Leaders. During the 1-hour virtual chat  attendees discussed topics on Lessons Learned from the Pandemic, Working in Non-Conventional  Spaces, Measuring Impact, and Ten Years from Now. There were 25 attendees who participated in the 1-hour discussion. 

The new NUEL website and Connect Extension group were launched in mid-May, just ahead of the  National Urban Extension Conference (NUEC). NUEL's plan since December 2021 when it began  working on building its communications capacity was to use NUEC as the springboard to launch its  new communication tools. At the beginning of NUEC (May 23), Camden, NJ, the NUEL Connect  Extension group had about 150-160 members. There are currently about 740 members of the NUEL subgroup.

The ECOP Climate PAT (program action team) in partnership with the Urban Ag and Food Systems PAT, submitted a proposal in response to the  American Rescue Plan Technical Assistance Investment Program. The goal is to ensure improved  understanding of and equitable participation in the full range of USDA programs and services among  historically underserved farmers, ranchers, forest land owners and operators through supporting the  organizational delivery of technical assistance projects and establishment of technical assistance  networks. Our submission for $3.5M focused on Urban Agriculture and included 8 institutions, of which  6 are 1890's institutions. If funded, this grant could significantly advance the work of these  institutions in serving urban agriculturalists.

Additionally, NUEL (National Urban Extension Leaders) launched a new website and Connect Extension group in mid-May, just ahead of the  National Urban Extension Conference (NUEC). There are currently about 740 members of the NUEL subgroup. If you are not a member of the NUEL Connect Extension group, please consider joining your colleagues today!