Are you part of a work team or work with a community group that would benefit from doing some goal setting or strategic planning? Michigan State University Extension and the MSU National Charrette Institute is excited to offer an online session of the Setting Group Goals for Growth (SG3) workshop on the 5th of March, 2025. SG3 is a half-day, interactive, workshop for groups or teams with current strategic planning, goal setting, or futuring needs. Teams of 6-12 people will participate in a...

Please save the dates and signup for conference updates for the May 11-14, 2026, National Urban Extension Conference hosted in Detroit, MI by Michigan State University Extension. This upcoming event’s focus will be on Driving Innovation Ahead. The event will take place at The Westin Book Cadillac at 1114 Washington Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226. Registration and room block information will be released in late 2025. Please visit canr.msu.edu/nuec for updates. You can also sign up to get email...

The National League of Cities is offering an opportunity for cities, towns and counties to receive free technical assistance and fee waivers through our LEED for Cities Certification Cohort program, generously supported by the Bank of America. Please pass this on to any municipal or county contacts who might be interested. LEED for Cities is a comprehensive framework for local governments to manage community-wide sustainability efforts. It incorporates social, economic, and environmental...

Thanks to those who were able to join the Transdisciplinary Approaches Series webinar, Reviewing and Evaluating Transdisciplinary and Engaged Research Projects: Perspectives from Funding Programs . For those who weren’t – we’ll share the recording link as soon as it’s posted. Next Transdisciplinary Webinar: Webinar Title: Transdisciplinary approaches for sustainable landscapes: International perspectives Registration : You can register here Date : March 25, 2025 Time : 7am to 8:30am Pacific...

Please save the dates May 11-14, 2026, for the National Urban Extension Conference hosted in Detroit, MI by Michigan State University Extension. This upcoming event’s focus will be on Driving Innovation Ahead. The event will take place at The Westin Book Cadillac at 1114 Washington Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226. Registration and room block information will be released in late 2025. Please visit canr.msu.edu/nuec for updates. You can also sign up to get email updates about the conference at...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2024— The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it has invested a total of $124 million in Business Builder grants to support small and mid-sized farm and food businesses by funding projects that increase business viability, develop regional market opportunities, and expand value chain capacity. The Business Builder grants are being offered through USDA’s 12 Regional Food Business Centers (RFBC) and is a part of their work to support a more resilient,...

Reviewing and Evaluating Transdisciplinary and Engaged Research Projects: Perspectives from Funding Programs Date : December 11, 2024 @ 1pm ET Registration : https://www.nifa.usda.gov/events/reviewing-evaluating-transdisciplinary-engaged-research-projects-perspectives-funding Description : As more research funding agencies begin to support the use of transdisciplinary and engaged research practices in their programs, to help generate tangible, positive societal impacts, we can take advantage...

The NUEL Professional Development Action Team will wrap up the series of webinars focused on the 4Ps this Thursday (11/14/24). Join our panelists – Julie Fox (OH), Kristina Hains (KY), and Alyssa Bowers (WA) to explore Personnel in the urban context. No pre-registration is required for the webinar which starts at 3:30 p.m. EST. Join Zoom bit.ly/3PRNhjo All webinar recordings are hosted on the YouTube channel If you need webinar assistance, email ramona.m.hector@ufl.edu or bgrogers@ufl.edu

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2024 – Urban and innovative agriculture producers will be able to more easily participate in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs as a result of acreage reporting improvements. These improvements, implemented by USDA’s Farm Service Agency, provide more flexibility for reporting acreage on a smaller scale and identifying innovative planting practices like multi-level planting or vertical farming practices. READ MORE HERE

As more research funding agencies begin to support the use of transdisciplinary and engaged research practices in their programs, to help generate tangible, positive societal impacts, we can take advantage of opportunities to learn from programs that have been early adopters of these modes of research. The increased emphasis on engagement throughout the research process is helping to shine a light on the importance of partnerships, relationships, and trust in moving research into practice...

Join us for a webinar looking at how Land-grant University administration can support faculty and staff in adopting transdisciplinary approaches and leverage the power of engagement. We’ll hear from top University administrators about the challenges of such work and the opportunities to overcome them, and discuss how to navigate multifaceted projects that support inclusivity and diverse perspectives to address the complex challenges facing food and agricultural systems today. Register here.

Improving the quality of life in smaller, and older (legacy) cities (like Springfield, Mass) is something I have been working on for many years with my students as part of my Urban Extension work at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Photo: Springfield, Massachusetts downtown Placemaking project.