Tagged With "resource conservation and recovery act"
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Feeling feelings...
When was the last time you felt sorry for someone? Did you have a hard time connecting to the reason they were suffering? Did you find yourself not caring about what they care about? This focus is sympathy, not empathy. Chances are we don't need to learn this, we just need a reminder! Sympathy When we act out of sympathy it means we understand what the person is feeling. Chances are we're not really connecting with the other person though. If we don't move toward empathy our understanding is...
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Three Keys to Sustainable Change: The Path toward Social Justice and Supporting the Well-being of Diverse Families
The path of change towards social justice and supporting the well-being of diverse families may, at times, be difficult for professionals who serve families.
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Job Opening: Associate Dean and Associate Director of Cooperative Extension at the University of Hawaii at Manoa
The Associate Dean and Associate Director for Cooperative Extension in the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) must be a visionary leader for the Cooperative Extension programs. The Associate Dean of Extension serves with the CTAHR Dean, Associate Dean and Associate Director for Research, and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs in the daily operations of CTAHR. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Ph.D. or equivalent degree in a discipline encompassed within CTAHR.
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Mental Health Matters| Mental Health Resources for Underrepresented Populations
Underrepresented groups in the United States face unique struggles regarding mental illness. This includes the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities like indigenous groups and people of color. BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Other underrepresented groups also include members of the LGBTQ+ community. And it is these populations that are recognized during the month of July for National Minority Mental Health Month. National...
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NDSU Extension accepting applications for Assistant Director, Agriculture and Natural Resources
NDSU Extension is currently accepting applications for the position of Extension Assistant Director, Agriculture and Natural Resources, with office location in Fargo, ND. This is an excellent opportunity to lead dynamic agriculture and natural resources Extension programs in North Dakota. Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. The full position announcement and application instructions are available at www.ndsu.edu/employment - Job ID 2943030. Application screening begins...
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How Can Extension Help When #CaregivingHappens?
More than 90 million Americans provide care for someone who is aging, disabled, has one or more chronic conditions, just needs a little extra help, or some combination thereof. These individuals may not identify as “caregivers” but the role they play in the life of someone else is critical. November is National Family Caregiver Month and this year’s theme is #CaregivingHappens. #CaregivingHappens when we least expect it: when we are at work, running errands, during natural disasters, or just...
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What Does FREEDOM Mean To You?
Some of the most cherished memories from my military career are centered around the privilege of visiting with Veterans. Connecting with one of the last WWI veterans, Robley Rex , was amazing. Hearing individual accounts of WWII directly from members of the greatest generation, including Pearl Harbor survivors, was a gift. Stories from Korean War veterans, Vietnam veterans, Gulf War veterans, the many who we served alongside after the attacks on September 11, our allies, and even veterans of...
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Celebrating National Rural Health Day 2022
On National Rural Health Day, we celebrate with the #CDC the #PowerofRural, and the many programs and professionals striving to protect rural communities' health through Extension programming and resources! The Extension Foundation is proud to support the critical work many programs are doing to bring health resources, tools and education to rural communities. Below are projects supported by the Extension Foundation that show the impact Cooperative Extension is making in rural communities...
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Some things I think I think...
The great sports broadcaster Dan Patrick used to host a podcast with the title "Things I think I think". During a presentation to our team, we were reminded of his show and it sparked my own thinking about what I think I think. Here are a few to ponder... Curiosity over Certainty When we remain curious we're open. We have a growth mindset. We see challenges as opportunities. While we can have aspects of our lives we're certain about, like our core values, in daily interactions it often leads...
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RFA: ECOP Health and Workforce Program Action Teams: Resilient Economies and Community Health (REACH)
ELIGIBILITY: Competitive opportunity available to ALL Land-grant universities (LGUs) (1862, 1890, 1994) by completing a simple online application. The Extension Foundation in partnership with the ECOP Health and Workforce Program Action Teams, is offering two opportunities to apply and be selected to pilot a community development initiative in a community of their choosing. More specifically, successful applicants will have the opportunity to pilot test how Cooperative Extension can catalyze...
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Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service seeks Assistant Director/State Program Leader
Oklahoma State University seeks an innovative and creative leader to identify, plan, implement, coordinate, evaluate and report statewide Extension Agriculture, Natural Resources and Community Economics Development programs with campus and field staff to address critical needs of Oklahomans. The Assistant Director/Program Leader is administratively responsible to the Associate Vice President, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service (OCES). Salary commensurate with qualifications and...
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Urban Extension Professional Development Guide Reissued as Flipping Book
An Urban Extension Professional Development guide has been reissued as a flipping book by the Extension Foundation. Initially developed as an offering for the 2019 Impact Collaborative, the publication is jam-packed with information and resources curated and reviewed by a national team of experts. Note : Registration for the next Impact Collaborative - which will be held October 4-6th, 2022 - is now open. Information about the all-virtual event can be found here . The publication’s editors...
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ECOP "Opioid Response" Publication Reissued
“Opioid Response” - a curated collection of resources designed to help Extension professionals play a stronger and more strategic role in addressing the opioid crisis - is now available in a flipping book format in the Extension Foundation’s publication library. The resources were curated by the Extension Opioid Crisis Response Workgroup (EOCRW), a task force created by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP). More than three dozen Extension professionals and experts from...
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Indigenous Food Sovereignty Publication Reissued as Flipping Book
Kemēcemenaw: Tribal Extension Partnerships That Support Indigenous Food Sovereignty on the Menominee Indian Reservation has been reissued as a flipping book by the Extension Foundation. The publication describes the Menominee Indigenous food system initiative, a collaborative project between the 1994 College of Menominee and UW Madison Extension. It shares information and resources about Menominee food sovereignty projects, programs, and activities. It also includes valuable information...
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Using Digital Technology in Extension Education now available in flipping book format
Using Digital Technology in Extension Education has been reissued as a flipping book. First published in September 2020 as a website, the publication provides timely content that aims to help Cooperative Extension professionals consider the role of technology in their work, and perhaps increase the adoption of technology, particularly social media. The information in the publication provides both food for thought and practical information that will enable readers to apply what they’ve...
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A Template for Better Health: New publication details Diabetes Prevention Online Toolkit
The Extension Foundation has added a new title to its library. A Template for Better Health: Diabetes Prevention Program Toolkit was w ritten by Vanessa da Silva, an assistant professor and Extension specialist at the University of Arizona and an NTAE Fellow. The publication details the process undertaken by a national team of Extension experts to create an online hub to encourage and support Extension’s adoption of the CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). The toolkit is a critical part...
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"Bridging the GAPS: Approaches to Treating Water On Farms" Curriculum Available as Flipping Book
“Bridging the GAPS: Approaches to Treating Water on Farms” - a curriculum designed to help producers understand and address the regulatory requirements for ag water treatment in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) - has been reissued in a flipping book format by the Extension Foundation. Preventing foodborne illness and protecting public health are critically important to producers. Sanitary irrigation water is also mandated by the USDA; producers are required to monitor, treat, and...
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Clearinghouse for Cleaner Water: New publication explores online resource hub project
The Extension Foundation has added a new title to its library. Clearinghouse for Cleaner Water: University of Minnesota Hub was w ritten by Anne Nelson and Anne Sawyer of the University of Minnesota (UMN) Extension. The UMN team is creating the Watershed Engagement Programming (WEP) Hub to support watershed-related outreach and engagement efforts to help address the state’s efforts to improve water quality. The team decided to create the Hub after surveying several dozen soil and water...
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ECOP Health Equity Framework Available in Flipping Book Format
Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health Equity and Well-Being has been published as a flipping book by the Extension Foundation. First published in July 2021, the report was produced by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP), Health Innovation Task Force. The Health Innovation Task Force was established in March 2020 by ECOP to "investigate, explore, and provide recommendations in support of extension innovating for system-level change” particularly as it...
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Resilient Agriculture: Weather Ready publication available on flipping book
Resilient Agriculture: Weather Ready Farms has been reissued as a flipping book by the Extension Foundation. The publication was created by a team of Extension professionals to help the agricultural industry become more resilient to weather extremes, climate variability, and climate change. Based on the Weather Ready Farms model developed by Nebraska Extension, the publication focuses primarily on field crop farms and producers in the Great Plains and Midwest regions of the United States.
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Leadership ABC's
A = Attitude One of 2 things within your control; attitude and effort! Attitude is everything, pick a good one. B = Brave When you believe strongly in something or perhaps it scares you a bit, let your courage shine through. Be brave enough to go first and model the way. C = Character This is your behavior when nobody is watching. You won't always have the training and education for the situations you find yourself in. Your strong character will get you through. D = Dependable You do what...
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Safety First!
Each of us strives to fulfill basic needs as humans otherwise we're surviving instead of thriving. When we perceive a situation isn't safe our fight/flight/freeze mode kicks in automatically so we can live through it. It's a great adaptation humans have developed over the millennia. We wouldn't be here without it. The problem comes when we live in this mode more than we feel safe. Cortisol and adrenaline flood our system even when we aren't actually in danger. Prolonged exposure to these...
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FREE Roaming Equids and Ecosystem Sustainability Network hosts a free webinar
Dear Extension Foundation Partners, I am writing to share with you a phenomenal opportunity that facilitated psychological safety and crucial conversations about the sustainable management of free-roaming equids at the 2023 Free-roaming Equid Summit held last fall in St. George, Utah. The Summit brought together stakeholders from across the spectrum of human emotions, values, and perceptions about wild horses and burros and their management. Summit participants engaged BLM and USFS line...
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Let’s talk about nutrition security
By Noelle Harden I recently talked with my mom and grandparents about hunger and food insecurity in the military. My grandpa served in the air force, then worked for the Veterans Administration. My mom spent her childhood moving across the country from base to base. They shared their struggles to be able to afford healthy and affordable food. Food Insecurity in the Military The RAND Corporation released a report last month on food security in the military. They found that 15.4% of active...
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2 thoughts...
When you feel the surge, resist the urge. There are times in our lives when we feel threatened. Some are real. Some aren't. Our bodies process these situations exactly the same. When threats aren't real often we let our fight/flight response take over. In these moments we react as if in real danger. The actual danger here is not having the self-awareness to realize the "threat" is perceived and be able to calm ourselves down. If we succumb to the survival hormones flooding our bodies we...
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Program Center Stage: Learn about the Free Tools and Resources Available for Extension Professionals
In this month's Program Center Stage, Extension Foundation’s Aaron Weibe provided an overview of the Foundation’s free tools and resources available for Cooperative Extension and Land-grant Universities including professional development opportunities, leadership, and team development, and other Member Solutions. Aaron walks through the tools, how to access them, and answers attendees' questions. Many participants noted that this session made them aware of many new tools available to them,...
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Healthy Eating Resources for Families Facing Food Insecurity
As any parent can tell you, it can be tough to get your kids to eat healthy foods. Proper nutrition is an important part of raising happy and healthy families. But what happens when proper nutrition is difficult to obtain? Not having enough food to eat is a growing problem for many families, so it can be hard to eat healthily when food is limited. Whether a family is facing a lack of access to healthy foods or affordability issues, this challenge of food insecurity puts families through...
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UNH Extension Seeks Field Specialist, Forest Resources
This position is based at the Strafford County Cooperative Extension office in Dover, N.H. and also covers N.H.’s Belknap County. In an urbanizing and suburbanizing environment, the field specialist, individually and in cooperation with internal and external partners, provides extension forest resources education and assistance to landowners; citizens; natural resource organizations and professionals; the forest industry; communities; volunteers; and town, county, and state government. In...
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Beliefs on the Leadership Journey
Getting clear with ourselves about our beliefs helps connect us to our core values. They will shift over our lives so it's a constant journey of discovery. Here are some things to ponder as you check in on your journey. Your Leadership Philosophy Defining what the huge topic of leadership is to you is of utmost importance. It helps us get clear on our approach, communicate it to others, and measure how we're doing every day. Here's mine right now... It's realizing it's not about me &...
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5 Reasons Estate Planning is Vital for Caregivers
While most Americans plan for retirement, many neglect another crucial aspect of financial planning – end of life or estate planning. Although about 6 in 10 Americans have a retirement account (Census Bureau, 2020), only 1 in 3 have an estate plan according to Caring.com’s 2023 Wills and Estate Planning Study. Estate planning is one of the most important, yet often overlooked aspects of caregiving. When someone becomes a caregiver for a loved one, their focus is primarily on providing...
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Resources from AI Basics for Extension!
In this special session for Extension Professionals, we delved into the basics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential applications in Extension work. It was a valuable opportunity to explore AI's potential with our colleagues and the information caters to individuals at all levels of familiarity with AI. During the webinar, we discussed what AI is and how it works, examples of how AI can be used in Extension, and provided guidance on creating effective prompts. There was also...
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Social Determinants of Health for Military Families in Transition
By: Jenny Rea, Ph.D. , Edited by Anna Peterson Arizona is home to 500,000+ service members, veterans, and their families. I recently had the opportunity to attend the Arizona Coalition for Military Families’ 13th Annual Statewide Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona. This annual event is Arizona’s only conference that brings together the military, government, and community. The symposium focuses on strengthening services and support for Arizona’s military-connected population. As Extension...
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Strategies and Tools for Effective Program Evaluation from the Extension Foundation
The Extension Foundation offers a variety of resources that can help Extension professionals develop strategies and utilize new tools for program evaluation, data collection, and stakeholder engagement. On Connect you can find videos and publications that highlight and present various evaluation methods, data collection techniques and tips, and effective evaluation approaches. Resources include webinars on qualitative research, data analysis, survey strategies, and multiple tools for...
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Coaching or Mentoring?
Not that many years ago it wasn't very cool to have a coach for personal development. It was seen as somewhat of a weakness if you sought out a coach for help. Today, it's different. You want to learn and grow because you're after increased effectiveness. It's cool to have a coach. On the other hand, mentors have been a big part of personal and professional networks throughout our lives. These relationships continue to be a vital part of our development and the quality of our lives. Mentors...
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Happy 4th of July!
Independence Day. Fourth of July . The founding of our nation. Family, fun & fireworks! On this day in 1776, our thirteen original colonies declared independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence document outlines our national foundation of freedom, democracy, and equality. The very first celebration was a year later in Philadelphia. Today, we mark the day with parades, picnics, and fireworks. Historically, July is a big month for the Cooperative Extension Service as...
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Strategies to “Liven Up” Financial Education Classes
Extension educators are always looking for ways to increase participation and engagement in their financial education classes. Here are a dozen interactive teaching methods to consider: Case Study Analyses, Current Events, Financial Calculator Debriefs, Gallery Walks, Documentary Debriefs, Guest Speakers, and more!
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Three Ways Service Providers Can Expand Food Security in Their Communities
In 2021, 33.8 million people living in the United States were food insecure (Weeks et al, 2023). Food security is defined by the USDA as, “Access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members” (OPA). Frequent relocations, barriers to spousal employment, and the Basic Allowance for Housing being factored into SNAP eligibility compounds the issue of food security for military families. As a result, one in four service members currently experience food...
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What keeps senior leaders up at night?
Our family had the pleasure of being stationed in Tokyo, Japan while my wife and I were in the U.S. Air Force. While Japan and the other countries we visited were amazing, it was a particularly complicated time in the Pacific region. Most notably, North Korea's leader was threatening war. Additionally, many career fields in the Air Force lacked the people to sustain the operational pace required to maintain peace and stability in the region. Because of these situations, several military...
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Funding Opportunities Now Featured in the Connect Extension Weekly Digest
Extension Professionals! If you weren't aware, the Extension Foundation has a weekly newsletter to help you stay informed about the happenings within Cooperative Extension. In the Connect Extension digest, you receive a round-up of upcoming events, professional development opportunities, job postings, and more. We provide useful resources to you weekly which now includes a section on federal funding opportunities available for the Extension system, updated regularly with new grants! You can...
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Feel the surge? Resist the urge!
A few years ago an assignment came my way due to a lack of personnel with the right experience. It featured a lot of diverse tasks to prepare a team for a challenging assignment involving advanced training, remote communication, outside agency networking/coordination & team building. After months of painstakingly detailed work, my bosses felt I had not asked the right questions, sweat the small stuff enough and let too many “balls drop”. In a one-way conversation, they fired me. This hit...
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Where were you?
The day started out as any other. A pretty normal Tuesday in fact. Put my uniform on, drove through the front gate of the Air Force base where we were assigned, and got to work. After a few minutes, it was apparent this wasn't going to be just another Tuesday... In our military, readiness exercises happen all the time to prepare for events involving natural disasters and domestic/international threats. Awareness of these exercises occurs from internal communication and is posted at the base...
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How to be a leadership "boss"
My first real job where there was a paycheck was at 13 years old at a local pizza joint. It was "the" pizza joint in town run by a graduate of the college where my parents both taught. This meant it was okay to work there as they trusted him. Most of the kids in Branson, MO worked over the summer because it was (and still is) a huge tourist destination. Despite being busy with camps and sports we found a few hours to earn a little money each summer. If you could do it someplace that taught...
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Job Openings: County-based Extension Forester positions, Oregon State University
The Oregon State University Extension Service, Forestry & Natural Resources Program is recruiting three energetic, creative, and collaborative individuals committed to sustaining natural resources and strengthening communities and economies. Each of these three county-based Extension Forester positions will serve one of the following regions: Central Oregon – Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook Counties, and Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Northern Willamette Valley – Columbia,...
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New Publication: The New Technologies for Ag Extension 2022-2023 Yearbook
The New Technologies for Ag Extension 2022-2023 Yearbook is available as a new title on the Extension Foundation’s website. The publication documents dozens of projects funded through the New Technologies for Ag Extension (NTAE) program , a cooperative agreement between USDA NIFA, Oklahoma State University, and the Extension Foundation. The goal of NTAE is to incubate, accelerate, and expand promising work that will increase the impact of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) in the...
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"Hot" for Change!
Imagine you're making popcorn on the stove. You heat the oil and put in the kernels. Too little heat and the kernels don't pop. Too much heat and the popcorn isn't edible because it's burned. Just the right amount of heat makes a yummy treat! Heat is the catalyst for change. It's the same for our teams and organizations. You're in the regular weekly update meeting and the boss checks in on how everyone is doing with the newly installed system-wide software. One team member speaks up and says...
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Available Grant Opportunities for Cooperative Extension!
Each week, the Extension Foundation newsletter dedicates a section to highlight the latest federal grant opportunities available for the Cooperative Extension system. In this blog post, we're excited to share with you a compilation of the most recent funding prospects featured in our newsletter. Cooperative Extension professionals who want to stay informed about these valuable opportunities can easily do so by subscribing to our weekly Connect Digest. You can subscribe to the Newsletter here...
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A T T I T U D E
During my senior year in High School, we were fortunate to play in the football state playoffs. Throughout the experience, at home or away games, signs hung up in our locker room with this saying... If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don't. If you'd like to win but think you can't, it's almost certain you won't. Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man, but sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can. We made it to the...
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Moving the Needle on Racial Equity in Extension, Part 3 of 3
The 1862 land grant institutions face a large task to move beyond their troubled legacy and meet the needs of contemporary people of color. To address racial inequities in extension, we embarked on educational and institutional change activities. We share three key lessons: the need to take time for building relationships of trust, to tailor individual communication about diversity, equity, and inclusion work for different colleagues, and to re-think the sources of expertise in extension work.
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Growth!
The hardest part of leadership development is behavior change. It's hard, not impossible. Haven't met a single person who isn't capable of interpersonal behavior change. We all can do it! Step #1 is awareness. If we're not aware we can't put efforts in place to make meaningful growth happen. Feedback is the breakfast of Champions! Step #2 is don't be so hard on yourself. We will all mess up. Great leadership is allowing people to fail but not allowing them to feel like a failure along the...
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Webinar for Cooperative Extension Professionals: 22007 Discrimination Financial Assistance Program Overview
November 29th, 2023 2-3 PM ET/1-2 CT/12-1 MT/11-12 PT Register Here: https://pages.extension.org/22007 The Extension Foundation is hosting a webinar that will feature senior officials from USDA, along with third-party program vendors, to discuss the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP) . Because of Cooperative Extension’s proximity to farmers at the local level, this webinar will share important DFAP information ahead of the application deadline, January 13, 2024. The...