Request for proposals: Impacts of successful Extension and outreach programs

The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD) announces a new competitive grant opportunity that is intended to help Northeast (NE) Land Grant University (LGU) faculty and educators document the impacts of their work while also encouraging collaboration across state lines. Proposals will be accepted until September 1, 2017.

This RFP is closed.

Thank you to everyone who submitted a proposal. Learn about the proposals that were funded.

Two types of projects will be considered

  • Option 1 (up to $15,000): Teams with members from one or more states will explore the feasibility of implementing the impact reporting system described in the "Impact Indicators Tips Booklet" (NERCRD, 2016) for an existing successful and established Extension program.
  • Option 2 (up to $20,000): Multi-state team(s) will collaborate to share a program across state lines with a secondary emphasis on collecting program data around a set of impacts. This can be accomplished by piloting a program in which Extension specialists, with the endorsement of staff in other states, deliver a successful program to audiences in those states, either in person or via the web. This also can be accomplished by staff in one state providing training to staff in other NE states.

Funding

These grants will cover travel and meeting costs for the project teams. Salaries and indirect costs will not be covered. Only actual expenses will be reimbursed with unused funds returning to the NERCRD grant pool. The funding will be available for a maximum of one year from the date of award notification.

Who can apply?

Extension or research faculty and staff of LGUs in the Northeast region can apply for this opportunity. Non-LGU professionals can also participate but two-thirds of each project must be LGU staff.

Team criteria

Teams should include 7-10 Extension staff or applied researchers who work with a successful Extension or outreach program. Teams pursuing Option 1 can be composed of members from one NE state with multiple types of CD programs or of members from different NE states with all members working with the same program. Teams pursuing Option 2 should include members from at least two NE states working with the same program. Teams should be led by Extension or research faculty or staff of LGUs in the Northeast region. Preference will be given to teams that include members who report to an Extension Community Development Program Leader or Department Head in Economics, Applied Economics, or Sociology that focuses on rural community development.

Can faculty/staff from outside NE states join the project?

Yes, but three-fourths of the team members must be from the NE states.

Expected deliverables

Expected Deliverables for Both Options:

  • The program(s) for which impacts are being collected should begin after the grant proposal is submitted.
  • Team members should collect data on at least two "action" and two "impact" indicators for the program. See pages 20-27 of the Impact Indicators Tips Booklet for an explanation.
  • A summary report of the impacts for each community in which the program was implemented.
  • Documentation on the process and procedures used to estimate the data in the summary report.

Additional Deliverables for Option 1:

  • Provide two examples of how these impact data are used to demonstrate the value of your Extension program, including at least one with infographics and at least one with a "but for" story and quote.

Additional Deliverables for Option 2:

  • Regional collaboration: Team members should transfer or adapt a successful, established CRD program between NE states or from a state outside of the region.
  • Scholarship which describes your project and its results and shares lessons learned. For a discussion of scholarship options, see the FAQs.

Review process

A technical review will be completed by an independent panel, composed of one member of the NERCRD Technical Advisory Committee, one member of the NE Learning Circle for Impact Indicators and one member of the National CRED Impact Indicators group. The Center's Board of Directors will provide input into the final selection and the recommended funding level.

Questions?

If you have technical questions, contact Kristen Devlin (krd111@psu.edu).
For content-related questions, contact Daniel Eades ()