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The National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) Group and eXtension are pleased to announce they are accepting applications for a NUEL Fellow to assist in the advancement of professional development focused on the unique nonsubject matter needs of Extension Professionals working in urban environments. Urban Extension will be the focus of an eXtension Impact collaborative scheduled for October of 2019. The linked Role Description provides the details and application process. Sourced from: National Urban Extension Leaders
The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) is seeking pre-proposals for the Seeding Solutions 2019 funding opportunity. The Seeding Solutions grants encourage the development of unique partnerships to support innovative – and potentially transformative – research focused in our Challenge Areas. For Seeding Solutions 2019, FFAR anticipates funding at least one proposal in each of our six newly updated Challenge Areas. This year, FFAR will prioritize funding projects that both demonstrate strong partnerships, and have the potential for significant agricultural advancements through innovation and new technologies. We encourage applicants to reach out to the managing Scientific Program Director for their Challenge Area of interest to hone their ideas prior to submitting a pre-proposal in March 1, 2019. Please note that the Seeding Solutions’ 2019 Request for applications will be available soon on the FFAR website. FFAR awarded nearly $8 million to innovative projects during the 2017 Seeding Solutions program, which when matched, invested $16.6 million in agricultural research and innovation. We will be announcing the 2018 Seeding Solutions awardees soon, and are excited to further support agricultural research through Seeding Solutions 2019!   Sourced from: Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization established by bipartisan Congressional support in the 2014 Farm Bill, builds unique partnerships to support innovative and actionable science addressing today's food and agriculture challenges. FFAR leverages public and private resources to increase the scientific and technological research, innovation, and partnerships critical to enhancing sustainable production of nutritious food for a growing global population. The FFAR Board of Directors is chaired by Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum, Ph.D., and includes ex officio representation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation.
Ohio State University Extension, Marion County & United Way of North Central Ohio invite you to join them for a Collective Impact Assembly featuring keynote speaker, Dan Duncan, faculty at the ABCD Institute & Senior Consultant for Clear Impact. The Impact Assembly will bring together land-grant universities, funders, community partners, and ordinary residents for cross-sector dialogue and peer learning to tackle complex, social issues. The assembly will take place on Thursday, March 28, 2019 from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Registration opens February 15. Follow this link to register for the Collective Impact Assembly. Sourced from: CFAES
Recently, members of the Alliance for the American Dream convened in Phoenix for a competition including 12 teams from four states. The Power of Home proposal from the Ohio State Alliance for the American Dream was selected by Schmidt Futures and will be advancing in the competition. Power of Home capitalizes on home-ownership as an opportunity for social mobility, while mitigating the risks for households on the edge of the middle class. Power of Home is an innovative digital service platform and suite of resources that leverages the purchase of a first home as a springboard for increasing income, reducing expenses, and maximizing the economic potential of the home. Follow this link to learn about all of Ohio State's finalists. Sourced from: The Ohio State University
Modern humans enjoy mobility levels that are unprecedented in history. While this has benefits, it also has enormous social, health, and environmental costs. Harvey J. Miller discusses how resolving these costs is crucial if civilization is to survive the 21st century, a world that will see 10 billion people, most of whom will crowd into cities. Harvey J. Miller is the Reusche Chair in Geographic Information Science, Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Analysis (CURA) and Professor of Geography at The Ohio State University. The lecture will take place Sunday, February 17, 2019 at 3 p.m. Follow this link to learn more. Sourced from:  The College of Arts and Sciences  
The National Extension Conference on Volunteerism (NECV) is an opportunity for sharing and learning with colleagues from around the country who are interested in the latest trends and research in volunteerism. Featuring innovative ideas for reaching new volunteers and best practices for developing and retaining volunteers, NECV is focused on improving volunteer management efforts for Extension professionals. Conference participants will gather tools and skills through interactive sessions and networking with colleagues while developing plans to utilize these new resources in their own programs. The Conference is taking place May 14 -16, 2019 in Billings, Montana. Follow this link for registration information. Sourced from: Montana State University
A Midwest community recently completed a citizen satisfaction survey and the results of the survey defined the community as “benign.” The survey described the community as one where engagement wasn’t a priority for the local government and residents simply left the future of the community to those elected to represent them. There weren’t any glaring issues in the community and community leaders were not advancing any big ideas or preparing long range strategic plans. All is good when things are calm, right? Follow this link to read more. Sourced from: Cities Speak
Urban designers have begun to understand that designing a city means designing for the well-being of the people who live there. Across the globe, leading mayors now champion a new appreciation of the role of design on livability. Last year, the City of Los Angeles gained attention for hiring its first chief design officer, tasked with improving civic architecture and public design across the city. Poached from a role as architecture critic for the L.A. Times, the city’s new design guru promises to tackle a variety of challenges ranging from homelessness to climate change through the lens of urban architecture. Other cities have offered residents simulated experiences of new design projects so they can offer personal feedback. In Boston, Emerson College created a multiplayer game that allows users to participate in simulated activities in the Chinatown neighborhood. Users are tasked with finding a job, a place to live, and a place to socialize, and then provide comments to inform planning priorities. A host of other cities have used augmented reality technology that allows residents to enter immersive visualizations of urban redesigns and give their feedback on proposals. Follow this link to read more. Sourced from: Data Smart City Solutions
Last year, China cracked down on recycling imports, forcing cities to get cleaner and more creative with their trash. Until recently, China has been the world’s dominant market for recyclable material; in 2016 the country counted for 60 percent of global demand and roughly a third of U.S. exports. But 2018 started with a cataclysmic bang, as China made good on promises to enact stringent standards on imported paper and plastic refuse. That resulted in a complete halt to imports of some 32 recycled materials. A collapse in prices for some goods followed, while others went into a sympathetic swoon. As a result, some cities such as Kirkwood, Missouri and Deltona, Florida suspended recycling altogether; while others scaled back on the types of waste they would accept. Follow this link to read more. Sourced from: Next City
The Cooperative Extension System, in partnership with National 4-H Council and support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is working to equip volunteer leaders to help their neighbors be healthier at every stage of life through the Well Connected Communities (WCC) initiative. Recently, a new website for the WCC effort was developed and is now up and running. Visitors to the site can learn more about the public health priorities being addressed by each community and how local health councils, comprised of both youth and adults, are working to develop and implement action plans. The site also features a variety of resource documents that include webinars, curriculum, a communications toolkit and other interactive tools to help build a culture of health. Information on the website, including the resources and community progress, will be updated on a regular basis to track the momentum of this growing effort. Follow this link to learn more about the WCC initiative. Sourced from: ECOP

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