NATIONAL PROGRAM & SERVICES HIGHLIGHTS
AGRIPROSPECTS
AgriProspects is a $10M, five-year grant program to optimize the connection between demand and supply in the adult agricultural workforce. The grant will result in: • The creation of an online clearinghouse of Extension Ag Workforce Development offerings. • A sustainable national network of CES and Land-grant university faculty and staff working in this area. • Helping to connect workforce intermediaries to the CES offerings that culti- vate upskilling, credentialing, and adult participant readiness to successfully join or rejoin the ag workforce. A series of mini-grants will be issued to develop new adult workforce programs, accelerate adoption of new tools and techniques, and expand proven adult workforce development programs across the country. After receiving the award in September 2023, the Foundation released an RFA for 12 coordinator positions across the six CES regions, which will be in place in February 2024. These coordinators will help catalog CES and LGU efforts, build regional and national working groups, and tap into national workforce development efforts. Beyond putting the 12 coordinators in place, the Extenstion Foundation expects that 2024 will see the development of the clearinghouse tool and user interface, initial working group development, and issuance of the first mini-grant RFA.
FADI-EDEN
Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative – Extension Disaster Education Network (FADI-EDEN) is a four-year, $1.2M grant from
USDA NIFA to help provide administrative support to EDEN. EDEN was formed in 2006 in response to significant flooding events in the Midwest. Over the years, EDEN has evolved to provide education to CES faculty and staff around disaster preparedness and response, developing community disaster resilience, and assisting CES programs in responding to disasters. The Foundation’s FADI grant will continue to provide mini-grant support for EDEN delegate projects, support for engagement, and technological support for EDEN’s website.
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2023 ANNUAL REPORT | EXTENSION FOUNDATION
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