Proposals for Extension Program funding for FY09-10 are due this Friday, August 7 at 5:00pm (email the proposals to Patti B (pattib@cals.arizona.edu). Go to ace.clover.cals.arizona.edu/state/employee-resources for details on the RFP. For those interested, a short list of "proposed" proposals is also available at this site.
In late June, the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration awarded Extension over $400,000 to establish the Regional Center for Sustainable Economic Development at the UA. Only one university per state is chosen in this highly competitive grant. The Center will serve its clientele by offering a variety of technical assistance, research and educational programs focused on sustainable economic development to rural communities. The Community Vitality Initiative (CVI) team will serve as the leader in community facilitation and facilitator training of Extension personnel so that the services of the Center can reach into all of the communities of Arizona that Extension currently serves. Area Agents Erik Glenn and Mark Apel will be the co-project managers, with support from Susan Pater, Darcy Dixon, Kirk Astroth, Beth Knisely Tucker, Cathy Martinez, Juanita Waits, Russ Tronstad, and Tauhidur Rahman. For more information, contact Erik Glenn (erikg@cals.arizona.edu) or Mark Apel (mapel@cals.arizona.edu).
Exciting new changes are coming for our Cooperative Extension Web sites. We are moving forward with the transition of the ACE state Web site to a content management system called Drupal. Using this content management system you, or your designee(s), will be able to put your program and event information content directly into the Web site right from your computers. You will also be able to easily change and update your program information. A number of trainings will be offered to teach you how to enter content. This round of trainings will focus on getting state program information and events into the database and will take place on the UA campus in the Forbes computer lab. We will offer trainings via Breeze at a later date and may be able to offer some on-site training when we are ready to input county information. If interested in learning how to put state program and event information into a site, go to Doodle at doodle.com/ay3z5d2kynhuhad8 and indicate your availability. Class sizes will be limited to 8 people, so indicate all dates/times that you are available. If you have questions, contact Sheila Merrigan (merrigan@cals.arizona.edu, 520.626.6543).
The Managing in Tough Times National Initiative (MiTTNet) resource directory officially launched through a national Web conference on July 30. The directory can be accessed at mittnet.extension.org/. It is fully searchable and nearly 900 resources can be found in individual and family, farm and ranch, community, and youth topic areas. For those who could not attend, go to http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/p78987985/ to view the Web conference. To learn more about MiTTNet, contact Lyla Houglum (lyla.houglum@oregonstate.edu), Jane Schuchardt (jschuchardt@csrees.usda.gov), or Tom Coon (coontg@msu.edu), ECOP Programs Subcommittee and Michigan State University Extension Director.
The Arizona Rural Water Association (formerly the Arizona Small Utilities Association) is sponsoring a tour of the Walnut Gulch Watershed Experimental Station with Arizona NEMO on August 25. Walnut Gulch, located near Tombstone, has been studied for over 50 years under a program funded by the USDA, Agricultural Research Service, and the University of Arizona. Data collected on the watershed has contributed to the development of several watershed modeling tools. The full-day tour leaves from Tucson. If interested in participating, contact Kristine Uhlman (kuhlman@cals.arizona.edu).
James A. Christenson, Ph.D.
(jimc@cals.arizona.edu)
Associate Dean and Director
Arizona Cooperative Extension
Forbes, Room 301
Tucson, Arizona 85721
520/621-7205
520/621-1314 FAX
TMN submittal: http://cals.arizona.edu/extension/tuesday/submittal_form.html