Program Planning for County Needs Alan Ladd, Regional Extension Education Director Connie Casson, West Pott Council Member

When is the last time your county added new programming When is the last time your county added new programming? What was the catalyst? How did it go?

We’ll share a bit of the story from West Pottawattamie – out here in SWI…

And after years of a tight budget, we were in a position to expand our programming. We had a new county director, who was experienced, and we have increasing diversity and slowly increasing population. New leadership in largest city of CB, in Community Foundation, and in largest school district.

Yet we wanted to be smart & strategic about how we expanded – more tiny house than Winchester House. We’ll share some of our strategies, but also have a conversation about how to plan with intention, whether growing or shrinking in population and funds.

Who’s in the Room? And are you growing or shrinking?

Whether growing or shrinking, you prioritize your programming each year. Consider these priorities: Sacred cows. What is “extension” to your most engaged stakeholders? Cross-Iowa initiatives. We know that Iowa is aging, and entrepreneurship is key to keeping our young people, or getting them to come home. Special interests for your area or your staff. This could be Juntos / MAIZE, local food, etc. Research from the university. What collaborations could use some local context? How can classes or research interests use your county as field experience, and then bring the lessons back to campus to benefit all of Iowa? Collaboration with other community organizations to share priorities & meet programming needs. Early outs for teacher collaboration = opportunity for after-school Clover Kids, robotics, or 4-H programming.

Once you have a short list of program needs, this tool from the IECA site will help your program committee to dig in and consider the aspects you can activate to make this program successful. Any

What’s worth the time? How do you measure effectiveness?

How can you use the resources of Extension? Data for decision makers Pick a program facilitation by Human Sciences Leading Communities program by Community & Economic Development

Where can you go from here? ISUEO Idea Fair Invite Human Sciences to facilitate program selection Look to the ISUEO website for additional programming ideas Connect with someone at lunch about their sacred cows & new programming that’s been a success

Thanks for your engagement – hope you’re finding new ideas throughout the day today

Reach out and … you know Alan Ladd Connie Casson aladd@iastate.edu 515.231.0754 cmcasson@gmail.com 402.981.5973

Head out to the tailgate lunch now