Serving county extension councils across Iowa

Iowa Association of County Extension Councils

Strategic Planning – 2005

Issue: Help county council members prepare for their role in ISU Extension

Goal: To be a resource for ISU Extension county council members

Resources

- Time

- Publicity

- Area meetings to improve communication

- Mutual aid between IACEC and ISU Extension (review, renegotiate IACEC/ISU relationship)

- Communication – interaction between IACEC and ISU

- Training/orientation for new IACEC board members

- County liaison assignments for each IACEC member

- Direct cooperation between area directors and IACEC to provide service

- Information center

- Board members working as networking agents

Payoff

- More effective ISU Extension organization across the state (at all levels)

- Better informed decisions/actions in ISU Extension county councils

- Fulfill the vision for IACEC

- Better service to county clients

Tradeoffs

- Time commitment of board members

- Ability to recruit new IACEC board members

Timeline: January 2006 to January 2007

Issue: Increase involvement with public leaders at the county, state, and federal levels

Goal: To strengthen our relationship with regents, legislators, and congressional delegation; increase public leaders’ awareness of the impact of ISU Extension

Resources

- Lobbyist

- Cooperation of council members

- Support from ISU administration

Payoff: Better communication with public leaders to positively affect funding for ISU and Extension at all levels

Tradeoff: Increased time commitment for IACEC legislative committee

Target date: Start implementation in June 2005; explore lobbyist options in January 2006

Issue: Obtain resources for ISU Extension programs to meet citizens’ needs

Goal: Increase the funding at the county level to insure high quality of ISU Extension programming and staff

Resources 

- Share what other counties are doing to increase funding through grants, contracts, and gifts

- Encourage ISU Extension county councils to develop partnerships with Farm Bureau, hospitals, schools, boards of supervisors, libraries, conservation boards, industry, and other local and state agencies

- Use IACEC website to share information about successful programs

Payoff

- More research-based information provided to citizens

- ISU Extension more visible throughout the state

Tradeoffs 

- ISU Extension could lose identity with partnering organizations

- Loss of county resources could negatively impact state and federal funding sources, which could impact the quality of ISU Extension programs

Timeline: Start implementation in June 2005

Issue: Communicate more effectively with IACEC members

Goal: Have more regular and effective communication from the IACEC board and among ISU Extension councils that are IACEC members

Resources

- At least one personal contact with each member ISU Extension council

- Network newsletter

- Conference calls

- Website

- Area or multi-county meetings

- Legislative day

Payoff

- More active membership

- The board can be more responsive to desires of the membership

- Members are better aware of issues that are affecting ISU Extension

- Members can access IACEC resources easily

- Members can network with one another

Tradeoffs 

- Greater time commitment from board members

- Board members will all need to stay on top of board issues and communicate with one another more actively between meetings

- IACEC members may not take advantage of additional opportunities to communicate with one another or use the website or newsletter

Timeline: Start implementation in June 2005

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© IACEC 2002