Globalizing Extension Innovation Network Internship

Impact Collaborative Summit – Seed Grant Globalizing Extension Innovation Network Grant Abstract This grant is in support of developing a Globalizing Extension Innovation Network (GEIN) for the United States Cooperative Extension Service (CES) community which creates space for collaboration and connection, enabling global engagement, impact sharing, visibility, advocacy, and resource acquisition unlike standalone efforts. Our goal with the internship funded by this grant is to begin the work of aligning and expanding the international work professionals are already doing through the U.S. CES. The hope of this 11-university team is to create a space for professionals to connect, collaborate, streamline, and advance international efforts. The Globalizing Extension Innovation Network (GEIN) will accomplish this through cultivating internal and external partnerships; encouraging global engagement for Extension professionals, Land Grant Universities, and clientele through the CES; providing professional development opportunities to enhance cross-cultural skills; creating a dialogue that shares Extension’s collective global impact and international efforts; and acquiring resources for international programming with the hopes of reinvigorating, in partnership with USDA, the NIFA Center for International Programs. The implementation of GEIN will be the first step in aligning and advancing CES international work. The goals of GEIN will focus on creating a sustainable network where professionals interested in internationalizing Extension may find resources, collaboration, or support for implementation and advancing efforts locally and globally. We will work on expanding GEIN by hiring an intern to organize a platform which will unify membership across the nation. A directory of international Extension professionals will be compiled, and invitations extended to build membership. Work the intern will complete includes managing the GEIN subgroup through Connect Extension, conducting an exploratory study of the current international ecosystem, exploring additional communication channels, coordinating communication of GEIN, ensuring diverse participation, identifying other groups/initiatives that may contribute, and researching possible partnerships. A dedicated individual to work on moving GEIN forward will provide a solid foundation for GEIN to reach the goals of collaboration, connection, enabling global engagement, impact sharing/visibility, and resource acquisition. The product of the grant funding will situate GEIN with a visible online presence to advance international Extension work through unification of efforts across the system. Upon completion there will be a database of point of contact for international Extension professionals across the United States. There will be an intentional gathering of professionals to connect and collaborate about international work through Extension.