Community Vitality Connects Nebraska

Cornhusker Economics August 13, 2014

Community Vitality Connects Nebraska

Fostering the future of Nebraska is the underlying mission of the newly formed Community Vitality Initiative (CVI) launched by UNL Extension. The Community Vitality Initiative is focused on expanding partnerships to build communities where businesses thrive, entrepreneurs have access to the resources they need and young people want to return. Currently multi-disciplinary teams include faculty from the Departments such as Ag Economics and the Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies and will include faculty from all the University campuses and service providers from outside of the University. 

An important component of Community Vitality Initiative is to connect people with resources and resources to people. To keep the Initiative grounded we have adopted the following operating principles:

  • Community-centered capacity building
  • Educational opportunities that are relevant and research-based
  • Collaborative networks to address opportunities and challenges of rural people and places
  • Collective impact - together we make a difference


The initiative will expand UNL Extension's network and programming base across Nebraska focusing on the following three outcomes:

Create 21st Century Communities that Attract and Retain People

  • Communities exhibit a healthy and vibrant environment where people of diverse backgrounds want to live, raise their families, work and grow their businesses
  • Community institutions and infrastructure are available to support entrepreneurship and business development
  • Community members are involved and/or engaged to create their vision for the future
  • Leaders generate ideas, projects and goals to implement the community vision

Develop and/or Grow Rural Nebraska Businesses

  • Rural Nebraska Businesses Develop and/or Grow
  • The creation and growth of rural Nebraska businesses
  • The creation and retention of jobs for rural Nebraska
  • An increase in the number of young people in rural Nebraska
  • Business resources transferred to maximize community wealth retention

Ag and Natural Resource Enterprises Start and Flourish in Nebraska Communities

  • The expansion of agriculturally-based profit centers within the food and natural resource industry
  • Food access and quality are improved through the production, processing, and marketing of local food and agricultural products
  • Eco- and agri-tourism opportunities attract more people to rural Nebraska
  • Resources transferred to maximize community wealth retention and sustainability.

Engage Youth and Young Adults in Rural Communities
Youth, and young adults, will:

  • Pursue career opportunities in Nebraska communities
  • Become contributing members of Nebraska communities
  • Own and /or manage more businesses in Nebraska communities
  • Communities will have a healthy structure for fostering community involvement
  • Youth and adults will create a shared vision for the community's future

While Extension has offered programming in the three outcome areas, we will be able to enhance programming and provide focused leadership with this new effort.  Educators are being identified statewide to focus on the Community Vitality Initiative. In addition, other educators and University staff may work on a program linked to this effort. Extension alone cannot achieve these goals and increased efforts will be made to build networks with communities and organizations that are interested in addressing these goals. To begin building these networks, transition leaders have been identified for  each of the outcomes.

Opportunities to Engage
You can be engaged in the conversation!  Have an idea to explore?  Want to learn more? 
Please review the framework at http://go.unl.edu/mdoz or feel free to contact:  Connie Hancock, CVI Coach/Extension Educator chancock1@unl.edu or one of the transition leaders:

  • Create 21st Century Communities that Attract and Retain People. Transition leaders:  Phyllis Schoenholz, Randy Cantrell
  • Develop and/or Grow Rural Nebraska Businesses. Transition leaders:  Marilyn Schlake, Jessica Jones
  • Engage Youth and Young Adults in Rural Communities. Transition leaders:  Angela Abts, Linda Dannehl, Nancy Eberle, Dennis Kahl, Sue Pearman, Shane Potter

Charlotte Narjes,
Department of Agricultural Economics
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
cnarjes@unl.edu

Connie Hancock
Extension Educator
Panhandle Research & Extension Center
chancock1@unl.edu