2022 Community Development Archives

Recent Posts

A Pledge for the New Year — 14 December 2022

A standard best practice in recruiting members to any community board is to provide them with a written role description to give them a good...

Giving Thanks to Funders: Tips for Being a Good Steward — 02 November 2022

If you find yourself in the fortunate situation of needing to thank a funder for awarding a grant proposal that you’ve submitted, note that...

Finding Hope. How I Discovered Compassion and Perseverance, Tucked Away in Rolling Hills — 06 October 2022

In 2018, Bo Beaulieu and Alison Davis decided to write a grant to USDA-Rural Development for the new Rural Economic Development Innovation...

Purdue Extension Educators Share Facilitation Skills with Faculty from Andhra University — 03 October 2022

On September 20, Regional Community Development Educators Tanya Hall and Steve Yoder led a daylong workshop on verbal facilitation skills for a...

From Networking to Collaboration, From Buy-in to Active Engagement — 01 September 2022

Back in March 2020, we were entering into the unknown. The pandemic was taking hold, and everyone across the globe was trying to determine the...

Three Rookie Mistakes That Can Make or Break Your Grant Proposal — 01 September 2022

The thought of writing a grant proposal can be intimidating for folks who are new to the process. There are multiple steps involved, multiple...

Creating A Digital Ready Business — 10 August 2022

The Purdue Extension Digital Ready program is designed to help small businesses learn to leverage online tools and services to grow their business....

Five Ways to Connect with Grant Makers — 03 August 2022

Most grant applications can now be completed online with little, if any, personal interaction between the grant seeker and the grant funder....

NACDEP – Creating Connections at Every Crossroad — 15 June 2022

Creating Connections at Every Crossroad: Purdue Extension Community Development Program Supports the National Association of Community Development...

BR&E Next Steps — 05 May 2022

Over the past several months, my column has provided an overview of all five of the Business Retention & Expansion Program (BR&E) modules...

We All Come From Somewhere – Part 2 — 04 May 2022

Last month, I offered a glimpse into our Purdue Study Abroad trip to Ireland focused on rural development. Our planned activities exceeded our...

Workshops to Improve your Business’ Online Presence and Increase Sales — 04 May 2022

In 2017, Extension Community Development and the Purdue Center for Regional Development (PCRD) sought a way to help Indiana small businesses...

Purdue Pilots Training Sessions for County Extension Boards — 04 May 2022

In April, Purdue Extension began piloting a series of training sessions for county extension boards across Indiana. The goal is to gather feedback...

Welcome Andrea! County Extension Educator in Boone County — 02 May 2022

Andrea grew up on a very traditional farm in southern Indiana. They raised corn, soybeans, and wheat, as well as Angus and Hereford cattle. Her...

The Final Report — 08 April 2022

Ribbon cuttings with large gold scissors often celebrate the wins of communities as businesses open. What steps are taken as companies add...

We All Come From Somewhere – Part 1 — 08 April 2022

Last month I had the privilege of co-leading a Study Abroad to the Republic of Ireland with twelve exceptional Purdue undergraduate students. Along...

So, What’s Your Big Idea? Crafting a Solid Project Description for Your Next Grant Proposal — 06 April 2022

If you’ve ever written a community grant proposal, you’ve discovered that most applications have a standard set of sections that you...

Purdue Extension releases Indiana renewable energy survey results — 05 April 2022

Indiana communities are facing complex land-use planning decisions, specifically in regards to renewable energy. To assist communities, Purdue...

Analyze Results — 03 March 2022

Driving across dusty country roads, we often find tattered traffic signs, including old detour signs that invite us to create a new path or stay on...

Goal, Objective, Outcome, or Impact? Understanding the Differences When Drafting a Grant Proposal — 01 March 2022

Most community-related grant applications have a section asking for a description of the changes expected within a community if the proposal were...

An Ode to Humility — 25 February 2022

There was a time when communities, and the people living in them, solved pressing issues using dialogue. Yes, there were moments when dialogue did...

Welcome Jeff! County Extension Educator in Dearborn County — 24 February 2022

Jeff Hermesch is the Agriculture & Natural Resources and Community Development Extension Educator in Dearborn County, Indiana.

Gaining Community Support — 13 February 2022

What does it mean to live and belong to a community? By definition, belonging to a community requires an affinity for that community and having the...

Gather Information — 03 February 2022

Knock! Knock! The wrapping of knuckles on the large, dark door frame bellows down the corridor of the distillery. The distillery marks the history...

Comes A Time — 03 February 2022

The answer to this question depends on your circumstances and your point of view. Those who are content with how things are may find little...

Yes, but Is It a Community Need? Frame Your Grant Proposals to Clearly Benefit the Community — 03 February 2022

Whenever I facilitate Purdue Extension’s Guide to Grant Writing workshop, there is usually a participant seeking funding to buy equipment for...

Purdue Extension Community Development 2022 — 13 January 2022

The New Year represents the opportunity for people to make resolutions and envision what the year might bring. We have dispensed with the...

Information, Discussion, or Decision? Add this column to your agendas for more effective meetings — 11 January 2022

If you are like me, you appreciate meetings where it feels like the group “got something done” by the time it adjourned. On the other...

The American Citizen Planner – Looking Back & Planning Ahead — 11 January 2022

Since its adaptation by a subcommittee of the Purdue Land Use Team in 2019, the ACP-IN Signature Program has completed four successful sessions in...