Comments from the Interim Dean

Most of you are aware that the University of Nebraska is moving forward with plans to develop a Rural Futures Institute to be launched the end of September. Many of you attended and participated in the inaugural Rural Futures Conference May 8-10 in Lincoln. I mention this today because I believe that UNL Extension has the ability to be a key partner and asset for the RFI. To be so, UNL Extension will need to strengthen and expand its rural development expertise and work. No doubt extensive dialogue will need to occur to discuss Extension’s role and how this might fit within existing Extension actions plans and the current IANR prioritization process going on through five IANR working groups. The RFI understands the need to adopt the original roots of what Extension is all about to be successful. What is truly exciting is the opportunity everyone in Extension has to make a big impact in the RFI. To provide you more insights into the RFI, here is the Vision and Mission developed with input from conference participants and a RF Charter Drafting Workshop held in July.

Vision
The Rural Futures Institute (RFI) will be an internationally recognized leader in increasing community capacity as well as the confidence of rural people and places to address their challenges and opportunities, resulting in resilient and sustainable rural futures.

Mission
Building upon the strengths and assets in rural Nebraska, the Great Plains, and globally, the RFI, through a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, will mobilize the resources and talents of the University of Nebraska and its partners, including community partners, to create knowledge and action that supports rural people and places to achieve unique paths to their desired futures.

I want to also mention two RFI grant programs that were launched Aug. 13 in which I hope UNL Extension personnel will participate. The two types of grants are: Teaching and Engagement; and Research and Engagement. The grants are intended to create an environment in which deep and meaningful collaborative partnerships are the norm: across campuses, across departments and disciplines, and with external stakeholders such as other non-University campuses, communities, state and local government, trade associations, civic groups and the philanthropic community. Both grants have pre-proposal receipt deadline dates in October. I would encourage you to find partners with whom you can develop competitive proposals. The Request for Proposal information is available in pdf format on the website at ruralfutures.nebraska.edu/grants. If you need help finding a partner, you can go to the "Let's Talk RF" website http://talkruralfutures.org/.

-- Alan Moeller