North Central Regional Center for Rural Development

Happy Halloween! Check out our October newsletter! We promise it's not too spooky! Find it at: https://lnkd.in/gfSwjrpG. Don't forget to "treat" yourself to our future newsletters by signing-up. We promise it's not a trick! Go to: https://lnkd.in/g6aKtaAD. Click "Subscribe Now" on the right hand side & enter your information. Highlights include: 🖤 Who is currently served by broadband in Indiana? 💛 Great Lakes Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (Indiana TCTAC) 🖤 Addressing Rural Mental Health in the North Central Region Webinar

The NCRCRD seeks North Central Region Land Grant University (1860, 1890, and 1994) faculty or staff with research and/or Extension experience to be members of its Advisory Committee. As a critical link with NCRCRD stakeholders, Advisory Committee members advise the Center in the development of its priority goals and strategies. Learn more about the position at https://bit.ly/4fuUX4Z Application deadline extended to 12/15/24. Questions: [email protected] #AdvisoryCommittee #LandGrant #NorthCentralRegion

The CDS' October Vanguard is Out Now! View this month's important news and updates here: https://lnkd.in/eHEm2UKx

Please join us for our next webinar, “Addressing Rural Mental Health in the North Central Region” on November 22 at 2 pm ET. In recognition of National Rural Health Day, this two-part webinar will highlight the work of North Central Region Extension research and education focused on rural mental health. The two presentations are: • Supporting Youth Mental Health - An Adult Volunteer Training Program presented by Shannon Sparks, Danette Hopke, Sheila Michels, and Megan Suehring, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension • South Dakota Needs Assessment on Farm Stress & Mental Health: Preliminary Findings presented by Andrea Bjornestad, South Dakota State University Extension Read more about the webinar and our presenters on the event page or at https://bit.ly/4ff7wkQ #webinar #mentalhealth #NationalRuralHealthDay #NorthCentralRegion

A Native American couple in Anchorage, Alaska received down payment assistance to buy their first home. A refugee from Burma got a loan to renovate a restaurant in Battle Creek, Michigan. Survivors of historic floods in eastern Kentucky secured money to help repair their homes and replace damaged appliances and vehicles. These are just a few of the people who got access to capital when they needed it most, thanks to a community development financial institution (CDFI). Sometimes, credit isn't equally available to all potential borrowers. CDFIs have filled these financing gaps since the 1970s by using a unique business model. First, they combine funding from a variety of sources so they can lend to people and businesses in underserved areas at lower costs for borrowers. Then, they pair that lending with additional capacity building to help borrowers make the most out of the funds. As mission-driven rather than profit-driven organizations, CDFIs also benefit from capacity building. The Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) is one major source of that support, which comes in the form of funding, knowledge sharing, and policy advocacy. In recent years, Federal Reserve Banks have partnered with this national nonprofit to better understand and uplift CDFIs in the community development space. Peruse this Partner story to learn more. https://lnkd.in/dnwrU9wZ

In case you missed the first AgriProspect webinar watch the playback here! Rob Russell University of Missouri Extension and Kate Venturini Hardesty Rhode Island Cooperative Extension discussed Extension workforce development and shared insights on the RI Agriculture & Food Systems Fellows Program, an experiential learning initiative for URI and Community College of RI students. Watch here: https://hubs.li/Q02VT6rN0 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture #AgriProspects

NIFA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems (A1712) program area priority is designed to rapidly identify and implement strategies to protect the nation’s food and agricultural supply chains and the people who support them during and after extreme weather events.  NIFA invites interested applicants to join the FAQ session Nov. 14 to learn more about the program area and meet the NIFA team.

All 12 regional food business centers across the country are dedicated to providing 3 important areas of support. And the Heartland Center is here for Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and northwest Arkansas! COORDINATION Act as regional hubs coordinating across geographic areas, with USDA, other federal, state, and tribal agencies with relevant resources, regional commissions, and the other Regional Food Centers. Build local, regional food system linkages with food value chain coordination. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Provide direct business assistance to small- and mid-sized food and farm businesses (producers, processors, distributors, and other businesses within the food supply chain) Conduct outreach to under-invested communities and businesses. CAPACITY BUILDING Build local and regional community food capacity and resilience. Provide financial assistance through Business Builder Subawards up to $50,000 focused on emerging regional needs and businesses working towards expansion and other investment. We've just closed the first round of subaward grant applications. We are working hard to process the nearly 500 applications received! This is a brand new program with lots to work out. But we are SO excited to be working on this phase of the process! #heartlandfoodbusiness #heartlandcenter #heartandcenterbb #grantcycle #newgrant

🎙️ This week on #SideBySidePodcast UMN Extension senior economics analyst Brigid Tuck highlights a 2011 study she conducted with Minnesota Rural Partners demonstrating the essential economic interconnectedness between urban and rural areas. Brigid shares how improvements in rural manufacturing performance send economic ripples into the Twin Cities, resulting in new white-collar urban jobs and sales for city-based suppliers. Listen to the full episode 👉 z.umn.edu/SideBySide Hosted by Ellen Wolter #Rural #Urban #Interdependence #Interconnectedness #RippleEffects #CommunityDevelopment #UMNExtension

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act being signed into law. In 1994, there were 29 Tribal Colleges designated as 1994 Land-grant Institutions. Today, there are 35 recognized Tribal Colleges and Universities in 13 states. See how NIFA supports the Tribal Land-grants: https://lnkd.in/e5wku2rK