Source: UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
WESTERN RURAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER 2019
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1016981
Grant No.
2018-51150-28699
Cumulative Award Amt.
$474,880.00
Proposal No.
2018-04415
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2018
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2022
Grant Year
2018
Program Code
[UU.R]- Rural Development Centers
Recipient Organization
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
LOGAN,UT 84322
Performing Department
Western Rural Development Cent
Non Technical Summary
The Western Rural Development Center is a regional catalyst for capacity building in the West. The Center is committed to providing leadership to assist the region's Cooperative Extension Service and Agricultural Experiment Stations and other partners to build the capacity of its faculty, researchers, and staff.The Western Rural Development Center's work helps advance NIFA's Strategic Goal 1: Science to Catalyze exemplary and relevant research, education, and extension programs and NIFA's overall mission to Invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and extension to solve societal challenges; Sub-goal 7: Ensure the development of human capital, communities, and a diverse workforce through research, education, extension and engagement programs in food and agricultural sciences to support a sustainable agriculture system. Efforts further align with the Research, Education, and Economics (REE) Strategic Goal 7 to promote Rural Prosperity and Rural/Urban Interdependence which emphasizes using transformational research and extension to inform citizens and enable and support vibrant and resilient communities.The Western Rural Development Center (WRDC) is proposing the following initiatives for its Fiscal Year 2018 Plan of Work. Some of this work plan builds upon activities established in previous years.
Animal Health Component
80%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
80%
Developmental
10%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
60860993080100%
Knowledge Area
608 - Community Resource Planning and Development;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3080 - Sociology;
Goals / Objectives
GoalsThe Western Rural Development Center works as a regional catalyst to strengthen rural communities by sharing scientific discovery and application of sustainable practices with researchers, Extension educators, and community development practitioners via conferences, trainings, workshops, and publications. The overarching goal is to help rural communities prosper, thrive economically, and become self-sustaining.
Project Methods
We will work with partners to initiate the programs described earlier.

Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience:Extension and research professionals in Land-Grant Universities throughout the west as well as the residents and decision-makers in rural communities in the region. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The WRDC began a Sustainability Summit several years ago. This program has now gone National and will held in April 2019 in Tampa, Florida. Numerous Extension professionals will be trained on sustainability programs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Rural Connections is distributed widely. We publish a Rural Connections Briefs on a monthly basis. A final report is provided to each community where ASAP is implemented. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to continue the above described programs. We also intend to make some brochures and video clips this coming year.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Our publication "Rural Connections" is published twice annually. Our strategic planning program ASAP (Area Sector Analysis Process) has been or is being implemented in 40 communities. I have made presentation on Community Development in numerous communities.

Publications

  • Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lachapelle, Paul and Don E. Albrecht. 2019. Addressing Climate Change at the Community Level in the United States. London: Routledge Press
  • Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Albrecht, Don E. 2020. Building a 21st Century Economy for Rural America. Boulder: University of Colorado Press.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Albrecht, Don E. 2019. The Rural Vote and the Election of Donald Trump. Journal of Rural Social Sciences.


Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21

Outputs
Target Audience:Residents and leaders of rural communities in the west: community development extension professionals; policy makers at the local, state and national levels. Changes/Problems:Because of the pandemic and continued occurences of outbreaks, the WRDC staff has continued to work form home as well as the office. We have adjusted to virtually meetings and trainings very smoothly. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The WRDC conitunes to work with the Community Development Extension Professional Working Group we organized. This provides a unique opportunities for the WRDC staff as well as other working professionals to share ideas and learn from one another. Further, our ASAP process involves direct training for rural community leaders. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We use a variety of approaches to disseminate information. Our publications are distributed widely. We have created a video/videos to share information about tthe ASAP process. We work with Community Development Extension Professionals who then work directly with communities. We meet with our ASAP comunities face-to-face and virtually, which allows us to share our strategic ASAP planning process directly and indircetly with numerous rural communities. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue with the important work we are doing with rural communities and Extension professionals while constantly seeking to improve how we identify and share important and useful information.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This year the WRDC staff continued working through COVID-19 issues and working mostly from home. Communities are still facing unique and difficult challenges. The WRDC assisted the rural communities of the west through these unique challenges by providing timely and accurate information through our COVID-19 series publications. As some travel restrictions lifted, WRDC was able to travel to many of our ASAP communities and work with them face-to-face as well as conitnuing to work with the ASAP communities virtually. Our unique GIS data set is completed and is providing useful and important information for our continued work.

Publications


    Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Residents and leaders of rural communities in the west; community development extension professionals; policy makers at the local, state and national levels. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The WRDC has organized a Community Development Extension Professional Working Group. This group meets together virtually once each month where we share ideas and learn from one another. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We use a variety of approaches to disseminate information. Our publications are distributed widely. We have created a video to share information about the ASAP process. We work with Community Development Extension Professionals who then work directly with communities. With our ASAP strategic planning process, we work directly with communities, meeting with them face-to-face and virtually. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue with the important work we are doing, while constantly seeking to improve how we share information.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? We have conducted out strategic planning program (ASAP) with about 50 communities. We continue to share recent scientific information with policy makers.

    Publications

    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Albrecht, Don E. 2021. COVID-19 in Rural America: Impacts of Politics and Disadvantage. Rural Sociology 86:1-25.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Albrecht, D.E., 2022. "Donald Trump and changing rural/urban voting patterns." Journal of Rural Studies 91: 148-156.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Albrecht, D.E., 2022. "Factors Explaining Variations in COVID-19 Deaths in Rural America." Journal of Rural Social Sciences 37(2).
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Albrecht, D.E. 2022. "Rural/Urban Differences: Persistence or Decline." Rural Sociology 87(4): 1137-1154.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Albrecht, D., 2022. Vaccination, politics and COVID-19 impacts. BMC Public Health 22(1): 1-12.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Ulrich?Schad, J.D., Jakus, P.M., Bordigioni, M. and Albrecht, D.E. 2022. "Preferences for Economic and Environmental Goals in Rural Community Development in the Western United States." Rural Sociology 87(2): 605-641.


    Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/20

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Extension and research professionals in Land-Grant Universities throughout the west as well as the residents and decision-makers in rural communities in the region. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The WRDC began a Sustainability Summit several years ago. This program has now gone National and will held in April 2019 in Tampa, Florida. Numerous Extension professionals will be trained on sustainability programs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Rural Connections is distributed widely. We publish a Rural Connections Briefs on a monthly basis. A final report is provided to each community where ASAP is implemented. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to continue the above described programs. We also intend to make some brochures and video clips this coming year.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? Our publication "Rural Connections" is published twice annually. Our strategic planning program ASAP (Area Sector Analysis Process) has been or is being implemented in 40 communities. I have made presentation on Community Development in numerous communities.

    Publications

    • Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lachapelle, Paul and Don E. Albrecht. 2019. Addressing Climate Change at the Community Level in the United States. London: Routledge Press
    • Type: Books Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: Albrecht, Don E. 2020. Building a 21st Century Economy for Rural America. Boulder: University of Colorado Press.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: Albrecht, Don E. 2019. The Rural Vote and the Election of Donald Trump. Journal of Rural Social Sciences.


    Progress 09/01/18 to 08/27/20

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Extension and research professionals in Land-Grant Universities throughout the west as well as the residents and decision-makers in rural communities in the region. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The WRDC began a Sustainability Summit several years ago. This program has now gone National and will held in April 2019 in Tampa, Florida. Numerous Extension professionals will be trained on sustainability programs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Rural Connections is distributed widely. We publish a Rural Connections Briefs on a monthly basis. A final report is provided to each community where ASAP is implemented. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to continue the above described programs. We also intend to make some brochures and video clips this coming year.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? Our publication "Rural Connections" is published twice annually. Our strategic planning program ASAP (Area Sector Analysis Process) has been or is being implemented in 40 communities. I have made presentation on Community Development in numerous communities.

    Publications

    • Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lachapelle, Paul and Don E. Albrecht. 2019. Addressing Climate Change at the Community Level in the United States. London: Routledge Press
    • Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Albrecht, Don E. 2020. Building a 21st Century Economy for Rural America. Boulder: University of Colorado Press.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Albrecht, Don E. 2019. The Rural Vote and the Election of Donald Trump. Journal of Rural Social Sciences.


    Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Extension and research professionals in Land-Grant Universities throughout the west as well as the residents and decision-makers in rural communities in the region. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The WRDC began a Sustainability Summit several years ago. This program has now gone National and will held in April 2019 in Tampa, Florida. Numerous Extension professionals will be trained on sustainability programs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Rural Connections is distributed widely. We publish a Rural Connections Briefs on a monthly basis. A final report is provided to each community where ASAP is implemented. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to continue the above described programs. We also intend to make some brochures and video clips this coming year.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? Our publication "Rural Connections" is published twice annually. Our strategic planning program ASAP (Area Sector Analysis Process) has been or is being implemented in 40 communities. I have made presentation on Community Development in numerous communities.

    Publications

    • Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lachapelle, Paul and Don E. Albrecht. 2019. Addressing Climate Change at the Community Level in the United States. London: Routledge Press
    • Type: Books Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: Albrecht, Don E. 2019. Building a 21st Century Economy for Rural America. Boulder: University of Colorado Press.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: Albrecht, Don E. 2019. The Rural Vote and the Election of Donald Trump. Journal of Rural Social Sciences.


    Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Residents and leaders of rural communities in the west; community development extension professionals; policy makers at the local, state and national levels. Changes/Problems:Because of the pandemic, the WRDC staff has been working from home. Also, we have had to do our training and other meetings virtually. We have made the transition very smoothly. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The WRDC has organized a Community Development Extension Professional Working Group. This group meets together virtually once each month where we share ideas and learn from one another. Further, our ASAP process invovles direct training for rural community leaders. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We use a variety of approaches to disseminate information. Our publications are distributed widely. We have created a video to share information about the ASAP process. We work with Community Development Extension Professionals who then work directly with communities. With our ASAP strategic planning process, we work directly with communities, meeting with them face-to-face and virtually. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue with the important work we are doing, while constantly seeking to improve how we share information.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? This past year will be remembered as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Communities were faced with unique and difficult challenges. The WRDC assisted the rural communities of the west by providing timely and accurate information through our COVID-19 series publications. Despite travel limitations, our other work continued. We are currently conducting our strategic planning process (ASAP) with about a dozen communities. We have learned to do much of the process virtually. Our unique GIS data set is nearly complete.

    Publications

    • Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Albrecht, Don E. 2020.. Building a Resilient 21st-Century Economy for Rural America. Logan: Utah State University Press.
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Shupp, Robert, Scott Loveridge, Mark Skidmore, Brandn Green, and Don Albrecht. 2020. Recognition and Stigma of Prescription in Drug Abuse Disorder: Personal and Community Determinants. BMC Public Health 20 (977).
    • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Spangler, Kaitlyn, Riana Gayle, and Don Albrecht. 2020. Balancing Environmental and Economic Priorities in Rural Western U.S. Communities. WRDC ASAP Research Series
    • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Albrecht, Don, Marion Bentley, Tom Harris, and Roger Coupal. 2020. "COVID-19 and Economic Opportunities for Rural America. Rural Connections, Fall/Winter.
    • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Albrecht, Don, Marion Bentley, Tom Harris, Roger Coupal, and Riana Gayle. 2020. "Vulnerable Industries and Employment in U.S. Counties." WRDC COVID-19 Series.
    • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Coupal, Roger, Tom Harris, Marion Bentley, and Don Albrecht. 2020. "Economic Impacts of a COVID-19 Recovery: Thinking Through Growth, Decline, and Rebound Logic. WRDC COVID-19 Series.
    • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Lacy, Katherine, Malieka Bordigioni, Ruby Ward, Staci Emm, Karin Allen, and Anne Whyte. 2021. "Consumer Preferences for Locally Raised Beef." WRDC Research Brief.
    • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: "Strengthening Rural Utah Communities." (Video) http//www.youtube.com/TheWRDC.