Non Technical Summary
The Western Rural Development Center (WRDC) aims to connect Western land grant institutions (LGIs) research and educational outreach capabilities with stakeholders like communities, decision-makers, entrepreneurs, families, farmers, and ranchers. The WRDC's mission, guided by the USDA Strategic Plan for FY 2022-2026, focuses on enhancing capacity, promoting collaboration, and increasing participation of underserved groups.Key objectives include strengthening LGIs' research and extension capacity, increasing collaboration among LGIs, and pursuing greater equity. To achieve these, the WRDC will develop a Strategic Plan using data analysis and stakeholder input. Priorities for FY 2024 include addressing unique Western issues, enhancing LGI capacities, and leveraging funding for critical issues. Initiatives include Multistate Integrated Research and Extension Seed Grants, which support projects involving multiple states and integrate research with extension activities. The WRDC will also invest in capacity-building programs like the Fellows Program, which funds faculty research and extension activities, and supports post-doctoral associates and Ph.D. students in rural development research.Workshops and training sessions will facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration among faculty. The WRDC will actively involve stakeholders from Alaska, Pacific territories, and 1994 institutions, providing travel grants to ensure broad participation. A comprehensive dissemination strategy includes annual reports, peer-reviewed publications, and updates via the WRDC website and social media. An evaluation plan will measure progress through specific indicators like participation rates, publication numbers, and career trajectories of supported researchers. This strategy aims to ensure transparency, accountability, and stakeholder engagement in rural development efforts.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
601	6030	3010	10%
803	6099	3010	20%
802	6020	3010	30%
608	6050	3010	20%
610	6099	3010	20%

Knowledge Area
601 - Economics of Agricultural Production and Farm Management; 803 - Sociological and Technological Change Affecting Individuals, Families, and Communities; 608 - Community Resource Planning and Development; 610 - Domestic Policy Analysis; 802 - Human Development and Family Well-Being;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other; 6020 - The family and its members; 6030 - The farm as an enterprise; 6050 - Communities, areas, and regions;

Field Of Science
3010 - Economics;

Goals / Objectives
The WRDC aims to enhance capacity and promote collaboration and knowledge sharing among Western land grant institutions to foster rural development initiatives that provide opportunities for rural families to work and enjoy a high quality of life. In pursuit of this long-term goal, we propose the following supportive objectives aligned with the USDA Strategic Plan for FY 2022- 2026:Objective 1:Strengthen land grant institutions' research and extension capacity to support rural development.Objective 2:Increase collaboration and knowledge sharing among land grant institutions to address critical rural development issues.Objective 3:Increase participation of underserved groups and pursue greater equity

Project Methods
In FY23, the WRDC will create a Strategic Plan to guide its priorities and actions, drawing from the USDA Strategic Plan and regional findings. This plan will leverage quantitative data--demographics, economic indicators, infrastructure, and health statistics--to establish a baseline for evaluating WRDC's impact. Input will be sought from the WRDC Board of Directors, WAAESD, WEDA, government agencies, and research faculty.The Board has set three key priorities:Address unique Western issues like public land management, transportation, and workforce development.Enhance land grant institutions' capacities through evaluations and synergies.Pursue funding initiatives for critical Western issues.To support these priorities, the WRDC will fund Multistate Integrated Research and Extension Seed Grants to promote multistate collaboration. Projects must involve at least two states and aim for sustainability through external funding. Proposals will be assessed based on their relevance to WRDC's goals.The WRDC is also focused on capacity-building for the next generation of rural professionals through various programs:Post-Doctoral Associates: Oneassociate will work on initiatives and enhance research and extension capabilities in their future faculty role.Graduate Research Assistantships: Funding will be available for Ph.D. students working on relevant projects, with a focus on multistate collaborations.Graduate Research EXtension Internships: Funding will be available for Ph.D. students working on relevant Extension projects, with a focus on multistate collaborations.An annual workshop will be held to foster collaboration among research and extension faculty, and travel grants will support participation from underrepresented institutions. The WRDC will actively involve stakeholders, particularly from Alaska and Pacific territories, ensuring their unique needs are addressed.A comprehensive dissemination strategy will communicate the results of WRDC initiatives through annual reports, peer-reviewed publications, and social media. Regular updates and webinars will foster engagement and share best practices. Finally, the WRDC will implement an evaluation strategy to measure progress against specific benchmarks, tracking participation, publication output, and funding success in the short term, as well as adopting findings and career trajectories in the medium to long term.