The NCRCRD facilitates partnerships among Extension program leaders and community development programs at land-grant institutions in the North Central Region, including those established by the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890, and the Tribal Land Grant colleges funded in 1994. Led by many of our land-grant institution partners, Community Development Extension programs can be found in all twelve states of the North Central Region.
About Commumity Development
The National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) defines community development as “a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes participative democracy, sustainable development, rights, equality, economic opportunity and social justice, through the organization, education and empowerment of people within their communities, whether these be of locality, identity or interest, in urban and rural settings.”
While community development Extension programs are tailored to community needs, resources, and capacity, program leaders use a set of common indicators to report impacts of those efforts. Information on the impact of community development Extension programming in the North Central Region is collected yearly by the NCRCRD and shared through an annual regional impact report.
This section also shares resources for Extension professionals through The Community Development Extension Library. The CD Extension Library is a national repository of programs, curricula, tools, and fact sheets shared and used among Extension professionals who are part of Community Development Extension programs from across the United States.