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Community and Economic Development photo - business scene

Community and Economic Development


      • Business Development

      • Community Building

      • Leadership Development

Merrick County Agricultural Society

The Merrick County Agricultural Society meets once a month and consists of fifteen members from across the county. The Extension Educator sits in on meetings as an advisor and liason between 4-H and the ag society. They provide the activities and entertainment at the fair, and oversee the upkeep and rental of the fairgrounds. Merrick County Agricultural Society PDF 30KB

Extension Board

The Merrick County Cooperative Extension Board, the governing body of the County Cooperative Extension, is made up of eight (8) members plus the chair of the 4-H Leaders Council. Term of office is for three years beginning with the January meeting for the appointed members. The chair of the 4-H Council serves as an Extension Board member as long as he/she is chair of the 4-H Council. The budgeting authority is the Board of Supervisors, with Extension Board members appointed by the Board of Supervisors.

Merrick County Cooperative Extension Board PDF 29KB

Merrick County 4-H Council

The 4-H section of the Merrick County Cooperative Extension program is planned by the assistance given to the Extension Educators by the 4-H Leaders Council. All 4-H Leaders and Jr. Leaders are members of the Council and Executive committee officers are elected as the governing body. 4-H Leaders Council PDF 31KB

 

UNL Extension Resources

UNL Extension works with the people of Nebraska to develop personal and organizational leadership skills; to facilitate community planning and problem solving; to incorporate new technologies and concepts; and to develop sound businesses and societies for sustainable, economically viable communities.

Business Development

If you are looking to gain "know how" for improving customer service and hospitality, developing green tourism, organizing an ag marketing cooperative, or looking for programs that help entrepreneurs learn business management skills, check out these resources.

UNL Extension also helps communities embrace and cultivate youth entrepreneurs as a source of future economic development.
Through the 4-H EntrepreneurShip Investigation (ESI) program youth are inspired to stay in rural communities to live and work when becoming adults.

Community Building

If you are looking for educational resources to help communities identify their assets, realize their first impressions, engage in community visioning or understand processes for planning and facilitating new community projects, festivals or events, check out these resources.

Leadership Development

Community leaders and volunteers looking for resources to improve their leadership skills to help sustain and grow successful communities can select from a variety of Extension programs. Topics include organizational development, group dynamics, conflict management, communication, personality types, managing effective meetings, along with several others.

Check out LeadershipPlenty to learn how to inspire people to become actively engaged in their communities.

The NonProfit Management Academy is offered by UNL Extension in Douglas County in partnership with Iowa State University. Classes are held in Omaha and Iowa locations.

Extension also works with communities and Indian tribes to create youth and adult partnerships that enable youth to serve in a variety of leadership roles.

Please contact your local Extension office for topics offered in your area.

Information Technology

One of Extension's newest information technology programs teaches parents how to be Net savvy so that they can monitor their children's online activities. Please contact your local Extension office for topics offered in your area.

With the UNL Extension BIT Mobile, a self-contained mobile technology classroom, UNL Extension Educators can offer technology classes in any Nebraska community.