LEADING EDGE DIALOGUE SERIESN A T I O N A L U R B A N E X T E N S I O N C O N F E R E N C E

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DATA AND POLICY: RESPONDING TO HUMANSERVICES NEEDS

AUTHORSJon Morrison Winters, MUP

J o d y N o r m a n , M A

PRESENTED BY

THE ISSUE

This Leading Edge Dialogue (LED) session was a conversation betweenresearchers and practitioners about the importance of data-driven research whendeveloping human services interventions. A crosscutting theme from the threepanelists’ presentations included the importance of data to understand and relatehuman stories to both enhance an organization’s understanding of the issues, andfor the purposes of educating policymakers.  Data is needed for decision-making particularly around human services andcommunity development, which are complex and intersectional issues. Skill inleveraging and presenting data will position research at the forefront of socialpolicy conversations and decisions; however, retaining current silos of data andresearch could lead to suboptimal policy decisions and erosion of support forpublic universities.

From a local government perspective, there is potential for partnerships andinterface between Extension and government agencies. While elected officialsand other government stakeholders in many communities may seem indifferentto data and research, this problem is not monolithic. In fact, in the governmenthuman services sector there is a thirst for better data to legitimize and supportsocial policy decisions. While these conversations are often spearheaded byprivate philanthropy, some forward-thinking governments are advancing thisconversation as well.

ABOUT THE LEADING EDGEDIALOGUE WHITE PAPERSERIES

Leading Edge Dialogues (LED’s)were six 90-minute interactiveworkshops held during the 2019National Urban ExtensionConference which exploredcritical issues facing our cities andour universities. Each LEDconsisted of a multi-sector panelpresentation followed by afacilitated group discussion withall attendees. This paper capturesboth the presentations and theinnovative discussion thatfollowed for one of the LED’s.Papers have been written foreach of the LED’s which focusedon the following topics: YouthEngagement, Preparing theExtension Workforce, Data andPolicy, Fulfilling the Land GrantUniversity Mission, Smart Citiesand Urban Green Infrastructure.

Chris Fulcher, Ph.D., Director ofthe Center for Applied Researchand Engagement Systems (CARES)at University of Missouri Extensionpresented on a publicly availablenational data, mapping, andreporting platform that includesover 33,000 GIS data layers(engagementnetwork.org). Thewebsite includes several dataanalysis tools, StoryMaps, andmobile data collection tools thatare part of the Center for AppliedResearch and Engagement Systems(CARES) at University of MissouriExtension.

Jon Morrison Winters, SeniorPlanning and Development Specialist, Aging and DisabilityServices, City of Seattle, HumanServices Department shared hisexperience partnering withWashington State University’sMetropolitan Center for AppliedResearch and Extension on MovingToward Age Friendly Housing inKing County, a research projectand report that assessed housingneeds for the diverse and growingolder adult population in KingCounty, Washington.  

PANELISTS

DATA AND POLICY: RESPONDING

During the discussion period, presenters spoke to their passion for peoplewhich drives their interest in data, then dialogued with attendees about thevalue of data to tell stories about real people. Participants favored tools that brought both people and data to the tablethrough the use of spatial analysis and place and policy overlap. These toolsinclude the national Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems(CARES) Engagement Network website, which allows researchers andpolicymakers the opportunity to add context to data and understandcommunities at a granular level. Similarly, the Colorado State UniversityMarket Research Center not only provides data, but also assists in determiningthe best analysis for a particular social need, including social network analysis,scenario planning, and economic development alignment. Participants discussed how these tools provide an opportunity to reveal deepertruths about communities through a focus on social capital, while recognizingand resolving data gaps often related to minorities, women, and otheroverlooked groups. Exploring those gaps allows disparities and elements ofcommunity life that are typically ignored, discounted, or forgotten, to beacknowledged. Access to such information enables decisionmakers to form amore complete picture from which to draw when constructing policies for citiesor communities. When convening all stakeholders to a common meeting place, Extensionunderstands those stakeholders include not just the people and the data, butalso the place itself and the relationships that make a community work.

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GENERATING AND DELIBERATING

Extension has the expertise plus the ability to serve as a bridge betweenpolicymakers and communities. An example of such a collaboration is theMoving Toward Age Friendly Housing report, a collaboration between the Cityof Seattle and Washington State University’s Metropolitan Center for AppliedResearch and Extension, which allowed the City’s Aging and Disability Servicesto highlight issues of accessible and affordable housing in “Age Friendly”communities. These partnerships can help us enhance our programs and, moreimportantly, support human and community well-being.

THE ISSUE (CONT'D)

ACTION

TO HUMAN SERVICES NEEDS

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In other words, Extension can now name the social capital that acts as anoften unseen set of assets to the neighborhood.   However, data and the tools to make it visible are useless without trustbetween the organization and the community. Trust is one of Extension’sstrongest assets, key to building bridges between policymakers and thepeople on the ground. Years of building that mutual respect can benefit allconcerned. Finally, participants agreed that elected leaders actually did care aboutdecisions made in their name, and that Extension could offer valuable aid toimprove data accuracy, particularly in the areas of natural disasters andcommunity health needs assessments.

While much of the conversation in this session was focused on micro-scaleimprovements to current practices, such as partnering across sectors, therewas no shortage of major actions that would move our communities in thedirection of data-informed decision making. Efforts from privatephilanthropy (e.g. the Gates Foundation, Arnold Ventures) could beleveraged to advance a national conversation about using data to build anevidence base for policy interventions. While political consensus remains a challenge, human service needs areincreasingly a bipartisan priority, as an increased focus on homelessness hasdemonstrated in Washington State, the Puget Sound Region, and other high-cost metropolitan areas. This potentially creates an opportunity to leveragepublic funding toward building an evidence base, and creating and sustainingdata tools.

Storytelling is important in reaching out to communities, and comparativedata is crucial to its effectiveness. Extension has two options in this arena;either lead with data to help tell a compelling story, or lead with the story andthen bring in the data to help prioritize strategies, approaches, and methods.

PANELISTS CONT'D

Tom Johnson, Director ofCommunity Engagement andEconomic Development atColorado State University(CSU) presented on theuniversity’s Market ResearchCenter, which provides varioustypes of data visualization andanalysis tools to public policypartners and otherstakeholders. The Center’score competencies includecluster analysis, workforceanalytics, job posting analytics,economic impact studies, andsimilar tools. (Note: Mr.Johnson departed CSU in fall2019 and is now President andCEO at Elevate Rapid City inSouth Dakota.)

GENERATING AND DELIBERATING CONT'D

DATA AND POLICY: RESPONDING

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SUGGESTIONS

Author Suggestions:

Utilize the national CARES Engagement Network website to add context todata and understand communities at a granular level to serve collaborativework with researchers and policymakers. Create strong communication and marketing strategies to demonstrate theservices that Extension can offer to partners engaged in communitydevelopment, utilizing services such as CARES and the Market ResearchCenter. Highlighting a case study of collaboration, as in the case of MovingToward Age-Friendly Housing, is one way to demonstrate the value of aresearch-based and data-driven approach. Be willing to reach out and partner with government and organizationalactors, even without the promise of funding. These efforts can pay dividendsin the long run.

Build knowledge capacity by seeking out governmental and quasigovernmental agencies, such as area agencies on aging, regional planningcouncils, and homelessness continuums of care. Utilize the CARES engagement network as a reference source in collaborativework with government partners. Finally, think differently about Extension’s role. Be willing to break throughsilos by offering to work with human services sector stakeholders toaddress the wicked problems with which they are grappling.

Attendee Suggestions: 

Focus on “filling in” data gaps for government actors to reveal the missingpieces of social capital in diverse communities and better inform policycreation. Specifically, this new knowledge affirms the value that minoritiesand women bring to a neighborhood and how that value is overlooked. Bring all stakeholders to the table, including not just the data and the people,but also the place itself, and the relationships that make a community work.Utilize tools of spatial analysis and place and policy overlap.

The Western Center forMetropolitan Extension andResearch (WCMER) is a multi-university collaboration establishedby the Western Extension DirectorsAssociation to increase the internalcapacity of Western Extensionprograms to address metropolitanissues, and to elevate the statureand value of Cooperative Extensionto external metropolitan audiences.Since its founding in 2014 we havefocused our efforts on appliedresearch on best Extension practicesand issues facing metropolitanareas, and professional developmentfor Extension professionals, with agoal of better aligning programs andprogram delivery with the needs,issues and interest of theirmetropolitan constituency.

ABOUT THE WESTERN CENTER FORMETROPOLITAN CENTER FORRESEARCH AND EXTENSION

This LED and another - Fulfilling the Land Grant University Mission: Extensionand Community-Based Applied Research - were closely linked in their visionfor the future of Extension. 

TO HUMAN SERVICES NEEDS

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ABOUT THE WCMER CONT'D

Institutional membership in theWCMER has increased from sixfounding university Extensionmembers: (University of AlaskaFairbanks, University of California,Colorado State University,University of Idaho, Oregon StateUniversity, and Washington StateUniversity) to 11 in 2019 with theaddition of University of Florida,Michigan State University, NewMexico State University, Universityof Nevada Reno, and The Ohio StateUniversity. This expandedmembership has allowed us tobroaden our collaborations andreach, and engage in new projectsthat advance the knowledge base ofExtension work in our metropolitanregions.

POSITIONING

Facilitation provided by:

Positioning: How Extension is positioned at the national, state, regional,and city levels Programs: How Extension addresses the multitude of issues andpriorities in the cityPersonnel: How Extension attracts, develops, retains, and structurescompetent talent Partnerships: How Extension collaborates to leverageresources for collective impactPartnerships: How Extension collaborates to leverage resources forcollective impact

The following section is aligned with these themes:

OPPORTUNITIES FOR NATIONAL URBAN EXTENSION

NUEL presented a strategic analysis of urban Extension opportunities, andfour common themes that emerge in the literature on the unique aspects ofurban Extension, in The National Framework for Urban Extension (NUELSteering Committee (NUEL): et al., 2015).

Honor the trust built between Extension and the communitiesit serves, and carefully utilize that trust to build bridges betweenpolicymakers and the people on the ground. Work with elected leadership to improve data accuracy,particularly in the areas of natural disasters and community health needsassessments. Help decisionmakers to understand and engage with communities throughthe act of storytelling based on data.

SUGGESTIONS CONT'D

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PROGRAMMING

POSITIONING CONT'D

Organize and manage a ‘Data Conference’ to allow thoughtfulconsideration of the issues and needs involved in this work. Sessionparticipants described a need to embark on such a project, and NUEL

Discover and spotlight Extension offices across the country alreadysuccessfully engaging in this work.Deliberate concerning alignment opportunities with data resources. Thisprocess could elevate a number of possible funding.

Both sessions viewed it as a role-shifting challenge for Extension professionalsto reach across silos of discipline and habit, and work collaboratively withdiverse partners to serve community well-being. This LED, however, describedseveral tools that could enable a more concrete application of the Land GrantUniversity LED goals. This LED explicates the tools that Extension can use to gather and translatecommunity data into usable information for government and other actors atthe local and regional scale. If Extension follows the ideas presented in thisLED to their logical conclusion, their actualization will position Extension as amajor and valued player in cities and regions across the country. NUEL could aid Extension to realize this future in the following ways:

could potentially collaborate with interested attendees to design it.

This LED and another - Fulfilling the Land Grant University Mission: Extensionand Community-Based Applied Research - were closely linked in their visionfor the future of  Extension supports or influences (i.e., convening partnersaround an initiative). Such work will offer new roles to play, new ground toexplore, but again, as stated above, such an expansion might play well incoordination with the issues and ideas expressed in the Land Grant UniversityLED.

Extension colleagues across the country could also deliver training to newlyelected officials (e.g., in 2021) in the use of data tools and the interpretation ofsaid data, sharing examples of Extension’s work in this arena and the value thatthey can offer to collaborative projects.

DATA AND POLICY: RESPONDING TO

GROUP THOUGHTS ON DATA

"Data connects thework, the people and theissues."

(Preceding quotes represent sentimentof group dialogue and are notattributed to any individual.)

"Either lead with the data tohelp tell a compelling story,or lead with the story andthen bring in the data to helpprioritize strategies,approaches, methods."

"It is the interface betweenExtension and communitiesthat is crucial. Trust is oftenthe real issue; perceptionsmatter."

"People are more important

than data."

HUMAN SERVICES NEEDS

PERSONNEL

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PROGRAMMING CONT'D

PARTNERSHIPS

Extension may also be in a position to help community partners become betteradvocates – which, while not programming in the strictest sense, isinformation they can deliver effectively.

The use of data to tell a story is integral to Extension’s work with communities.However, training communities to tell their own stories has the potential toempower them even more.

Interviews of, and in-depth discussions with, Extension professionalsinvolved in such collaborations.Examples of various types of data gaps and their exploration in ways thatbenefit both communities and decision makers by revealing real-life issuesand experiences of minorities, women, and other overlooked groups.Illustrations of diverse narrative expositions that act to engage decisionmakers with communities through effective storytelling.

Extension has successful collaborations with government actors and othercommunity development organizations that offer models of data tool use andtranslation and analysis of information. Discovery and dissemination of theseexamples is key to their use across Extension. Several possible elements ofinterest in these partnerships are:

Revised 6/23/2020

Session participants asked NUEL to take on the challenge of exploring anational, regional, layered approach to looking at data and create a strongerlearning community through its use. NUEL could realize this goal by partnering with eXtension to educateExtension professionals in the use of data tools through Learning Circles andother informational opportunities. This could include the construction of aneFieldbook on the subject, which might include definitions of terms, data toolsof interest, instructions for their use, and examples of successful fieldcollaborations between government actors and Extension.

ABOUT NUEL

National Urban Extension Leaders(NUEL) began in 2013 as a grass-roots effort of a group of passionateand committed urban Extensioneducators with the mission toadvocate and advance the strategicimportance and long-term value ofurban Extension activities by beingrelevant locally, responsivestatewide, and recognizednationally. NUEL is geared towardscreating a network for collectiveimpact currently with activeparticipation from 23 states. NUELis passionate and committed tomoving urban Extension forwardrealizing each state in theCooperative Extension System isdifferent and may have diverseideas and strategies for meetingurban needs.

CONTRIBUTORS

Rusty CollinsKatherine WilliamsDeShana York

FUNDING PROVIDED BY: