Engaging Communities Through Issues Forums

WHY AND HOW SHOULD WE EVALUATE THE FORUM?........................................................................... 58 Why Collect Evaluation Data? ........................................................................................................................................ 58 How and When Should We Collect Data? ...................................................................................................................... 59 Our Story — How Knowledge, Confidence and Conditions Began to Change ............................................................... 60 WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FORUM? .................................................................................................... 64 Communication .............................................................................................................................................................. 64 Action and Accountability .............................................................................................................................................. 64 Publicize Outcomes ........................................................................................................................................................ 64 Our Story: Keep on Keeping On...................................................................................................................................... 64 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................ 67 Our Story — The End or a New Beginning...................................................................................................................... 68 RESOURCES FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................... 69 1.Naming and Framing Issues ........................................................................................................................................ 69 2.Resources to Engage with Communities..................................................................................................................... 69 3.Community Issue Forum Examples ............................................................................................................................. 72 4.Resources for Farm and Farm Family Resilience......................................................................................................... 72 TOOLS TO USE IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING A FORUM ................................................................ 74 Tool 1: Situation Analysis and Naming and Framing Worksheet ................................................................................... 75 Tool 2: Engaging Community — Identifying Community Capitals Worksheet ................................................................ 76 Tool 3: Considerations for In-Person or Online/Virtual Forums .................................................................................... 77 Tool 4: Forum Budget Planning Template..................................................................................................................... 80 Tool 5: A Planning Timeline and Checklist ..................................................................................................................... 81 Tool 6: Suggested Progression & Agenda Items for Planning Committee Meetings ..................................................... 84 Tool 7: Preparing for the Forum Day Checklist .............................................................................................................. 85 APPENDICES ......................................................................................................................................... 87 Appendix 1: Stakeholder Logic Model for Linking Farm Vitality and Health ................................................................. 88 Appendix 2: Invitation to Forum Attendees from the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Associate Dean and Director of Cooperative Extension, 2018/2019 ...................................................................... 89 Appendix 3: Email Invitation to Forum Participants from Planning Committee 2018/2019......................................... 91 Appendix 4: Letter of Invitation to Forum from Planning Committee - 2021 ............................................................... 92 Appendix 5: One-Month Follow Up Letter to Delaware Participants and Stakeholders - 2018/2019 .......................... 93 Appendix 6: Post Forum Letter to all Participants - 2021 .............................................................................................. 94 Appendix 7: Case Studies 2018/2019 - Linking Farm Vitality and Health Forum .......................................................... 96 Appendix 8: Case Studies 2021 Could Covid Happen Again? Forum ............................................................................ 98 Appendix 9: Strategic Doing™ Flyer ............................................................................................................................ 100 Appendix 10: Key Informant Interview Question Guide (2018/2019) ......................................................................... 101 Appendix 11: Focus Group Questions (2021) .............................................................................................................. 102 Appendix 12: Evaluation - Sample Temperature Reading .......................................................................................... 103 Appendix 13: Evaluation Questions used for Online/Virtual Forum ........................................................................... 104 Appendix 14: Evaluation - 3-Month Post-Forum Survey (2021) .................................................................................. 105 Appendix 15: Special Supplement to the Delmarva Farmer ........................................................................................ 106 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................107