Increasing visibility and generating support for Iowa State University and ISU Extension are the primary goals of the External Relations Unit. We are connectors -- linking people, linking resources -- who build and sustain relationships with key audiences. We often assume a behind-the-scenes role, yet are easily accessible to all off-campus staff.

Our Web site gives you easy access to organizational and relationship marketing materials, information, and templates to help you promote ISU Extension. We are currently reviewing and updating the content from our former site. As information and resources become available, they will be added to the appropriate categories on the left. We hope you find this site useful, and we welcome your comments and suggestions. ER Web Site Feedback

Telling the Extension Story

Extension Improves Quality of Life in Iowa

Adult and youth

Caring adults, receptive kids help Woodbine mentoring program bloom
Support and guidance from caring adult volunteers in a Horizons youth mentoring program helped Harrison County youth improve their school attendance, academic achievement, discipline and relationships with others.

 
1040 tax form

Waukon's VITA Center fills Horizons identified need
Waukon residents, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and those with limited English proficiency, received needed help filing their income tax returns through the community's Horizons program.
teachers Combined program expands understanding of family needs
Parent educators came to Marshall County recently to participate in a pilot program coordinated by ISU Extension, strengthening the skills they need to support families.
group meeting

Estate planning workshops help clients plan transfer of farms to the next generation
By 2020, an estimated $400 million in real estate will transfer in Cherokee County. These northwest Iowa residents turned to ISU Extension for information on transfering their farm assets.

Read more of our impact statements to learn about other ways Extension serves Iowa families, businesses and communities.

2007 Extension Connections with Iowa Economic Development

 

New from External Relations

Conveying Extension's impact to public policy makers, stakeholders and clients really is a simple concept. It only gets complicated if we let it.

Impact stories and success stories are not one and the same. Karen Debord, North Carolina State University, says, “Elected officials rarely are interested in how many people attended, that participants rated a session as positive, or even that participants hope to incorporate a new skill they’ve learned. Rather, they want to know what programs cost and compare that to how they are beneficial to the economy or their local budgets.”*

Success stories, designed mainly for in-house use, tend to focus on mechanics and process. They enumerate what was done and how we did it. Impact stories target external audiences who may have little or no knowledge of Extension. To gain their attention, we must answer the question, “what’s in it for me?” Can I identify real value with real people?

Great impact stories:

So, the next time someone pays a compliment to Extension, don’t just say “thank-you.” Say, “can I quote you?” You’ve obviously had an impact on that person’s life—why not ask their permission to tell others?  It really is that simple.

*Debord, Karen (2005). “Communicating program value of family life and parenting education programs to decision makers.” Journal of Extension, Article 2IAW2, Vol 43 (2).