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 staff.

Our website gives you easy access to organizational and relationship marketing materials, information and templates to help you promote ISU Extension. We hope you find this site useful, and we welcome your comments and suggestions. ER website feedback

New from External Relations

Regional Resources

We have added a new Regional Resources page to the External Relations website.There is a quick link to it in the navigation bar that appears on every page. We'll post new items as they become available. Currently, you'll find the following:

Telling the Extension Story

Extension's new video site has some great features: an easy format to search and view videos, the ability to rate and/or comment on them, and the option to share them by embedding the video or copying the URL.

This site is the launch pad for a series of new videos featuring many of Extension's success stories from the past year. New content will be regularly added. Here are some videos featuring Extension at work in communities throughout Iowa that you'll want to check out!

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

ER Quick Tip

In these times of budget constraints, private enterprise organizations are facing many of the same challenges as ISU Extension, trying to accomplish more with fewer resources. News media outlets have been particularly hard hit with dropping advertising revenues and more competition for their audiences.

ISU Extension has a long tradition of partnering with local media, providing unbiased research-based news that is timely and informative. Many of you write local newspaper columns or provide broadcast interviews. The Communications and External Relations staff supports this effort by maintaining news sites suitable for a variety of media. You can use the sites below for source material for your own efforts, or you can redistribute the items they contain, based on your knowledge of what is needed by local media.

The news release Web site is updated several times a week with news stories suitable for printing in local newspapers. The For Staff section of the news site, which you can reach from the For Staff page linked at the bottom of the main ISU Extension home page, contains fill-in-the-blanks news releases that you can customize with information tailored to your local media.

The audio news Web site is updated several times a week with information from ISU Extension content specialists that is broadcast on WOI radio. It also contains links to the audio stories that are sent weekly to a list of about 70 Iowa radio stations.

The video news Web site is updated at least once a week with short video clips that you can use on local web sites. View the tutorial on how to link to these videos.

Cy available for public events

Don't forget Extension's very own Cy is available for rent to enhance your public events this fall and winter. Reservations are available on a first-come first-served basis. Costs range from $200-250 depending on if we provide someone to wear the costume or you do. Contact Natasha Forsythe, natashaf@iastate.edu, 515.294.7033 today to reserve Cy for your event!

Cy

Managing Tough Times Tool Kit

This tool kit includes templates, expert lists, talking points, and links to other resources for staff use in promoting the Managing Tough Times initiative.

Managing Tough Times