National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)’s Post

Join our #AskMeAnything live stream this Thursday for a discussion on the research that drives effective #FamilyEngagement and be sure to bring your questions! #edresearch

Proud friend and business partner alert! Many, many years ago, some of you may recall that we started a monthly conversation series called Morning Fill Up at The Garage (the co-working space we started more than a decade ago). After nearly 100 conversations, that conversation series turned into a book, "Rethinking Rural: Reflections on Today, Insights for the Future," published by North Dakota State University Press. And now, that book is a finalist for a 2024 Midwest Book Award in two categories: Nonfiction - Anthologies and Nonfiction - Social Science/Political Science/Culture. We asked 10 people -- all guests of the Morning Fill Up series -- how they would describe rural America today, and what they imagine it will be like for the next generation. Each of the authors shares their concepts and their answers based on the lens through which they see the world. A lot of hard work by a lot of people went into getting the book published, especially by my best friend and business partner Matt Ehlman, Ph.D., who ushered it through from start to finish. Our colleague Kelly Bare-Gibson was a major, major contributor in conceiving it and ideating it and moving it along. (I get to work alongside some pretty smart and thoughtful people.) The anthology begins what will now be a three-book series, aimed at highlighting how people of diverse backgrounds and experiences understand rural historically and how they foresee its future, adding to the ongoing discussion of the multifaceted nature of rural America. You can buy it online here: https://lnkd.in/emPNDKaf

12/6/23 free webinar from the Eval Cafe at Western Michigan University. More info here to register and join us: https://lnkd.in/gEMhaUUF Bagele Chilisa, associate professor at the University of Botswana, Nicky Bowman, president of Bowman Performance Consulting and evaluator and assistant researcher at the University of Wisconsin Madison, and Michael Harnar, assistant professor at Western Michigan University, will have an interactive conversation on the JMDE special issue on decolonization about decolonizing the publication process. Abstract: In July 2023, The Evaluation Center at WMU partnered with the International Evaluation Academy to publish a special issue of the Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation titled “Decolonizing Evaluation: Towards a Fifth Paradigm”. This was considered a watershed for the International Evaluation Academy - the first science output, and on such an important topic. The special issue was edited by Bagele Chilisa and Nicky Bowman, with managerial support from Michael Harnar, current co-executive editor of JMDE. The collaboration among the partners was deep and at times intimate, as they negotiated how best to respectfully dive into the challenging topic of “decolonizing evaluation”. As Ian Goldman wrote in his Foreword, this was to be “an important contribution to rethinking how evaluation can be fit for purpose in a world of polycrises, where the traditional Western growth models have led us to the brink of catastrophe. We need different ways of looking at the world, and learning from indigenous and decolonized approaches will be key in us garnering the wisdom to learn and transform how we use evaluation in the service of humanity and Nature, rather than for continued exploitation and despoliation.” (p. 1). In this Eval Café presentation, Bagele, Nicky, and Michael will reflect on the collaboration that brought this important contribution to the open-access evaluation canon and discuss some of the numerous values-laden, decolonized, and cultural conversations they had in the process.

Check out the latest SWIN Newsletter! https://lnkd.in/efYgBNMe #socialentrepreneurship #socialenterprise #swkinnovation #socialimpact #systemschange #socialinnovation #socialworkentrepreneurship #inclusivenetrepreneurship #CSR #socialwork #macrosocialwork #communityofpractice #designthinking #humancenteredesign

A Mile in Their Shoes is out today! 📣👟 🙋♀️Designed for #researchers and those interested in promoting equitable and impactful public participation and engagement with under-served communities.  We invite you to walk a mile in the shoes of a community champion, there's still time to sign up and receive: • An introduction to the role of community champions and why they're vital for #PPIE in research. • Access to the audio insights recorded with #communitychampions, exploring what is asked of them, the barriers they face in their role, and how these barriers can be overcome. • Top tips for best practice when working with community champions, informed by learning shared by community champions when coproducing A Mile In Their Shoes. This can be used as a guide to planning the PPIE part of your own research or as a training tool to spark thoughts and discussion around the topic, aiding you and/or your team's personal and organisational development. Sign up here:

Science that relies on local knowledge has responsibilities. Are you prepared to work equitably with communities or community partner organizations? Learn directly from community leaders Omega R Wilson, Margaret Gordon and others who have decades of experience navigating relationships for sound science that drives action. This workshop will introduce intentional processes for fostering relationships and for establishing equity in your research project, program, or community partnership. https://lnkd.in/eUQP8jSu #communityscience #participatoryscience

"Definitely, my expectations were met." - Raquel Seville about her experience at Beyond the Beach 2024 In this thoughtful reflection, Jamaican entrepreneur and author Raquel Seville shares impactful lessons gleaned from her experience at EAB's Beyond the Beach conference earlier this year. As the founder and CEO of Dataffluent, focusing on financial modeling and insights for emerging markets, Raquel attended seeking to expand vital connections within her industry. From the welcoming environment to impactful presentations, her expectations of a carefully curated experience were met. Whether pitching her solution or engaging in meaningful sessions, Raquel absorbed diverse perspectives augmenting her expertise. She emphasizes how the balanced representation of founders, from two female entrepreneurs sandwiching two male counterparts, fostered inspiration. Most memorable were acts of genuine care exhibited, from feedback enhancing her pitch to offers to support next steps. Raquel expresses how communities cultivating this level of empathy between diverse thinkers accelerate sustainable progress. By maintaining open dialogue, relationships strengthened while networking flourished. Raquel discusses how events like Beyond the Beach foster high-value connections sustaining momentum far beyond initial interactions. Read the entire blog post by visiting https://loom.ly/nnehRb4 Want to get involved with EAB? Check out https://loom.ly/kS3wO0c #BuildingJamaicaStronger #EmergingEconomies #EAB

In our first section highlighted in this series, the Community-University Partnerships & Praxis section explores community-engaged methods and methodologies as an innovation. Led by Section Co-Chair Roshaunda Breeden, Ph.D., here’s a quick tip you should know about submitting to this section: "Proposals should use community-engaged research to disrupt traditional approaches to inquiry. Submissions should reflect principles of community-accountable research (e.g., collaboration, reciprocity, shared power)." - Roshaunda L. Breeden, Section Co-Chair

Innovation grants are a powerful tool for advancing research and development projects within businesses of all sizes. However, numerous misconceptions circulate about how these grants work, their accessibility, and their usage.   In this spotlight, our grant expert and Head of Grants at MPA, Dr Chloe Sharp, discusses some of the prominent misconceptions she has heard throughout her career.   The top misconceptions include: 📈 Grants are a form of revenue 💰 Grants can be used for any expense 📉 Grants are only accessible in financial difficulty 📢 Grants require political connections or lobbyists 🚫 Innovation grants are no longer available   You can read more and watch the excerpt from our webinar via the link below 👇 https://lnkd.in/dk_qv73A

Today's workshop will build your skills for science that serves communities, learning directly from community experts who know what that takes. Register now to join in. #communityscience #participatorysciences #citizenscience #equity