PROGRAM AREAS

	Agriculture
	Community Development
	Family Living
	Horticulture
	Nutrition Education
	4-H Youth Development

OFFICE RESOURCES

OTHER RESOURCES

	Green County Government
	InfoSource
	UWEX Cooperative Extension
	UWEX Publications

Download a copy of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print information provided as PDF files.

The Building Communities is an educational series offered via live, interactive Web and audio-conferencing. The UW-Extension Center for Community Economic Development developed the series to introduce communities to a variety of community and economic development tools and resources. The Green County UW-Extension Office hosts a local site for participating in the series.

Programs in the 2009-2010 Series will be held on the third Tuesday of the month from 11:00 am-12:30pm from November 2009-June 2010 (skipping December). Programs are broadcast live via Wisline Web to the Green County UW-Extension office. If you would like to attend any of the sessions register with Jayne Butts at 608-328-9441 or jayne.butts@ces.uwex.edu.

The U.S. Economy Today and the Post-Recession Prognosis , November 17, 2009

The U.S. economy moved into a recession in late 2007, led by declines in housing and financial services, yet nonmetro areas witnessed increased farm-related incomes. As the recession deepened, both metro and nonmetro areas were hit with severe unemployment and a contraction of the manufacturing, retail, and other sectors. Hear from "Rural America At a Glance" primary author and economic researcher Lorin Kusmin about the conditions that led to our current economic conditions and the outlook for a post-recession recovery offered by economists Steve Deller and Russ Kashian.

Broadband and E-Commerce: Putting the "E" in Community and Business, January 19, 2010

Historically communities developed along important waterways, then roads, and highways. Why? Access to markets. Where is the nearest on-ramp to the world-market--the Internet (and how many lanes does it have and what is the speed limit)? Successful businesses in the next years will be those that tap into this huge potential. Sucessful communities will be those that bring this essential infrastructure to their community. Learn about why broadband matters and how to foster a vibrant community network.

Retaining and Attracting People as an Economic Development Strategy, February 16, 2010

Did you know that according to Live First, Work Second author Rebecca Ryan, 3 out of 4 Americans respond that a cool city is more important than a good job? But that doesn't represent us, right? Michigan's Cool Cities survey found nearly 7 in 10 recent college graduates agreed as did almost 75% of young people. Learn why a focus on retainng and attracting young professionals may be one of the most important community bulding strategies you employ--and why being a "cool city" may be even more important in your community than Seattle or St. Paul.

Housing and Other Critical Sectors: Assessing and Building our Economy , March 16, 2010

We've all read the terrible statistics about the housing crisis, plant closing and job losses, and the declining tax base. But what do we really know about our community and how it is performing? How have things truly changed over time and how do they compare to similar markets? Perhaps of even more importance, what lessons can we learn from these assessments and how can we use them to make our communities stronger? Learn about practical tools you can use to measure your community's economic performance and how to use this information to help shape policies to grow the economy.

Rebuilding Downtown and Niche Small Businesses, April 20, 2010

Downtowns and neighborhood shopping districts are more than simply places to do businesses. They are part of the cultural fabric of our communities. But how can they compete in this "big is better" marketplace? Learn about the importance of locally owned small business to the economy and how to rebuild these business districts by making these businesses more profitable.

Matching Customers and Businesses: How to Understand and Capitalize on the Market , May 18, 2010

Why do some businesses survive and others don't? How come we can't shop in our area for all of the things we need? Often there is a miss-match between the needs and wants of customers and the availability of goods and services offered by local businesses. But we don't have to guess or leave this to chance! Using readily available data, we can learn alot about the local market and help existing businesses expand to meet opportunities and recruit in others to fill the voids.

Engaging the Community to Develop Sustainability, June 15, 2010

The Is there any way to rebuild our local economy and better prepare for teh inevitable economic downturns ahead? How do we chart a new course for our community that represents the interests of all it's members? We'll discuss teh essential approaches to building a consensus for the community's future growth and development--and we'll focus on an approach that holds greater promise for lasting, positive economic development.