UNH Manchester and UNH Cooperative Extension recently entered into a partnership to collaborate and build on the already successful community outreach work each organization does in the city of Manchester.

As of September 1, Trece Mettauer, UNHM faculty in Communication Arts, began a 40 percent Extension appointment in community outreach with the goal of working with UNH Manchester faculty and Extension staff to develop service learning and community engagement opportunities around issues critical to urban areas such as economic development, land use, and community and civic engagement.

In addition, the UNH office of the Associate Vice President for Research and Outreach Scholarship has announced an initiative to encourage and support collaborative efforts through a competitive funding process available only to UNHM faculty and Extension specialists/educators. You will find a request for proposals (RFP) to fund collaborative outreach scholarship projects between UNHM, UNH Cooperative Extension, and an external partner.

Proposals should address issues in Manchester and the Merrimack Valley region in three important focus areas:

• Community Development: Projects that strengthen and engage communities, increase social capital, or enhance economic development.
• Diversity Issues: Projects that engage diverse audiences.
• Curriculum Development: Innovative new courses that incorporate outreach scholarship and community involvement in a meaningful way.

Proposals will be reviewed by a panel of faculty and Extension staff and members of the Office of the Associate Vice President for Research and Outreach Scholarship. The deadline for receipt of all proposal material is November 5, 2007. Awards will be announced on or before November 19, and funds will be available December 3. Please refer to the RFP for details about types of projects, proposal formats and funding. We strongly encourage all potential applicants attend an information session on Sept. 26, from 3:30 to 5 pm on the UNHM campus in room 264 of the University Center.

Please feel free to contact Lisa Townson or Trece Mettauer if you have questions or need assistance in connecting to faculty at UNHM.