UNL Extension Resources

UNL Extension works with the people of Nebraska to develop personal and organizational leadership skills; to facilitate community planning and problem solving; to incorporate new technologies and concepts; and to develop sound businesses and societies for sustainable, economically viable communities.

Business Development

If you are looking to gain "know how" for improving customer service and hospitality, developing green tourism, organizing an ag marketing cooperative, or looking for programs that help entrepreneurs learn business management skills, check out these resources.

• NebraskaEDGE (Enhancing, Developing and Growing Entrepreneurs)
• NE Cooperative Development Center
• eBusiness and More eBusiness (from UNL's Center for Applied Innovation)
• Red Carpet Service (Tourism development from Nebraska's Rural Initiative)

UNL Extension also helps communities embrace and cultivate youth entrepreneurs as a source of future economic development.
Through the 4-H EntrepreneurShip Investigation (ESI) program youth are inspired to stay in rural communities to live and work when becoming adults.

Community Building

If you are looking for educational resources to help communities identify their assets, realize their first impressions, engage in community visioning or understand processes for planning and facilitating new community projects, festivals or events, check out these resources.

• First Impressions Revisited, A Program for Community Assessment & Improvement (PDF, 612KB)
• Community Visioning process
• Community and Regional Planning, UNL College of Architecture
• Relocation to the Buffalo Commons - Newcomers to the Nebraska Panhandle, CARI

Leadership Development

Community leaders and volunteers looking for resources to improve their leadership skills to help sustain and grow successful communities can select from a variety of Extension programs. Topics include organizational development, group dynamics, conflict management, communication, personality types, managing effective meetings, along with several others.

Check out LeadershipPlenty to learn how to inspire people to become actively engaged in their communities.

The NonProfit Management Academy is offered by UNL Extension in Douglas County in partnership with Iowa State University. Classes are held in Omaha and Iowa locations.

Extension also works with communities and Indian tribes to create youth and adult partnerships that enable youth to serve in a variety of leadership roles.

• Diverse Youth-Adult Partnerships in Rural Nebraska

Please contact your local Extension office for topics offered in your area.

Information Technology

One of Extension's newest information technology programs teaches parents how to be Net savvy so that they can monitor their children's online activities. Please contact your local Extension office for topics offered in your area.

With the UNL Extension BIT Mobile, a self-contained mobile technology classroom, UNL Extension Educators can offer technology classes in any Nebraska community.