This study applied an institutional logics framework to examine issues that challenged revitalization efforts in three distressed neighborhoods in an urban Midwest U.S. city. Specifically, it examined whether emergent hybrid (organizational) logics influenced multiple disconnected partnerships and collaborations. Thematic analyses were conducted on data from 39 semi-structured interviews conducted in two phases ( n = 11 and n = 28, respectively). The interviewees were from the public, private, academia, and faith-based sectors and included interventions that impacted food insecurity, education, health, the built environment, crime, and substance and alcohol abuse. The findings showed the importance of trust as a hybrid logic impacting collaborations at multiple levels; we link this to additional findings on the level of structural embeddedness in the studied neighborhoods. The findings support the need for public health and community leaders to address gaps in trust/embeddedness in order to improve the success of community interventions. Practitioners and future researchers can apply the concept of hybrid institutional logics in the analysis of neighborhood collaborations, especially when there are multiple collaborations involving partners from different sectors.
In this article, researchers report the impact study results of University of Minnesota Extension's civic engagement for water quality cohort program. The cohort curriculum highlights Extension's research‐informed, five‐stage civic engagement model emphasizing process design and process management. Using a non‐random comparison group design, a survey was conducted with participants of three civic engagement cohorts for water quality professionals, as well as a comparison group of water quality professionals not part of a cohort. Survey results were aggregated into the five stages of Extension's civic engagement process: prepare, inquire, analyze, synthesize, and act together. Findings indicated cohort participants experienced significantly better results than members of the comparison group in four of the five stages. A strength of Extension's civic engagement model and curriculum is its emphasis on the collective nature and processual aspects of civic engagement work. Cohort participants received training on civic engagement skills, which are not often emphasized in education for water quality professionals. While both groups reported a high frequency of increased civic engagement skills, cohort participants did not report more frequent collaboration or public engagement behaviors than comparison group members. A challenge for those training water quality professionals is instilling the value of civic engagement skills in addition to the more traditional technical skill sets associated with water quality work. Additionally, ongoing training and organizational support is needed for practitioners to effectively implement new skills and leverage new networks.
Extension-led leadership programs provide economic benefits. Historically, evaluators have struggled to quantify these benefits as compared to costs. Further, leadership programs have both public and private value, which are difficult to quantify. To address gaps in understanding the value of leadership development programs, we quantified the economic benefit of the McLeod for Tomorrow leadership program. Through an alumni survey and a mind-mapping session, we collected data on the program's public and private benefits. Our findings show that each dollar invested creates $5.60 in economic benefit and that public value exceeds private value. Our article provides insights into methods for quantifying benefits of Extension programs, regardless of specialization or location.
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