Communications and evaluation team

About us

Meet the EFANS administrative team

Communications

Our goal is to engage audiences with useful tools that empower them to make informed decisions. We focus our efforts to align with these areas:

• Web (educational): Maintain online presence for University of Minnesota Extension's work in food, agricultural and natural resource sciences
• Stories (promotional): Tell Extension's story about food, agricultural and natural resources issues
• Internal communications (cultural): Provide resources and guide internal communications for EFANS employees

We provide strategy, governance, and innovation across EFANS' communications efforts to support effective Extension programming.

Vision for EFANS communications [PDF]

EFANS communications focus [PDF] | EFANS communications drivers [PDF]

EFANS communications project workflow (82 K PDF)

Updates:

• Awards and presentations
• Moving toward our vision: 2009-10 [PDF]
• Project highlights: March 2010 [PDF]
• Background and what's next: August 2008-May 2009 [PDF]

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Working with us

Questions | Web updates | Resources | Consultation | New projects

Opportunities to partner with the EFANS communications and evaluation team (pdf)

Direct any questions to efans@umn.edu and someone will get back to you shortly.

New project submission deadlines

• Quarter 1: January-February-March > Deadline: December 6
• Quarter 2: April-May-June > Deadline: March 6
• Quarter 3: July-August-September > Deadline: June 6
• Quarter 4: October-November-December > Deadline: September 6

Online forms

Most common issues can be addressed through one of our online forms.

Share

• Tell us your great idea
• Share your cost-saving innovations
• Enter a Most Significant Impact

Request

• Ask a question / Request a consultation
• Request a web update
• Submit an online publication
• Submit a new project
• Display request

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Questions

For questions that do not require a full consultation, first check this employee site. If you can't find your answer, complete the ask a question form or email efans@umn.edu.

Examples of these types of questions: getting a copy of your staff photo, using the Extension wordmark, updating the staff database, etc.

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Web updates

An update to an existing page on an existing site. Web update requests submitted by Friday at 1 p.m. will be completed by the following Friday.

Examples:

• Text change
• Link change
• Posting a file for download
• Basic image swap
• Request website stats

Priority will be given to requests that:

• Correct a factual error
• Respond to an important legislative request
• Respond to a disaster | More on disaster response

View the Web update process (pdf)

Submit via online form: Web update form

Online publications are longer and more involved—for these use the online publications form.

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Resources

Resources are developed to support common needs across EFANS.

Examples:

• Communications
  • Communications resources page
  • Program resources page
  • Communications project list by category
  • Internal mailing lists
  • Intranet – What you need to know for life in EFANS— a (re)orientation guide for employees
  • Templates – print, electronic
  • Web redesign tools
  • Vendor resources
  • Guidelines, checklists, answers to common questions
• Evaluation
  • Evaluation resources page
  • Evaluation project list by category
  • Standard surveys
  • Training/presentation

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Consultations

A consultation is a conversation (30 minutes or less) to help find the right strategy for your communication and/or evaluation goals. Consultations are most effective early in your thinking about a project.

Examples:

• In-person or phone meeting on strategy/approach
  
• Recommending resources, including outside contractors
  
• 30 minute review of communication or evaluation materials

Evaluation consultations

• Email: Tom Bartholomay, barth020@umn.edu

Communications consultations

• Email: Rebecca Noran, ran@umn.edu | To arrange a communications consultation, please complete this form.

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New projects

New projects are developed in partnership with communications/evaluation and align with Extension and EFANS strategy and priorities. Before submitting a new project request, review these considerations.

Online-only publications/fact sheets do not need to go through the new project proposal. You can submit an online-only publication at any time, allowing four weeks turnaround, using the online publication form.

Examples:

• Communications:
  
  • New websites, pages or sections
  • Blog, or other social media
  • Display
  • Campaign
  • Print publication
  • Marketing strategy/plan
• Evaluation:
  
  • Clarifying program goals/priorities
  • Evaluation plan
  • Survey design/data collection
  • Data analysis
  • Report findings for specific audiences
  • Needs assessment
  • Complete program evaluation
• Communications and evaluation:
  
  • Focus group done to assess audience needs for a website section, creating website section

View the New Project Process chart (pdf)

Submit via online form: New project request form (password = efans)

Considerations

When applying for grants please request the consultation/professional services fees you will need to accomplish the work, since we cannot guarantee our availability to work on a project.

We do not offer services in: web application development, databases, large publication and curriculum development (80+ pages), online course development and video production. We are available for a 1/2 hour consultation with you and the appropriate experts on those topics to help get you started on your work in those areas, or help refer you to a specialist.