This article examines the theoretical basis of the community as it is evoked in health evaluation. In particular, we examine how hospitals carrying out Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs) define communities as well as the implications for these definitions for how to study and engage community problems. We present qualitative findings from…

Community coalitions play an important role in community-wide strategies to promote health and wellbeing, and Extension professionals may provide leadership, technical assistance, and other support to coalitions. Extension professionals across a Midwestern state were invited to participate in an online survey about their coalition involvement and…

Increased development of wind farms in the U.S. has fostered debates surrounding the siting and support for the projects. Prior research demonstrates the importance of understanding the attitudes and opinions of community members when developing projects. This article reviews a case study of an Ohio community that integrated a local survey to…

As the U.S. population ages, Extension's need for associated organizational readiness increases. We conducted a needs assessment with a sample of 1,028 Extension professionals in the Extension North Central Region (NCR) to identify the current scope of aging-related community needs. Health care, chronic disease prevention and management, housing,…

Few farmers' market consumers are aware of how to retain optimal nutritional quality of produce following purchase. Our objective was to develop and evaluate educational materials intended to inform market consumers about best practices for storing, preserving, and consuming local produce to maximize nutrients and phytonutrients. Printed…

Almost two-thirds of students who enter community colleges every year are judged to be academically not ready to engage in college-level coursework. In order to enroll, these students typically must take one or more "remedial" or "developmental" math or English courses that will not count toward their college degree. The…

Across focus groups consisting of current and former community college students in four states (Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas), a consistent message resounded: Students want to be more connected to their colleges, from the moment they enter until the day they complete their studies. They want to feel more connected to faculty, staff,…

To examine characteristics and needs of participants and potential participants of nineteen lifelong learning centers in Lake County, Ohio, a study was conducted. Because of the great variety of agency offerings, no attempt was made to summarize or analyze results. A descriptive format was used, and agencies were encouraged to examine performance…

The development of a model network for team leadership by the University of Akron and community agencies is described. The major program objectives were to increase understanding of: interpersonal and intragroup dynamics; organizational development and collaborative planned change; and issues at the local, regional, and national levels that relate…

The purpose of this handbook is to provide guidelines for developing and implementing structured parent/community involvement programs in bilingual education and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in local school districts. Section One concerns the assessment of school, parent, and community needs; this section contains suggestions for…

This needs assessment attempted to identify the following: (1) strong curriculum programs; (2) critical needs in current programs; (3) areas in which new programs were needed; (4) which recommended new program areas had community financial support; (5) communication problems between the school district and the community; (6) attitudes toward…

This monograph contains three structured interview guides for interviewing principals, parents, and community leaders regarding gifted education as part of the needs assessment process under the Javits Grant Program. Many of the interview questions are multiple choice and all questions also solicit comments. The first interview is for building…

During a volunteer stint on a hydroelectric-power project in the mountains of Honduras in 1996, William DeJong began "the walk." As the president of DeJong Inc., one of the top school facility planners in the United States, he wanted to study the conditions of schools in the rugged Central American countryside far from his home in…

A developmental education evaluation model designed to be used at a multi-unit urban community college is described. The purpose of the design was to determine the cost effectiveness/worth of programs in order to initiate self-improvement. A needs assessment was conducted by interviewing and taping the responses of students, faculty, staff, and…

The efforts are summarized of four Ohio institutions of higher education (Ohio University, Kent State University, Michael J. Owens Technical College, and Lorain County Community College) to develop and improve academic planning and budgeting processes. Supported by a grant by the Ohio Board of Regents and the National Center for Higher Education…