Community Development AOE team seeks to build better communities by assisting citizens, local
governments and community groups in identifying and addressing community issues. Team members help communities understand the economic, social, political and environmental impacts of community actions, with the primary focus on promoting active, informed and representative citizen participation in community decision-making.

The Community Development Area of Expertise Team is an interdisciplinary, problem solving, customer focused group of MSU Extension staff members and MSU specialists, drawn together to by sharing interests and skills.

Team Membership

Interested members apply for Community Development membership by contacting the off-campus cochair elect. This membership will provide connections to a network of state and national extension and university members, resources materials and professional development opportunities. The benefits of membership:

• Meet and communicate regularly with other professionals that work directly within communities.
• Ability to build competency and process skills for assisting communities address their own individualized needs.
• Connect to the community development research through Michigan State University resources, specialists and projects.
• Develop team projects to build professional expertise.
• Gain personal competencies through professional development opportunities with financial support from the AOE.

The Community Development AOE has two membership categories:

Full Member

- Actively participate in the quarterly face-to-face team meetings.
- Participate in the scheduled conference calls or portal meetings.
- Share community development expertise as needed by the team.
- Actively serve on team ad hoc and standing committees.
- Identify one community development initiative annually in the Education Information System (EIS).
- Identify professional development opportunities in your geographical area and share with total membership.
- Support and attend professional development trainings annually.
- Because we value leadership and active participation, financial support will be given for professional development trainings. A follow-up report will be shared with members by posting on the web site or an oral presentation.
- On March 30th, each year the Team Membership form will be completed and sent electronically to the off-campus co-chair.

Informational member

- A member of the team list serve, able to attend meetings and participate in conference calls and portal meetings. No financial support is given to members of this membership category.