Whitley County CES

Title:

Encourage Vibrant Communities and support Economic Development

MAP:

Promote Community and Economic Development

Agents Involved:

Moses (Community Arts), Burgard (FCS), Jones (4-H), Prewitt (Horticulture)

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Business Retention and Expansion

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Local Food System Development and Mapping

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

First Impressions

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Advancing the Creative Economy

Situation:

In the 2019 Whitley County Assessment Report 3.64% of people were purchasing local grown fresh foods and there was a 10% growth of places of purchase. This could call for a lot of economic opportunity for local farms. Building a diverse economy that emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship and small business development. A key contributor of community tourism and development lies within community arts. According to the Kentucky Arts Council, using an EMSI Input-Output model of calculation, the creative sector employs 108,500 total jobs with more than 1.9 billion in earnings in the state of Kentucky. By providing the Extension Community Arts Center, Extension personnel will facilitate economic growth, educational development and personal enrichment in the arts.

Long-Term Outcomes:

-Policy changes to support economic development
-diversified economy that sustainshealthy community
-job creation that doesn't rely on tax incentives
-improved and diversified local economic base
-improved and diversified tax base

Intermediate Outcomes:

-Community is better informed and leaders can identify policies that better support local economic development
-Local policy makers encourage small business development
-Businesses implement strategies identified through planning.

Initial Outcomes:

-Increased awareness of the importance of entrepreneurship and small business development

-Agents have better understanding of their local economy

-Businesses can identify new markets

-communities can identify factors to improve their local economic condition.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: -Increased awareness of the importance of entrepreneurship and small business development; Agents have better understanding of their local economy; Businesses can identify new markets; communities can identify factors to improve their local economic condition.
Indicator: Change in local retail dollars; Grant dollars awarded to community because of Extension involvement; Increased number of referrals to SBDC or KCARD by agents
Method: Primarily state-led evaluation using CEDIK metrics
Timeline: Within the next year

Intermediate Outcome: Community is better informed and leaders can identify policies that better support local economic development; Local policy makers encourage small business development; Businesses implement strategies identified through planning.
Indicator: Plans adopted and implemented
Method: Economic indicator surveys from state organizations
Timeline: 2-3 years

Long-term Outcome: Policy changes to support economic development; diversified economy that sustains healthy community; job creation that doesn't rely on tax incentives; improved and diversified local economic base; improved and diversified tax base
Indicator: New/expanded jobs and new/expanded businesses; People utilize resources to create economic opportunity in Whitley County
Method: Observation of local enterprises
Timeline: 4-6 years

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: General Public

Project or Activity: Enhancing Business and Marketing Skills of Eastern Kentucky Artist

Content or Curriculum: Artisan Education Curriculum, STLW

Inputs: Fine Arts agent, Local Artist

Date: spring 2024- 2025

Audience: High School Youth

Project or Activity: Promise Zone Youth Input Programs

Content or Curriculum: UK and 4-H Curriculum

Input: Agents, UK Specialists

Date: Quarterly - September, November, March

Audience: Preschool-6th Grade, Williamsburg Independent School

Project or Activity: Professional Learning Day

Content or Curriculum: UK Publications, KET Arts Toolkits

Input: Agents, Volunteers

Date: Ongoing

Audience: Teaching Artists

Project or Activity: Artists teaching art programming

Content or Curriculum: The artisan trade or craft , Partners for Education, University of Kentucky Arts department

Inputs: Community Arts, Local Artist 

Date: Weekly classes 2024-2025

Audience: Local Artist Exhibitions

Project or Activity: Local artist exhibit work for sale in Community Arts Center gallery

Content or Curriculum: The artisan trade or craft , Artists work,  University of Kentucky Arts department

Inputs: Community Arts, Local Artists

Date: April, July, September 2024-May, July, September 2025