2025 CDS Annual Conference

Findings from Ripple Effects Mapping (Chazdon et al., 2017) in a rural community showed how Extension staff, youth, and volunteers impacted Community Capitals before, during, and after COVID-19. Results comparing recession-era budget challenges to post-pandemic data brought new perspectives for program administrators on the long-term impact of Extension programs and how their investments created lasting change. 

This research highlights how Ripple Effects Mapping (REM) shines light on “Innovative Pathways to Thriving Communities,” especially in understanding and sharing the collective impact across communities – ideal for the Track 3 forum of “Place-Based Collaboration.” REM brought together diverse perspectives and participants identified unintended outcomes far beyond what the County Extension Director could see. Instead of a lone agent with a flashlight out measuring impacts, REM brought together a team of staff and volunteers to light up a whole arena full of outcomes. 
Staff and volunteers’ stories were coded to show how Social, Human and Cultural Capitals rippled out to deeper impacts to the community, maintained positive community impacts through time, and grew long-term impacts across other Community Capitals (Hansen, 2017). Built capital examples include improved broadband access, fairground infrastructure, and a new community food processing facility. Financial capital includes more than $200K in grants for 4-H Youth Development. This positive value of “spiraling up” of Community Capitals is referenced in other research (Emery, 2013 and Bloom, 2021). Learn how Extension collaboration contributed to community resiliency through challenging times and how this knowledge and understanding will sustain programs and future community development.

Chazdon, S., M. Emery, D. Hansen, L. Higgins, and R. Sero. 2017. A Field guide to ripple effects mapping. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. Minneapolis, MN.
Emery, M. 2013. Social capital and youth development: Toward a typology of program practices. New directions for youth development, 2013(138): 49-59.
Bloom, J. 2021. “Spiraling up”: Using ripple effect mapping to evaluate how an extension volunteer program increases community development capacity. Community Development, 52(1): 22-41.
Hansen, D. 2017. Community capitals framework (CCF) guide. Appendix C. pp. 164. In: (Chazdon, S., M. Emery, D. Hansen, L. Higgins, and R. Sero eds.) A Field guide to ripple effects mapping. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. Minneapolis, MN.