Participants in the meeting agreed on the following things about the value, purpose and functions of the relationship between Research, Extension and CSREES.

The Value, or Uniqueness, of the Partnership

• Shared tradition
• Involves federal, state and local entities in most cases, both in program and funding
• Based in universities and colleges
• Links continuum from development of new knowledge to application by end users in an interactive way and it is possible to enter the continuum at any point.
• Knowledge-based product
• Network from county to state to national to international
• Extensive program portfolio
• Strong grassroots support and volunteer resources
• Each entity of the partnership brings different knowledge and expertise.
• Serves every county of the US, and geographically located in nearly every county
• Mutually supportive between and among institutions
• NASULGC network
• Represent wide range of disciplines
• Public-service vision focused on meeting the needs of constituents
• Leverage money, people and knowledge
• Seamless interaction all over the US
• Can address local, regional, national and international needs through a system
• People focused integrated effort
• Discovery to application of knowledge to improve people's lives

Additional Thoughts on the value of the Partnership:

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Purpose of the Partnership

The purpose of the partnership is to ensure

• effective discovery
• application
• dissemination of knowledge that serves the public good

Additional Thoughts on the Purpose of the Partnership:

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Principles for the Partnership

• There are bases for these groups to be connected even if there is no federal funding.
• We operate as cogent multiple voices for the whole.
• We share responsibility for ensuring efficacy of public investment.
• We are mutual advocates for each other regarding our shared agendas and those agendas that are exclusive to each partner.
• We are inextricably linked.

Additional Thoughts on Principles for the Partnership:

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Functions of the Partnership (and, for the first, two roles of all partners in the functions)

Promote a Shared Agenda

• Develop shared priorities and communicate them both within the system and external to it
• Identify and jointly address important national issues where the partners' agendas overlap
• Involve stakeholders and constituencies in developing the shared agenda

• Participate in developing the shared agenda
• Assess resource capacity to deliver on the shared agenda
• Develop and implement strategies to secure the needed resources
• Bring their collective intelligence-gathering systems together to identify emerging issues
• Communicate regularly on elements of the agenda

Support and Advocate for Each Other (even where these agendas do not overlap)

      All partners will need to carry out the following roles:

• Communicate, listen and understand each other's context and agendas
• Provide concrete information to each other on their programs
• Take advantage of opportunities to be advocates for each other
• Acknowledge the constraints of each partner

Mobilize rapid response to and problem solving on immediate, short-term issues and opportunities

Anticipate, do problem solving and take timely action on long-term issues and opportunities

Leverage local, state and federal resources to further the purpose of the partnership

      Resources is intended to include:

• Funding, human resources, capital, data, linkages and access
• Both traditional and new sources

Additional Thoughts on the Function of the Partnership:

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Name

It was agreed that the term partnership is appropriate for this purpose and functions based on the following definition taken from [fill in name of the dictionary].

• partner n. 1 a person who takes part in some activity in common with another or others; associate; specif., a) one of two or more persons engaged in the same business enterprise and sharing its profits and risks: each is an agent for the other or others and is liable, except when limited to his or her own investment, for the debts of the firm b) a husband or wife c) either of two persons dancing together d) either of two players on the same side or team playing or competing against two others, as in bridge or tennis 2 [usually pl.] Naut. a framework, as of timbers, for supporting a mast, capstan, etc. where it passes through the deck -- vt. 1 to join (others) together as partners 2 to be or provide a partner for

• partnership n. 1 the state of being a partner; participation 2 the relationship of partners; joint interest; association 3 a) an association of two or more partners in a business enterprise b) a contract by which such an association is created c) the people so associated

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