Dane County Community Development

Community development is collective action taken by community members to address common problems and to reach shared goals. Community development, in its best form, advances equity, sustainability, belonging, and the well-being of people and place. Extension community development work plants and cultivates the seeds for thriving communities and organizations.

UW-Madison Extension Community Development Educators provide educational programming, public participation process design, and facilitation to assist leaders, communities, and organizations. We develop programs in organizational capacity building, leadership development, community economic development, and local government education.

Local Community Development Programs

Organizational Development

Nonprofit and civic organization
leaders juggle multiple roles, requiring expertise on all aspects of organizational management.

Public Participation & Engagement

Public participation is an intentional process of engaging the public in inclusive and respectful ways to shape decisions, actions, impacts, or change.

Community Economic Development

Community economic
development
is concerned with economic
well-being and quality of life for residents. 

Resources

Check here for community development resources in Dane County

Statewide Community Development Programs

Organizational and Leadership Development

Community Economic
Development

Local
Government Education

Community Food Systems

Center for Cooperatives

Energy On Wisconsin

Meet the Educator

Community Development Educator

608-224-3714

Noah (she/her/hers) is proud to join Dane County Extension as the Community Development Educator. Noah works with local organizations, community members, and local governments on building organizational capacity and leadership to meet community needs. She is an experienced facilitator and trainer who focuses on creating resilient and sustainable organizations. 

Noah holds a Music Liberal Arts Degree from St. Norbert College and has spent almost a decade working for nonprofits, or supporting them as an Extension educator. Her work before Extension includes time as a community organizer, fundraiser, and advocacy manager for multiple organizations. Most recently, Noah served as the Fond du Lac Extension Community Development Educator for three years before her appointment to her current position. 

Noah lives in Waupun with her cat, Radish, spends time building community with LGBTQIA+ people from across the state, and obsessing over Wisconsin sports, particularly the Packers.

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