Extension Disaster Education Network Announces 2026 Development Grant Recipients

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) has announced the recipients of its 2026 Development Grants, supporting six Extension-led projects designed to strengthen disaster preparedness, response, and recovery in communities across the United States.

Funded projects address a wide range of disaster education priorities, including agricultural emergency response, youth preparedness, flood resilience, multilingual outreach, and community disaster partnerships.

“Extension professionals are uniquely positioned to bring trusted, research-based disaster education directly into communities,” said Monty Dozier, EDEN chair and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Disaster Assessment and Recovery Unit program director. “These projects demonstrate the creativity and commitment of the Cooperative Extension System to help communities anticipate risks, strengthen preparedness, and recover more quickly when disasters occur.”

2026 EDEN Development Grant awardees and their projects include:

  • Selena Davila, University of Idaho – S.T.E.E.R. – Stock Transportation Emergency Education and Response
  • Raegan DeVor, West Virginia University – Off the Grid 4-H Camp: Building Resilient Youth During an Emergency or Natural Disaster
  • Gill Finley, Kentucky State University – The Kentucky Disaster Preparedness Program: Expanding Partnerships for Resilience
  • Guillermo Narvaez, University of Minnesota – Developing Emergency Preparedness Microlearning Modules for Rural Communities with Limited English Proficiency
  • Carol Friedland, Louisiana State University – Improving Flood Insurance Literacy to Support Resilient Communities: A National Training Pilot
  • Courtney Long, Iowa State University – Adopting the National EDEN COAD Manual as an Online Training Tool for COAD Development in Iowa

“We are excited to support this year’s awardees and the impact their work will have in communities nationwide,” said Fred Schlutt, EDEN project manager. “By investing in innovative training, partnerships, and outreach, these projects help ensure Extension remains a trusted leader in disaster education.”

The EDEN Development Grants program invests in projects that advance disaster education within the Cooperative Extension System by producing publicly available resources, supporting professional development, expanding network participation, and strengthening partnerships that improve community resilience. To learn more about the program, visit the EDEN website at extensiondisaster.net.

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About EDEN

EDEN is a collaborative network of Cooperative Extension educators across the United States and territories who work to improve the delivery of education and information and the availability of resources related to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Historically, this grassroots network has been aligned with the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) and supported by USDA NIFA through the Food and Agricultural Defense Initiative (FADI) grant.

The Extension Foundation, in partnership with the Cooperative Extension System, supports the administration of the FADI-EDEN project. Learn more about EDEN at extensiondisaster.net.

Media Contact:

Ruth Inman

EDEN Marketing and Outreach Coordinator

ruthinman@extension.org

405-612-7639

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We Are Extension

The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) is made possible by USDA NIFA and our participating USDA Cooperative Extension and NOAA Sea Grant Extension programs. Over 300 delegates representing over 75 disciplines at 77 state Extension programs in 50 states and 3 US territories. See all Delegates.

The EDEN website receives support from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture under NIFA/USDA Agreement No. 2023-37623-40794

Extension Training and Community Resilience Toolkit Expand Disaster Preparedness...Strengthening Readiness Through Hands-On Training