CSREES Family Science Program

[Event]The Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Conference

9 Jul 2010 20:18:55 GMT

This annual Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) conference is focused on strengths and needs of CYFAR programs. The conference welcomes CYFAR staff and collaborating partners, youth and family professionals from land-grant institutions and other organizations, and partners in military youth and family programs.

2011 Conference

To support vulnerable populations, an interagency conference between USDA, NIFA and the Department of Defense (DoD) will be held April 27-29, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency, Chicago. This conference is intended to build connections, competency and capacity of agencies and programs. It will feature keynote speakers, current youth and family research presenters, interactive workshops and computer labs, as well as a program showcase demonstrating the most successful CYFAR community programs. In-depth pre-conference sessions will be offered on April 26.

2010 Conference

San Francisco was the backdrop for discussions, technology training, workshops and other professional development activities at the 2010 Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) conference. Nearly 900 state, county and land-grant university staff and community partners attended. CYFAR conferences showcase new research, programs, resources and strategies relevant to work with CYFAR audiences. It provides an opportunity to share ideas, celebrate accomplishments and renew commitments to at-risk children and families. The 2010 Conference Proceedings are available on CYFERnet. Presenters who would like to share presentations and handouts can send them to cyf@umn.edu.

[NEWS] Family Economics News - March 2009

20 Mar 2009 07:55:56 GMT

Family Economics News - March 2009

The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) works with land-grant university partners and others to advance knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities through national program leadership and federal assistance. Among the agency’s goals is to support increased economic opportunities and quality of life in rural areas. Family economics aligns with this goal by focusing on how individuals and families obtain and use resources such as money, time, human capital, material resources, and community services; by exploring the relationship between individuals and families and the larger economy; and by studying the impact of public issues, policies, and programs on family economic well-being.

In This Issue

Research/Program Evaluation

Personal Savings Rate
Financial Information: Is it Related to Savings and Investing Knowledge and Financial Behavior of Teenagers?
Why Some Households are Better than Others at Wealth Accumulation and Preparation for Retirement
2007 Census of Agriculture

Education/Extension

Montana Extension Family and Consumer Sciences—Showcase of Programs
Kansas State University: Doctoral Program

Resources

Guide to the Earned Income Tax Credit
e-Newsletter from FTC
2009 Consumer Action Handbook
Profile of Older Americans—2 Reports

Opportunities

Call for Papers:
- Journal of Consumer Affair
- The Journal of Youth Development
- Journal of Family and Economic Issues
- Fifth National Small Farm Conference
- Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal
- Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences
- The Journal of Consumer Affairs—Special Issue
- Family Relations—Special Issue
- Eastern Family Economics and Resource Management Association
- Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Family Business
- AFCPE 2009 Annual Conference
- The Individual Finance and Insurance Decisions
Funding:
- Grants.gov
- National Endowment for Financial Education®
- MMI Financial Education Foundation
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- FINRA Investor Education Foundation
- FDIC Center for Financial Research

Calendar

Mailbox

Research/Program Evaluation

Personal Savings Rate

The Employee Benefits Research Institute has updated Chapter 9 of the Databook on Employee Benefits, Personal Savings. The chapter contains data from two government agencies that measure personal savings, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) in the National Income and Product Accounts of the United States (use Table 2.1 Personal Income and Its Dispositions) and the Federal Reserve Board, Flow of Funds Accounts of the United States (use Table F. 10 Derivation of Measures of Personal Savings). The chapter contains an explanation of the differences between the two data-sets. BEA data for personal savings rate for 2008 was released January 30, 2009. The Federal Reserve Board’s data for personal savings rate for 2008 is scheduled for release on March 12, 2009.

Financial Information: Is it Related to Savings and Investing Knowledge and Financial Behavior of Teenagers?

Where do teens learn about personal finance? Is what they learn from various information sources associated with their knowledge of saving and investing? Is the source of financial information they use associated with their financial behavior? Is their savings and investing knowledge associated with their financial behavior? In a study conducted by Koonce, et al., teens who set financial goals and saved some or all of their earnings obtained most financial information from parents. Teens who had spending plans obtained more information from the media/Internet. White teens reported obtaining less information from the media/Internet and educators than did non-white teens. Read more about this study, which was published in the Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning.

Why Some Households are Better than Others at Wealth Accumulation and Preparation for Retirement

A landmark relationship finance seminar was held at the Department of Treasury in Washington, DC, on January 14. According to Treasury officials, "The issue of financial literacy has gone from very important to absolutely critical. We need to know more, from a fresh research perspective, of how families and households save and invest."

In regard to this proclamation, the mid-term summary of a 2-year research project at Florida State University addresses the question, "Why are some households better at wealth accumulation than others even given similar incomes and life circumstances?"

2007 Census of Agriculture

Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack released on February 4, 2009, the 2007 Agriculture Census. The census shows a continuation in several trends regarding the characteristics of U.S. farm operators. There is growing ethnic and racial diversity among farm operators nationwide, and the percentage of women operators is up. The average age of farmers continues to rise, and they increasingly rely on off-farm employment as a source of income. Visit the USDA Web site to view the news release and access the 2007 agriculture census.

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Education/Extension

Montana Extension Family and Consumer Sciences—Showcase of Programs

What are the programs and successes of the Montana Extension Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) program? Montana Extension has produced its latest “Program Samplers” to communicate with decisionmakers and help local advisory groups learn more about Montana Extension FCS programs. Traditionally, a program sampler is published every other year to showcase programs dealing with extension family economics, housing and environmental health, food and nutrition, and human development. With a rich history of providing extension programs to Native American communities, Montana Extension also produces and distributes the publication “Empowering Montana Native Families and Communities” to Montana tribes.

To sort out all the program offerings and provide computer users to direct links to project Web sites, publications, and radio public service announcements, the Montana Extension FCS program provides a new “one-stop learning” Web site—www.montanafamilies.info. Web site users may access the program samplers mentioned above or may link directly to each of the publications at “Working Towards a Better Tomorrow” and “Empowering Montana Native Families and Communities” -

For additional information regarding the Montana Extension FCS program, contact Michael Vogel, program leader, at 406-994-3451.

Kansas State University: Doctoral Program

Kansas State’s Doctoral Program with an emphasis in Personal Financial Planning—the first in the nation to be conducted largely online—was designed for professionals who already have busy careers and substantial roots where they live. Offered through the School of Family Studies and Human Services, the program is composed of a mix of online and residency courses. It enables candidates from around the world to earn their doctorates from a respected university while continuing their lives at home. K-State's program will be listed on the Certified Financial Planner Board's Web site of quality financial planning programs. Kansas State University also offers an undergraduate degree, graduate certificate, and a master's degree in Personal Financial Planning.

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Resources

Guide to the Earned Income Tax Credit

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps low income, working taxpayers and families get more money back when they file their federal income tax forms. To help people file their 2008 taxes and claim the EITC, Consumer Action has updated its helpful multilingual guide to EITC. Income-eligible individuals who did not claim an advance credit in their paychecks can claim EITC when filing their 2008 returns. For the 2008 tax year, EITC credits can be as high as $438 for childless taxpayers or up to $4,824 for taxpayers with more than one child. You can spend your credit any way you want or put the money in a savings account.

Click the language of your choice to read the publication online:

Contact Mikael Wagner, director of training and outreach, for more information.

e-Newsletter from FTC

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers a monthly newsletter, For the Consumer. The publication offers Congressional staff useful FTC publications for constituents and information about recent FTC actions. It contains monthly tips for consumers and notice of upcoming FTC public events throughout the country. FTC offers free subscriptions to this monthly e-newsletter to individuals in American Savings Education Council-partner organizations. Contact Colleen Tressler at the FTC to receive this monthly newsletter or for more information.

2009 Consumer Action Handbook

The 2009 Consumer Action Handbook offers tips for consumers to file complaints, buy a car, protect themselves from identity theft, and more. It also includes contact information to hundreds of companies and Better Business Bureau offices in every state. You can find the entire new edition of the handbook and order multiple copies at the Consumer Action Web site. For similar information for Spanish-speaking consumers, check out the Spanish language equivalent, Guia Del Consumidor and its companion Web site.

Profile of Older Americans – 2 Reports

AOA's (Administration on Aging) Profile of Older Americans 2008
is an annual summary of the latest statistics on the older population that covers 15 topical areas including population, income and poverty, living arrangements, and health. This profile is a very useful statistical summary in a user-friendly format.

2008 Older Americans: Key Indicators of Well-Being, from the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, provides an updated, accessible compendium of indicators, drawn from official statistics about the well-being of Americans primarily age 65 and over. The indicators are categorized into the following five broad areas: population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, and health care. The 160-page report contains data on 38 key indicators—and a one-time special feature on health literacy.

Visit the Learn more about Federal Interagency Forum on Age-Related Statistics Web site to learn more.

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Opportunities

Call for Papers / Presentations:

Journal of Consumer Affairs (Open submissions
The Journal of Youth Development (Open submissions)
Journal of Family and Economic Issues (Open submissions)
Fifth National Small Farm Conference Deadline is March 13, 2009.
Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal: Addressing Financial and Consumer Literacy Needs. Deadline April 1, 2009. For information contact Dr. Allen Martin or Dr. Tahira Hira, guest editors. For information about submissions or manuscripts, contact Editor Joan McFadden.
Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences Deadline April 6, 2009
The Journal of Consumer Affairs Special Issue: Public Health Issues Influenced by Consumer Choice; deadline June 1, 2009.
Family Relations Special Issue; Finances, Families, and Hard Times. Deadline is August 17, 2009.
Eastern Family Economics and Resource Management Association Deadline is September 25, 2009
Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Family Business. Deadline is October 31, 2009. Click here for more information.
AFCPE 2009 Annual Conference Deadline is May 8, 2009.
The Individual Finance and Insurance Decisions (IFID) PhD Student Paper Competition. Deadline May 30, 2009. Contact Dr. Narat Charupat for more information. Exact date of the fall 2009 conference will be announced shortly on the IFID Web site.

Funding

Grants.gov is your source to find and apply for federal government grants. There are more than 1,000 grant programs offered by all federal grant making agencies.
National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE®)
The NEFE® Grants program deadline for the October 2009 grant cycle is June 2. To learn more about the NEFE® Grants program, visit the NEFE® Web site and click on the Grantmaking section.
MMI Education Foundation
The foundation uses its resources to serve the public interest and strengthen the communities where we live and work. The foundation provides periodic announcements and grant guidelines.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Grantees provide financial literacy training to enable low-income individuals and families achieve economic self-sufficiency.
FINRA Investor Education Foundation
For 2009 submissions deadline is March 6 for applying for October funding. Subscribe to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) e-mail newsletter for periodic updates.

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Calendar

2009

National Consumer Protection Week, March 1–7.
Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Assembly 2009, March 12-13, Washington, DC. U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd will give keynote address at lunch on March 12. Click here to register online.
Extension Risk Management Education Conference, March 31—April 1, Reno, NV.
Federal Reserve System Community Affairs Research Conference, April 16–17, Washington, DC. Contact Kelly Edmiston, at 816-881-8004, for more information.
Money Smart Week, April 18–25.
ABA Education Foundation-Teach Children to Save Day, April 21, 2009.
National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals, April 20–22, San Diego, CA.
Improving Financial Literacy and Reshaping Financial Behavior, May 14–15, Indianapolis, IN. Details pending. Contact Angela Lyons for more information.
American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, June 25-28, Knoxville, TN.
Asian Consumer and Family Economics Association, July 2–5. Details pending.
Junior Achievement Worldwide Leadership Conference, July 20-24, Boston, MA. Details pending.
American Council on Consumer Interests. Details pending.
5th National Small Farm Conference, September 15-18, Springfield, IL.
National eXtension Conference, October 20–23, St. Louis, MO. Details pending.
2009 Annual Conference on Financial Education, October 21-23, Philadelphia, PA. For information on the conference or for registration information, call (207) 221-3611 or send an e-mail.
AFCPE 2009 Annual Conference, November 18-20, Scottsdale, AZ. Details pending.
Global Entrepreneurship Week, November 16–22.

2010

EFERMA (Eastern Family Economics & Resource Management Association) Conference, March 3-5, 2010, Chattanooga, TN. Contact Michael Rupured for more information.

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Mailbox

CSREES Contact: Jane Schuchardt, National Program Leader, CSREES-USDA
eXtension (pronounced ee-eXtension) Financial Security for All provides reliable, research-based, and up-to-date financial and consumer information, including learning lessons, fact sheets, and unbiased peer-reviewed answers to frequently asked questions. Consumers can access eXtension 24/7/365 on any Internet-ready device.
Contact: Debra Pankow, family economics specialist, North Dakota State University, or go to eXtension.org and click on Personal Finance.
National Initiative "Financial Security in Later Life" Contact: Nancy M. Porter, Family Resource Management Specialist, Clemson University
Financial Literacy for Youth Contact: Erica Tobe, Program Leader for Youth Financial Literacy, Michigan State University Extension

Back issues of Family Economics News are available.

To submit items for consideration for this newsletter, contact Jim Terry, Program Analyst, CSREES-USDA.

[IN FOCUS] Military Family Life Research and Extension Programs

2 Dec 2008 10:01:00 -0600

Today’s military families face a lifestyle that includes frequent deployments and increased family separations. These stressful challenges can affect military readiness. CSREES, the Land-Grant University System, and a variety of partners support military family quality of life through special projects that help curb family violence and support parenting, family readiness for deployments, and provide funding for extension educators who operate on major military installations to assist families and soldiers. The following are related projects at seven land-grant institutions.

Auburn University

Healthy Parenting Initiative

Cornell University

Kansas State University

Projects, Research, and Aid to Military Families

Projects include the following four Air Force programs: identifying “high needs” fathers, marriage enrichment, batterer intervention, and a resource information program.

University of Maryland

University of Maryland Cooperative Extension

University of Maryland Cooperative Extension provides support to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Army Community Service, Consumer Affairs/Financial Assistance program to assist service members and their families in areas of basic financial management. This financial management training has improved the quality of life and financial readiness of soldiers and their families. In 2007-2008, over 350 service members received the training and most reported the training to be beneficial.

University of Missouri

Healthy Parenting Initiative

Texas A&M University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute State University

Healthy Parenting Initiative

Family Science Home Page

[IN FOCUS] The FCS Administrator's Directory provides easy access to names and contact information for all family and consumer science administrators.

15 Oct 2008 13:38:57 -0600

[IN FOCUS] Graphic Recordings from Futuring for Families Think Tank

21 May 2008 12:56:39 -0600

Graphic Recordings from Futuring for Families Think Tank

CSREES National Program Leaders (NPLs) working in family and consumer science (FCS) disciplines place a high value on interdisciplinary FCS programming to address the many and complex problems facing the nation’s families from an ecological or systems perspective. In July 2007, CSREES NPLs in Family Economics, Family Science, and Housing and Indoor Environments hosted a “Futuring for Families” (FFF) Think Tank in Atlanta, Georgia to:

Understand the benefits of addressing family issues from an interdisciplinary perspective;
Gain exposure to integrated Extension programs with potential for national reach;
Frame priorities for national program leadership and state and local application.

The think tank was held as a preconference to the National Extension Family Science Specialists’ Biennial Conference. Hosted by the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia, specialists and administrators from all FCS disciplines assisted in facilitating the FFF event. Discussions and group consensus were captured in graphic recordings by Visual Logic of Atlanta.

[PARTNERSHIP] The Coalition of Organizations on Disaster Education recently launched online the updated guide, "Talking about Disasters: Guide for Standard Messages."

7 May 2008 12:46:59 -0600

[PARTNERSHIP] CSREES co-chairs Family Strengthening Peer Network meeting to review programs aimed at helping families access benefits.

7 May 2008 12:47:24 -0600