NCCC_OLD52: Family Economics
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
NCCC_OLD52: Family Economics
Duration: 10/01/2010 to 09/30/2015
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
Family economists uniquely recognize the importance of the family as an economic institution that interacts with a broader community system to acquire, develop, and utilize human and material resources. Research of family economists provides policymakers and program administrators with information critical to developing and implementing sound, cost-effective policies and practices to promote family well-being. Consequently, family economists are well positioned to address the two North Central cross-cutting research areas, namely, (a) Economic Development and Policy and (b) Social Change and Development.
Several emerging family economics issues exist. Communities and families today face critical economic issues in increasingly complex and diverse environments. Rural and urban families struggle to maintain economic stability in a changing economy. The population is aging and becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. Financial concerns exist across the lifespan. Young adults face escalating costs of higher education, increasing indebtedness, and a rising number of bankruptcies. Midlife adults and elders are concerned with retirement income adequacy, rising health care costs, and management of elder care.
To confront these critical issues, family economists have the expertise to investigate financial socialization of children in a demographically diverse culture and explore the implications of cultural differences in the perception and management of money. They can identify ways to improve financial literacy of youth and to influence credit management and saving behavior early in life. With their view of family as a system in the broader economy, family economists are well positioned to investigate the interrelationship of health status, health related costs, caregiving, and acquisition and maintenance of financial security across the lifespan.
A major purpose of this committee is facilitating collaboration among family economics researchers nationally and internationally. The committee provides a forum to examine research methodology and family economic issues in depth from a multidisciplinary perspective. The committee fosters development of research related to the economic well-being of individuals and families that is of interest to multiple institutions around the nation. For example, this committee has served as a catalyst to launch major regional research projects, namely NC223 "Rural Low-Income Families: Tracking their Well-being and Function in an Era of Welfare Reform" authorized from 1998-2002, reauthorized as NC1011 from 2003-2007, and reauthorized again as NC1171 "Interactions of Individual, Family, Community, and Policy Contexts on the Mental and Physical Health of Diverse Rural Low-income Families" from 2008-2012 as well as NC1013: The Economic and Psychological Determinants of Household Savings.
Over the next 5 years the committee will continue to promote rigorous and relevant research and set research priorities for multi-state and national work on emerging issues germane to the economic well-being of families. The committee will strive to increase the number of multi-state, multidisciplinary research projects on emerging family economic issues such as health and financial well-being, youth and credit, costs of elder care, cultural perspectives on money, among others. To enhance continued professional development of scholars, the committee will endeavor to provide opportunities for scholars to build partnerships and develop grantwriting skills to secure research funding from competitive grant programs. To accelerate the dissemination of the timely research conducted by family economists, the committee seeks to organize NCCC52 research sessions at major conferences related to family and consumer economics (e.g., annual meeting of the American Council on Consumer Interests [ACCI] or the Association of Financial Counseling and Planning Education [AFCPE]) and at outside forums such as public policy meetings (e.g., the annual meeting of the Association for Public Policy, Analysis, and Management [APPAM]) or Family Science meetings (e.g., the annual meeting of the National Council on Family Relations [NCFR]). To continue to increase the rigor of the research methodology and empirical techniques used in the field of family economics, these presentations will provide a forum to showcase the latest research methodology and empirical techniques being used in the profession. To further dissemination efforts, the committee will continue to develop research briefs from family economics research conducted at participating universities emphasizing summaries of manuscripts published in top-tier research journals as well as specific legislative briefings to target relevant policy issues. Further, while dissemination will continue via traditional Extension the committee strives to capitalize on new outreach opportunities (e.g., E-extension) and other new outreach opportunities. To assess the scope of outreach aimed at educating professionals on issues relevant to improving family economic well-being and the sustainability of family and community systems, the committee will develop methods for measuring and communicating impacts of family economic research through policy and practice changes. The committee will continue to meet on an annual basis to share cutting edge research being done by members of NCCC052 and to develop strategies and next steps for goal accomplishment. The NCCC052 committee is unique in its scope (as determined by a CRIS search) and does not duplicate the efforts of other NC/NCCC/NCERA projects.
Objectives
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Set research priorities for multi-state and national work on emerging issues relevant to the economic well-being of families.
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Identify strategies to increase the rigor of the research methodology and empirical techniques used in the field of family economics.
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Provide an opportunity for scholars to build partnerships and develop grantwriting skills to secure research funding from competitive grant programs.
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Develop methods for measuring and communicating impacts of family economic research through policy and practice changes. As part of this, assist in the dissemination of family economic and related research, via traditional Extension and new outreach opportunities, thereby educating professionals on issues relevant to improving family economic well-being and the sustainability of family and community systems.
Procedures and Activities
April 2010: Members will form content-specific workgroups around emerging issues germane to family economics
May 2010-September 2010: Workgroups will familiarize themselves with their selected emerging issue and prepare to share with the full committee at the October 2010 meeting
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October 2010: Full committee meets face-to-face. Goals to accomplish at annual meeting:
NEW BUSINESS
* Set research priorities for multistate and national work: Workgroups will report the status of their emerging issues; Based on workgroup reports, full committee will set research priorities; Each workgroup will schedule online meetings to occur quarterly
* Assemble team to develop strategies for increasing number of multi-state multidisciplinary projects: team will identify tasks to be completed over the next year and schedule meetings of team to occur at least quarterly
* Assemble team to develop strategies to enhance methodological rigor: team will identify tasks to be completed over the next year and schedule meetings of team to occur at least quarterly
* Assemble team to implement identified strategies to accelerate timely dissemination of research: team will identify tasks to be completed over the next year and schedule meetings of team to occur at least quarterly
* Assemble team to develop methods for measuring and communicating impact: team will identify tasks to be completed over the next year and schedule meetings of team to occur at least quarterly
* set the agenda for the 2011 annual meeting
November 2010-September 2011: workgroups and teams carry implement their strategies/plans of action
* progress on research priorities; increasing number of multi-state multidisciplinary projects; enhancing methodological rigor; accelerating timely dissemination of research; and development of methods for measuring and communicating impact
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October 2011: Full committee meets face-to-face. Goals to accomplish at annual meeting:
CONTINUING BUSINESS
* Assess progress on research priorities; increasing number of multi-state multidisciplinary projects; development of strategies to enhance methodological rigor; implementation of strategies to accelerate timely dissemination of research; and development of methods for measuring and communicating impact
*** all teams will report on task accomplishment; identify tasks to be completed over the next year; and schedule meetings of team to occur at least quarterly
NEW BUSINESS
* Assemble a team to adress grantwriting development needs of family economists: this team will identify tasks to be completed over the next year and schedule meetings of team as needed
* Assemble a team to create networking opportunities to build partnerships among family economic professionalss both within and across disciplines, universities, and academic/non-academic settings: this team will identify tasks to be completed over the next year and schedule meetings of team as needed
* set the agenda for the 2012 annual meeting
November 2011-September 2012: workgroups and teams carry implement their strategies/plans of action
* progress on research priorities; increasing number of multi-state multidisciplinary projects; enhancing methodological rigor; accelerating timely dissemination of research; development of methods for measuring and communicating impact; addressing grantwriting development needs of family economists; and creation of networking opportunities
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October 2012: Full committee meets face-to-face. Goals to accomplish at annual meeting:
CONTINUING BUSINESS
* Assess progress on research priorities; increasing number of multi-state multidisciplinary projects; development of strategies to enhance methodological rigor; implementation of strategies to accelerate timely dissemination of research; development of methods for measuring and communicating impact; addressing grantwriting development needs of family economists; and creation of networking opportunities to build partnerships among family economic professionals both within and across disciplines, universities, and academic/non-academic settings
*** each team will report on task accomplishment; identify tasks to be completed over the next year; and schedule meetings of team at least quarterly
NEW BUSINESS
* set the agenda for the 2013 annual meeting
November 2012-September 2013: workgroups and teams carry implement their strategies/plans of action
* progress on research priorities; increasing number of multi-state multidisciplinary projects; enhancing methodological rigor; accelerating timely dissemination of research; development of methods for measuring and communicating impact; addressing grantwriting development needs of family economists; creation of networking opportunities
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October 2013: Full committee meets face-to-face. Goals to accomplish at annual meeting:
CONTINUING BUSINESS
* Assess progress on research priorities; increasing number of multi-state multidisciplinary projects; development of strategies to enhance methodological rigor; implementation of strategies to accelerate timely dissemination of research; development of methods for measuring and communicating impact; addressing grantwriting development needs of family economists; and creation of networking opportunities to build partnerships among family economic professionals both within and across disciplines, universities, and academic/non-academic settings
*** each team will report on task accomplishment; identify tasks to be completed over the next year; and schedule meetings of team at least quarterly
NEW BUSINESS
* Assemble team to draft report of committee accomplishments: team will identify tasks to be completed over the next year and schedule meetings of team at least quarterly
* Assemble team to oversee development of committee proposal to be submitted in 2014: team will identify tasks to be completed over the next year and schedule meetings of team at least quarterly
* set the agenda for the 2014 annual meeting
November 2013-September 2014: workgroups and teams implement their strategies/plans of action
* progress on research priorities; increasing number of multi-state multidisciplinary projects; enhancing methodological rigor; accelerating timely dissemination of research; development of methods for measuring and communicating impact; addressing grantwriting development needs of family economists; creation of networking opportunities; draft of final report of committee accomplishments; proposal submission (identify USDA deadlines and adhere to timeline of work)
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October 2014: Full committee meets face-to-face. Goals to accomplish at annual meeting:
CONTINUING BUSINESS
* Assess progress on research priorities; increasing number of multi-state multidisciplinary projects; development of strategies to enhance methodological rigor; implementation of strategies to accelerate timely dissemination of research; development of methods for measuring and communicating impact; addressing grantwriting development needs of family economists; creation of networking opportunities to build partnerships among family economic professionals both within and across disciplines, universities, and academic/non-academic settings
* Assess progress on draft of Final Report of committee accomplishments: team will identify tasks to be completed to finalize report and submit report
* Assess progress on development of committee proposal to be submitted December 1, 2014 (unless USDA changes the deadline): issues and justification and objectives posted by October 15, 2014; Appendix E completed by November 15, 2014; full proposal submitted by December 1, 2014
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- Increase the number of multi-state, multidisciplinary research projects on emerging issues significant to families such as health and financial well-being, youth and credit, costs of elder care, cultural perspectives on money, and other issues.
- Disseminate research by organizing NCCC52 research sessions at major conferences related to family and consumer economics and at outside forums (e.g., annual meeting of the American Council on Consumer Interests or ACCI) and at public policy meetings (e.g., the annual meeting of the Association for Public Policy, Analysis, and Management or APPAM). One specific topic would emphasize the latest research methodology and empirical techniques being used in the profession.
- Develop research briefs from family economics research conducted at participating universities. Included in these research briefs would be summaries of manuscripts published in research journals and, in particular, top-tier research journals. Relevant policy issues would warrant a specific legislative briefing.
- Meet on an annual basis to share cutting edge research being done by members of NCCC052.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
1. An invitation to participate in NCCC052 activities/projects will be sent to all State Experiment Stations and included in the online NIFA-sponsored Family Economics Newsletter readership (open to any educator).
2. NCCC052 members will be asked to consult with colleagues actively conducting research on the emerging issues identified to bring the group up to date.
3. Interpretative reports and news briefs will be written to disseminate significant research findings of NCCC052 membership through NIMSS Website, Extension and University colleagues, professionals assigned to serve low-income audiences, county and community leaders, and popular press and other appropriate news media.
4. Presentations of research findings and impacts will be shared at national and regional professional meetings and locally by committee members.
5. Members of the U.S. Congress assigned to committees pertinent to the chosen emerging issue will be contacted by selected NCCC052 committee members to apprise them of the research findings and to suggest needed actions or considerations in light of those findings.
6. Impacts of the findings of the NCCC052 committee will be shared at all levels using methods and audiences prescribed previously.
Organization/Governance
The committee has a Chair and a Chair-Elect serving a one-year term. Adimistrative guidance will be provided by the assigned Administrative Advisor and a NIFA Representative.
Literature Cited
none