Cooperative Extension at North Carolina A&T will bring community leaders, volunteers and local officials together for its annual Grassroots Leadership Conference on Friday, Nov. 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University Farm Pavilion. A complimentary pre‑conference workshop will be held the day before, Nov. 13, at the Sheraton Greensboro. Organizers asked attendees to register in advance by Nov. 5.

The conference is part of Cooperative Extension’s long‑running effort to build leadership and grassroots capacity across communities. By convening stakeholders from neighborhoods, faith groups, civic organizations and municipal bodies, the program is designed to translate local priorities into coordinated action on issues ranging from community development and volunteer mobilization to small‑scale agriculture and youth programming.

For Guilford County, the gathering represents an opportunity to strengthen the networks that deliver services and implement local projects. Leadership training and cross‑sector conversations can directly affect the county’s ability to compete for grants, deploy volunteers efficiently, and scale effective local programs. Stronger organizational capacity among nonprofits and neighborhood groups also tends to lower transaction costs for local government, improving implementation speed for community initiatives.

Economic implications extend beyond immediate civic benefits. Cooperative Extension’s mix of agricultural, family and community development programming has historically supported local small farms, workforce training and nutrition outreach—areas that feed into broader economic resilience. By sharpening leadership skills and fostering partnerships with N.C. A&T, local organizations may position themselves to secure federal or state funding, attract private philanthropy, and better coordinate workforce development strategies that align with the county’s labor market needs.

From a policy perspective, the conference can influence local agenda setting. Elected officials attending alongside grassroots actors are exposed to on‑the‑ground priorities and organized proposals that can inform county budgets, zoning decisions and programmatic priorities. Over time, repeated engagement through events like this tends to raise community capacity to shape policy outcomes and hold institutions accountable.

Longer‑term trends in community development emphasize decentralized, community‑led solutions that link university resources with local leadership. Cooperative Extension plays a distinctive role in that model by translating research into practical programming and by acting as a bridge between academic expertise and neighborhood action. For Guilford County, maintaining and expanding those bridges can pay dividends in civic engagement, service delivery and economic opportunity.

Residents interested in attending should note the Nov. 5 advance registration request and the free Nov. 13 workshop at the Sheraton Greensboro. The main conference will run all day Nov. 14 at the University Farm Pavilion on the N.C. A&T campus. More information was posted by Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T.