The Public Notification Plan (PNP) provides guidelines for reaching a broader and more inclusive audience.
In 1971 U. S. Secretary of Agriculture Clifford M. Hardin issued Secretary's Memorandum No. 1662, Supplement 2, indicating in part, "that all eligible people, particularly minorities and the underprivileged, are informed of all USDA program benefits and of the protection against discrimination contained in our regulations." Each USDA agency and recipient, including cooperative extension, is required to implement a public notification plan (PNP) which includes the following:
A. Each USDA office and recipient which distributes program benefits will take specific action to advise minorities of program availability and the requirement for nondiscrimination.
This may include 1) providing minority mass media (newspaper, radio, and TV) with the same program announcement as is provided to the majority population mass media; 2) prepare program announcement and other program literature in another language; 3) include equal opportunity statement in newspaper article, preferably in the body of the article. (For more information concerning guidelines for using equal opportunity statements refer to PENpages keyword: Civil Rights--Affirmative Action Statements.)
B. Each USDA and cooperating office serving the public will prominently display the nondiscrimination poster, "And Justice for All". A notice of nondiscrimination will also be posted at all public outdoor recreation areas.
It may be prudent planning to also display a poster in a room or building which is away from the county extension office, especially if extension programs are conducted at the particular location on a regular basis.
C. Each agency will inform minorities of new program changes by mailing information to "grass roots" organizations listed by the Assistant to the Secretary for Civil Rights.
The most practical way of implementing this policy is to include individual minorities and minority grass roots agencies (churches with a predominantly racial minority congregation, NAACP offices, Urban League offices, etc.) on extension program mailing lists and announcements of all program activities.
D. All informational materials released to the public will, as appropriate, contain a statement that the program or activity will be conducted on a nondiscriminatory basis. Where appropriate, photos and other graphics will be used to convey the message of equal opportunity. This requirement will apply to materials published and distributed by either the Agency or its non-Federal cooperators.
Photos and graphics which best project equal opportunity show integrated clientele participation by males/females, and non-minorities/minorities.
The PNP provides guidelines for reaching a broader and more inclusive audience. If diverse participation in programs is not being obtained, assess whether unseen barriers are limiting participation of racial minority or nontraditional clientele.
