Category:

Purdue Extension Land Use Team launches American Citizen Planner program in Indiana

January 27th, 2020 by

The American Citizen Planner – Indiana (ACP-IN) program, which provides training in core competencies for public planning officials, is now being offered twice per year. The online training program is designed to help those serving on plan commissions and other volunteers interested in community planning understand the roles and responsibilities of public officials, community residents and developers in the planning process. It also helps participants understand how planners implement comprehensive plans.

American Citizen Planner logo with words "Empowering People to Build Better Places"Participants build knowledge of theories, tools and legal aspects related to planning and working with the public, and then they help shape plans to guide the future of their communities. Through two in-person learning events, participants will discuss decision-making processes, apply concepts from the online course with peers from their region, and hear from experts on planning and land use issues affecting their community.

The ACP-IN program is offered twice per year, in two sessions. The program features two courses of ACP-IN 101 and ACP-IN 201 with 28 units (up to one hour each) of online content and two in-person workshops of two hours each. Participants who complete ACP-IN 101, ACP-IN 201, attend both workshops and pass the comprehensive exam will earn the Master Citizen Planner credential.

Registration for the 2020 program is open February 3 to March 13 for the first session and participants can register July 13 to August 21 for the second session. The course fee is $200, which includes ACP-IN 101 and ACP-IN 201 course access, two in-person workshop events and the final exam.

Learn more about ACP-IN and register on the American Citizen Planner – Indiana website.

For questions, please contact Dan Walker at (765)496-3245 or walke422@purdue.edu.


Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Purdue Extension.

IISG Instagram

This February marks a major milestone: 30 years of aquatic invasive species outreach by our team! To celebrate, IISG Director, Stuart Carlton, and Strategic Communication Coordinator, Renie Miles, sat down for a Sea Grant Chat with two key figures in IISG’s AIS history: Pat Charlebois, our assistant director and program leader, who spent over two decades leading our prevention efforts, and Katie O’Reilly, who took over that role in 2022. We discussed the evolution of the invasive species issue in the Great Lakes, the shift toward understanding human behavior, and the creative strategies that make this team so effective. Dive into the full interview at the link in bio.
Introducing the Lake Michigan Explorer! Start exploring the varied factors that impact the Great Lakes with our Explorer Series. This searchable database of external resources can help you find hands-on activities that spark curiosity and inspire action. ✨ What’s inside?Lesson plans, fact sheets, and reading materialsEngaging videos and visualizationsEasy-to-use filters by grade level, topic, and time.Perfect for classrooms and informal learning, this resource empowers students to become stewards of the Great Lakes.🔗 in bio for more.
Join is in welcoming our new research and reporting coordinator, Laura Esman, to the team! In her new role, Laura will oversee research competitions and manage IISG’s research portfolio. She will also spearhead IISG data collection and lead the program’s annual reporting process.Esman brings over 30 years of experience in research, project coordination and grant administration. Her most recent positions include managing director of the Indiana Water Resources Research Center, and lab manager and research associate in the Natural Resources Social Science Lab in Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.Full story at the link in bio.