Funding Extension With Declining County Budgets Carrie Backman, County Director WSU Wahkiakum County Extension

Wahkiakum County is a small, rural county in SW Washington. First Extension Agent West of the Mississippi in 1912 Timber dependent Hard hit by recession

County Funding Eliminated Twice! 2007 and 2008 Brought back each time, at a much reduced level Strong community support and advocacy for Extension

By 2009, down to: Minimum contribution to county director’s salary Office space

Declining budgets, increasing needs: Poverty rate spiked to 17% (US Census) Ranked 38 out of 39 counties in health outcomes (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) Youth increasingly at risk for substance and alcohol abuse. –Half of 6th graders used alcohol; using alcohol as early as ten years old. (Washington 2006 Healthy Youth Survey)

Wahkiakum County not alone… Bowen-Ellzey, N., Romich, E., Civittolo, D., & Davis, G. (2013). Change Is Inevitable: How Field Specialist Positions Can Help Meet the Challenge. Journal of Extension Lawrence, T. & Mandal, B. (2016). Valuing Extension Programming at the County Level. Journal of Extension Perlman, B. J., & Benton, J. E. (2012). Going it alone: New survey data on economic recovery strategies in local government. State and Local Government Review Shields, D. A. (2013). USDA's research, education, and economics (REE) mission area: Issues and background (Vol. R40819): Congressional Research Service.

Journal articles point to national trend… Increasing pressure on county budgets; increasing demand and declining/flat revenues Extension becoming lower priority in county budgets Creates highly competitive atmosphere among county departments Must show impacts to elected

Ke y Strategies that Worked 1.Friends of Extension 2.New Grant/Donor Partnerships 3.Contracts for Service 4.Specialized Volunteer Leadership

Friends of Extension Created in 2007 to fundraise, advise, and advocate –Coordinated talking points with county commissioners and press –Input on Extension priorities and community collaborations –Fundraising

Friends of Extension: Impacts New programs and funding Support to commissioners, press and word of mouth Annual fundraiser, Covered Bridge Dinner –Highlights Extension –Raises $

New Partnerships Identified partners with aligned missions –Wahkiakum Community Network (prevention coalition) –Wahkiakum Health Department Cultivated Donations through Friends of Extension

Impacts of New Partnerships $120,000 to Wahkiakum County 4-H between 2008 and 2013 from Community Network. 4-H participation doubled, with 20% of K-8 students and 17% of high school. 23% decrease in lifetime use of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana all grades 44% reduction in alcohol use among 6th graders

Impacts of New Partnerships cont’d. Increased county funding for the first time in seven years, adding $7,000. Donations of $400 to $1,500 each year from local businesses and individual donors

Contracts for Service As visibility improved for programs and impacts, Extension’s reputation grew as an effective agent for change. County recruited Extension for state-funded contracts –Marine Resource Committee –Nutrition Education, SNAP-Ed

Impacts of Contracts $38,500 for MRC coordination $25,000 for SNAP-Ed coordination Expand reach while billing shares of office operations

Impacts of Contracts cont’d. Combine programs for multiplied effect: –750 lbs of salmon canned with Food Safety Advisors –2,000 lbs produce for food bank from Master Gardeners

Specialized Volunteer Leadership Reworked delivery model for Small Farms, Master Gardener and 4-H programs More emphasis on volunteer and youth leadership of program activities Youth designed website, Facebook; replaced newsletters Developed Food and Farm Network; managed annual Ag Summit Master Gardener leadership coordinates monthly meetings, service projects like Community Garden.

Impacts of Volunteer Leadership Reduced staff time needed for forms, etc. Enabled more fund/ program development by faculty Capitalized on volunteers’ abilities and strengths, pride in impacts

Lessons learned Strategies require initial investment in staff time, but long term benefits Visible community support builds strong messages to funders, decision makers Strong volunteers produce strong impacts, strong impacts attract funding.

Thank you! Carrie Backman WSU Wahkiakum County Extension Director