1. What is Cooperative Extension?
Deborah sheely
Associate DEAN/associate director of URI cooperative Extension

2. What is Cooperative Extension?
A non-formal educational program designed to help people use science-based knowledge to improve their lives. This program is implemented by the land-grant universities in each state.

3. Why Cooperative?
In most states, funding for Extension is provided cooperatively by counties, states, and the Federal government.

4. A Little History and Background
1862 and 1890: two Morrill Acts to establish land-grant universities in every state and territory of the United States, including the District of Columbia
1994: additional act to establish land-grant tribal colleges

5. Land-Grant Universities
Original purpose was to teach agriculture, military tactics, and the mechanic arts, as well as classical studies, to members of the working classes
Currently more than 100 land-grant universities

6. Land-Grant Universities
Land-Grant Universities have a three-fold mission:
Research: Hatch Act (1887) established agricultural experiment stations
Extension: Smith Lever Act (1914) established the cooperative extension system
Teaching

7. Funding for Extension Counties States Federal Government
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA)
U.S. CongressUSDA-NIFALand-Grant Universities
$300 million in FY 2015

8. The Funding Mix for Extension
Formula (aka Capacity)
Grants
Contracts
Gifts
Fees

9. Extension Programs
Delivering information people can use to improve their lives and their communities

10. Program Focus Areas Horticulture Nutrition Food Safety
4-H Youth Development
Aquaculture
Agriculture (food and non- food)
Water Quality/Natural Res.
Sustainable Energy
International

11. Extension Programs Delivered locally to address local needs
More than 2,900 extension offices nationwide
Historically, states had an extension office in every county
But that has changed with shrinking resources

12. Strong Extension Programs are…
Driven by the needs of stakeholders
Focused on specific problems
Designed to deliver measurable outcomes

13. Measurable Outcomes/Impacts
Short-term: changes in learning
Medium-term: changes in action
Long-term: changes in condition

14. Changes in Learning (short-term)
Awareness
Knowledge
Attitudes
Skills
Opinions
Aspirations
Motivations

15. Changes in Action (medium-term)
Behavior
Practice
Decision-making
Policies
Social Action

16. Changes in Condition (long-term)
Social
Economic
Civic
Environmental

17. AES + CES: The Feedback Loop
Land Grant Institutions
Agricultural Experiment Station
Research Areas
Food Safety
Cooperative Extension
Program Areas
Food Service Workers
Program Delivery
Research Needs