Overview of Cooperative Extension

Strengthening Extension Advisory Leaders

Cathy M. Sutphin, PhDVirginia Cooperative Extension

Virginia Tech

The Mission of Cooperative Extension

To enable people to improve their lives and communities through an educational process, which uses scientific knowledge focused on issues and needs

Enabling Legislation

Smith-Lever Act 1914: Partnership of the USDA and the Land-Grant universities

Federal Morrill acts of 1862 and 1890

Extension is Cooperative in Nature

USDA Land-Grant Cooperative

Extension Local Government

Outreach Partner of the Land-Grant Institution

Federal, State, Local Provide practical, research

information to local communities to solve local issues

Professional Network

How Is Extension Unique? Governmental agency created by law Provides services to any person

without discrimination Federal, state, and local partners Informal educational program Offers practical subject matter and

seeks to solve problems Participation is purely voluntary

Unique Continued Subject matter is primarily agriculture, family

and consumer sciences, and youth development

Programs based on needs and are responsive to local communities

Research based information Equal partner with the research and teaching

units in the land-grant university system Engages volunteers in planning, implementing,

and evaluating educational programs Involves local leadership advisory groups in

the programming process

Organization and Structure

National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges

Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP)

Funding

Federal, State, and Local Governments

Smith-Lever Funding

Funding ChartExtension County Office Profile: Source of Funding in Counties. PDEES-

USDA, County Office Study, 1992

Local Sources (overall county sources 40%),

17.4%

Non-tax, 4.7%State Funds, 47.5%

Federal, 30.4%

Programming Influence USDA establishes program guidelines

and initiatives of national scope State administrators and specialists

help set statewide initiatives, provide professional development, and disseminate relevant research

Local units plan implement and evaluate programs based on local need

Key Players

State Specialists Extension Agents/Educators Paraprofessionals/Program

Assistants Volunteers

References

Rasmussen, W. (1989). Taking the university to the people. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press.

Seevers, B., Graham, D., Gamon, J., and N. Conklin. (1997). Education through cooperative extension. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers.