Challenges Facing Cooperative Extension

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Elvin Garrison
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1 Challenges Facing Cooperative Extension Robin Shepard Executive Director, North Central Region Cooperative Extension Association

2 Cooperative Extension In The North Central Region 12 INSTITUTIONS 7,601 FTE extension personnel 6,724 experiment station FTEs $700 million in combined extension budgets and $956 million in experiment station budgets 141 experiment station locations covering 171,556 acres. Battelle Institute NCR Study 2011

3 CNN/OPINION RESEARCH POLL [2010] "Which of the following is the most important issue facing the country today?" Most Important Issue Percent The economy 52 The federal budget deficit 8 Education 8 Health care 8 The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan 8 Illegal immigration 8 Terrorism 4 Energy and environmental policies 4

Have NOT heard of their state Extension Program 3% 5% 23% 39% Extremely

4 Major Challenge: Very few people know about Extension and the service it provides. Have NOT heard of their state Extension Program 3% 5% 23% 39% Extremely Familiar Very Familiar Somewhat Familiar Slightly Familiar 62% 38% Copernicus 2/9 N = 1260 Have heard of their state Extension Program 30% Not at All Familiar

5 Major Challenge: Given the low awareness and familiarity with Extension few people have used Extension services Have EVER Used Extension 11% Have used Extension in the pasts 12 months 5% Copernicus 2/9 N = 1260

6 Major Challenge: Consumers who have sought help Personal Health Personal Finance The Environment 36% 28% 58% Gardening & Landscaping 28% Family 23% Small Business 13% Youth Development 11% Community Improvement 10% Agriculture 4% Copernicus 2/9 N = 1260

7 Institutional Decentralization Downsizing Regionalization Privatization Population Dynamics Consumption Diversity Economic Regionalization Leadership Drivers of Change Transitions and Capacity

8 $ - REALITY at the Land Grant University More attention to accountability and added value. Greater consideration for recovering program costs. Increased reliance on competitive grants and contracts. Pressures toward non-traditional funding sources. Creative approaches to partnerships (both programmatic and budgetary).

9 Issues Affecting Federal, State and County Budgets Federal Budget Issues The Domino Affect Defense expenditures Homeland Security Government Health Care Smith-Level Support mostly, flat for 15 years State Budget Issues General less tax atmosphere Services: Non-Mandated Non-Essential Reactions to future state budget cuts Cuts to CES budgets/positions Further Revenue Requirements

10 Federal Support for Extension and Research NIH 2010 = $31.0 Billion NIFA 2010 = $1.5 Billion National Institute of Food and Agriculture NIFA budget has grown 36.5% from 2000 through 2010 National Institutes of Health ($1 billion in 2000 to $1.5 billion in 2010) NIH budget has grown 74% from 2000 through 2010 ($17.8 billion in 2000 to $31 billion in 2010) Note: On Oct. 1, 2009 the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) became the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Battelle Institute NCR Study 2011

11 Smith Lever 3(b)-(c) $400 $Millions $300 FY 2007 "Bump" in Lieu of Earmarks $200 $100 Nominal Real ($2005) $ FROM: Cornerstone Government Affairs [March 2010]

12 Generalized Budget for Cooperative Extension

13 $ Millions FY 10 North Central Region - Cooperative Extension $57 $58 $59 $41 $49 $44 $39 $49 $36 $51 $18

14 The Federal-Fiscal trickle down The Effect on Extension Economics Decline in federal funding. Creates pressure in state and local matches. States seeking to cut discretionary spending.

15 Public Good vs. Private Good Public Good involves joint or simultaneous consumption by many, at least more than one, with a community or societal benefit Private Good involves the proprietary use by one, or a small group, over the use by greater society

16 What is Public Value The value of a program to those who do not directly benefit from the program. Laura Kalambokidis University of Minnesota Extension FROM: Nancy Franz (Iowa State University Extension). Presentation Developing and Sharing FCS s Public Value. [2010]

17 Why Distinctions Such As: public good and public value? Accountability Push for Non-Traditional Funding Sources Targeting & Audience Selection Attention to Outcomes

18 Trends some new some renewed Mission Ensuring Added Value especially in county-level services. Partnerships involving specific issues, needs and services. Enhancing the role of Extension in the mission of higher education.

19 Trends some new some renewed Programming Focus clarity in needs and audiences. More electronic educational venues and approaches (distance education, extension and pod-casts). Social entrepreneurship across all program areas. Helping our educators say no to the appropriate things.

20 Trends some new some renewed Structure Multi-County (in state regions) for community education models. Multi-State regional specialist models of sharing campus-based expertise.

21 Extension Trends and Strategies Involve Mission - redefining Core Programs tightening Audiences prioritizing Partnerships expanding Accountability impacts

22 Discussion Question What are (three-to-five) challenges that lie ahead for Cooperative Extension in the next 10-years? How do these challenges relate to: Mission Program Structure

23 The Land Grant University Extending Connecting Integrating Our Expertise Academic Education Research Extension

24 The Land Grant University Extending Connecting Integrating Our Expertise Academic Education Preparing the next generation Research Addressing knowledge gap Extension Engagement and applied problem solving

25 Communicating The Value of Our Work Reinforce our program goals AND our core values. Build understanding and consensus for not just what we do but why we do it. Extend the store front of science-based knowledge we don t just give answers we reach-out and apply problem solving with clients. Show the chain of events from inputs to results. Reinforce professionalism by asking the so what happened

26 The Challenge 1. How does Cooperative Extension impact the citizens of your state in ways that are so valuable that the public should support it, even in the face of compelling, and competing issues for the public dollars? 2. How do we articulate the value of our work in a convincing manner for the public and their elected representatives who make future funding decisions that affect Cooperative Extension?

27 The Challenge Wild ducks make a lot of noise, but they also have the sense to benefit from occasionally flying in formation." Author: unknown

28 Robin Shepard Executive Director, North Central Region Cooperative Extension Association (608) nccea.org

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (NIFA) AND THE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD RESEARCH INITIATIVE (AFRI)

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (NIFA) AND THE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD RESEARCH INITIATIVE (AFRI) October, 2012 A History About 25 years ago I became enthralled with the potential of fundamental