Roles, opportunities and challenges of the education

outreach mission of Extension for the next five

years

What is Extension? U of I Extension is part of a national organization called the

Cooperative Extension System established in 1914 Its an educational network linking research, science and

technology to the NEEDS of the people where they work and live

Extension professionals are a part of the land-grant universities throughout the United States and territories serving nearly all 3,150 counties nationwide

Provides informal, noncredit education outside the traditional classroom for all ages

Educates by helping people to identify and understand their needs and problems and to utilize new technology or information in solving those problems

What is Extension? continued

Features objective presentation and analysis of factual information for decision making and application by the people themselves

Functions as a nationwide education network and resource through local offices that are semi-autonomous units accessible to and subject to influence by local citizens

Involves cooperative but not necessarily equal sharing of financial support and program development among federal, state and county or local levels

Involves relationships that permit educational programs directed at broad national purposes yet serving local needs and priorities determined locally

Council Roles Assess needs of community and help set priorities for

action Communication conduit between communities and

Extension Identify and mobilize community leaders/stakeholders Assist Extension staff in planning and reviewing budget Provide for open forum Influence policy Evaluate Extension work Insure broad based programs available to all citizens Facilitate interagency collaboration

Council Member Roles Insure programs and outreach meet affirmative action

protocols Provide leadership in nominating new council members Identify and recruit resources – human (volunteers,

leaders, stakeholders and agency partners) financial (cash, grants, in-kind) physical (space, equipment etc)

Participate in delivery and program evaluation Provide leadership in developing programs for targeted

areas Advocate for Extension programs and services

Roles

Education Leader› Community› Staff

Information › Timely› Accurate

Community Partner

Opportunities

Cultivating new Extension stakeholders› Donors

Individuals – $241.32B/72% Foundations - $50.28B/15% Bequests – $26.81B/8% Corporations - $16.76B/5%

Opportunities Allocated Giving

› Religion 31%› Education 16%› Human Services 12%› Grant Making Foundations 11%

Education received the largest increase in 2013 – 8.9% more than in 2012

Opportunities Cultivating new Extension stakeholders

› Volunteers 64.5M adults volunteered in 2013 Total of 7.9B hours $175B at an average of $22.55 per hour Specialized volunteers

Opportunities

Cultivating new Extension stakeholders› Educational Partners

Local School Districts Regional Offices of Education Colleges and Universities

Opportunities Cultivating new Extension stakeholders

› Media Partners Print Radio Television

Be in the face of the public – get the message out

Opportunities

Expanding Programs› Changing Demographics

Aging 2005 – 12% 2050 – 19%

Cultural Hispanic 2005 – 14% Hispanic 2050 – 29%

Technology Online giving Social Media

Challenges

Fundraising Staff

› Training staff to educate class properly Volunteers

› Recruitment and Retention

Questions for Extension Council Discussion

Where were we? Where are we now? Where do we need to go? How do we get there?