The Federal Appropriations Ask for FY2026 In Process

In a recent series of meetings, the ECOP approved the ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee's recommendation for the Board on Agriculture Assembly's Unified Ask for Appropriations (capacity funding) for Fiscal Year 2026. The following is a summary of the 4 Extension lines of the Unified Ask that was put forward to the BAA Policy Board of of Director's sub-committee on Budget and Advocacy for consideration and approval. To see the complete list of 13 lines, review the FY2025 Budget here.

NEDA Meeting Reminder - Challenges and Opportunities of Integrating Extension into the Land-grant University Learning Ecosystem - On Wednesday, September 18 during the National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) meeting in Louisville, a panel of experts will delve into a case study on microcredentials. An increasing number of higher education institutions are offering nondegree credentials to expand educational opportunities to working adults. Increasingly, employers want their employees to upskill and reskill through microcredential programs. The panel will present the issues and variability across the system regarding the integration of Extension into Land-grant University learning ecosystems that must be addressed. The goal of the session is to initiate a system-wide discussion that will lead to better integration of Extension in university learning ecosystems. Go to neda.extension.org today to check out all of the sessions for the 2024 NEDA meeting, and to register and book a hotel room by August 26 to avoid paying higher rates.

Extension AFRI Commodity Board Co-funding Topic: Pork (A1811) - The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative offers commodity board co-funded awards. For the first time, there is one that is completely Extension oriented. The goal is to educate Extension agents, health professionals and community leaders on: 1) the role of fresh lean meats, such as pork, in averting nutritional deficiencies and promoting optimal health while adhering to dietary guidelines; 2) the economic advantages associated with accessible low-cost animal protein choices; and 3) availability of environmentally-friendly animal source protein options, such as pork. a. Projects covering this commodity board topic must not exceed $300,000 total per project for extension projects (including indirect costs) for project periods of two to three years. Search for A1811.

AFRI Animal Systems Technical Assistance Webinar Recording Now Available - The Agriculture Food Research Initiative (AFRI) is the flagship funding program for NIFA. In this recorded webinar, you will learn more about the Animal Systems Division programs within the AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Request For Applications (RFA). Information covered includes RFA due dates, program priorities, eligibility and application details.

Secretary's Speech Praises and Charges Land-grant Research, Education, and Extension

On January 8, 2024, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack visited the University of New Hampshire. ECOP Member Ken La Valley was particularly impressed with the Secretary’s talk, which featured the important role of Land-grant University research, education, and extension. The Secretary gave a similar presentation at the APLU Annual Meeting in November 2023. The presentation, starting at the point when Extension was referenced, is captured below.

New 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development Impact - Many may be familiar with the 10-year longitudinal study, The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development, conducted by Tufts University and sponsored by the National 4-H Council, which concluded in 2011. This research has been a tremendous asset for 4-H and helped the Cooperative Extension System tell a powerful story nationally and locally.

Council recently funded a follow up study to replicate the research with new youth, as well as reconnect with original study original participants who are now adults.

This Replication and Reconnection Study confirms the original, powerful outcomes: 4-H helps youth thrive, now and into adulthood. Here is the top line:

Compared to their peers, 4-H participants are:

• 4X more likely to make a positive contribution to their communities

• 2X more likely to participate in out-of-school-time science programs

• 2X more likely to make healthier choices

• 2X more likely to report feeling competent

• 2X more likely to feel positive about their wellbeing

4-H alumni are:

• 3X more likely to participate in community service

• 2X more likely to report living life with intentionality and purpose

• 2X more likely to have the goal of being a leader

Updating Economic Engagement Framework - This APLU Commission on Economic and Community Engagement developed framework is the foundation of a number of APLU projects and programs in economic and community engagement including the Innovation & Economic Prosperity Program. The new Principals of Practice for Higher Education’s Engagement in Inclusive Economic Engagement Strategies updated the 2015 previous framework “Foundations for Strategy and Practice” and articulates the values public and land-grant campuses can bring to this work, illustrates a theory of change showing that inclusive growth and social mobility are possible, and offers principles of practice for campuses to consider.




Revealing Article on Microcredentials - A new survey found training partnerships between employers and four-year colleges fell between 2022 and 2023 while instruction provided by third-party providers rose. The Inside Higher Ed article that quotes this statistic cites a new report released Tuesday by Collegis Education, an online program support company, and UPCEA, the organization previously known as the University Professional and Continuing Education Association. In 2023, 40 percent of organizations surveyed had partnerships or relationships with four-year colleges and universities, which was a nine-percentage-point drop compared to the previous year’s inaugural survey. Partnerships between employers and LinkedIn Learning, however, rose from 44 percent in 2022 to 52 percent in 2023. A quick search shows that several Cooperative Extension Services have a presence on Linkedin.