An Assessment of Priority Community Needs and Issues in Summit County

Utah State University Extension conducted a needs assessment in Summit County to identify the most pressing social issues related to home and community. Key informant interviews with county stakeholders and survey data from county residents revealed that mental health and youth development are high-priority issues in Summit County

Assessing Priority Competencies for Evaluation Capacity Building in Extension

Program planning and evaluation activities play a critical role in the quality of Extension programs. The literature consistently identifies program planning and evaluation as core Extension competencies. With an increased focus on accountability in Extension, there is a need to ensure Extension professionals are equipped with the most relevant competencies to show program impact. Guided by a competency model, this study sought to assess priority competencies for inclusion in an Evaluation Capacity Building (ECB) program at Utah State University (USU) Extension. Data were gathered from a sample of Extension professionals at USU Extension (n = 87) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, paired t-tests, and Cohen’s d. While results indicated a need for professional development in most competency items of program planning and evaluation, the principal component analysis revealed two professional development themes for program planning, and three for program evaluation. Extracted professional development themes were Program Ideas and Schedules, Program Design, Evaluation Plans, Evaluation Data and Results, and Monitoring and Impact. This study recommends the development of professional development themes to organize and prioritize efforts for ECB in Extension. It also highlighted a need to continuously assess professional capacity for accountability in Extension

Cultural Competency in USU Extension: Impact of Professional Development for Latino Outreach Programs

In response to the growing Latino population in Utah, USU Extension faculty participated in trainings to build their cultural competency and engage with Latino audiences. The professional development series were attended by 186 Extension professionals. A 2021 follow-up study reported that 52% of respondents who participated in the training are currently engaging in Latino outreach programs

Ensuring Responsible and Transparent Use of Generative AI in Extension

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems capable of generating human-like text, images, and ideas from existing data based on user-defined prompts, will inevitably impact Extension, including increasing efficiency, productivity, and performing tasks previously exclusive to humans. There are ethical and risk-related considerations surrounding the use of generative AI, including concerns about bias and unintended consequences. It is important for Extension to consider these implications and take steps to ensure that generative AI is used in a responsible and transparent manner. Extension must ensure that educators and staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively utilize and integrate this technology

Understanding the Needs of Residents in Sevier County to Plan Impactful Programs

USU Extension provides evidence-based community education in response to community needs. A needs assessment was conducted in Sevier County UT in 2021 to determine critical needs of residents. The results of the assessment will guide Extension programming in Sevier County

Exploring the Social Capital of Cooperative Extension Agents in Mississippi

The Cooperative Extension System has a high turnover rate. Studies indicate a need to improve collaboration and communication efforts between agents to improve their retention. This exploratory study used a social capital lens to investigate agents’ collegial relationships and access to information. Cross-sectional data were collected from a nonrandomized sample of Extension agents from Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension. Results showed agents’ engagement in professional associations depended on their programmatic responsibilities. Few agents were active members of associations that were not linked to their specific program area. Findings pointed to a low level of bridging capital and a higher level of bonding capital since agents had strong ties with colleagues in their own programmatic area. Agents mostly socialized with others in their own program area at statewide events, and most did not seek information from a district or regional director. This may adversely impact information sharing due to an overdependence on homogenous networks. This study suggested the social capital of MSU Extension agents could be more fully developed. Agents may benefit from opportunities to engage in national-level and heterogenous professional organizations to build bridging capital

Building Extension Capacity through Internal Grants: Evaluation of a Mini-Grant Program

Acquiring external grants can seem out of reach for Extension professionals, especially early-career professionals. While Cooperative Extension provides opportunities to assist professionals in the grant writing process, Utah State University (USU) Extension facilitates an internal mini grant program to build professionals’ capacity to apply for external funds. Using survey data from USU Extension professionals, our study sought to evaluate the processes and outcomes of the internal mini grant program. Our results provided recommendations to improve the program. Our study provides insights that can assist other institutions seeking to implement their own internal mini grant program

Audience Segmentation in Extension Horticultural Programs

Cluster analysis was used to segment horticulture clientele using data from a needs assessment. Gardeners were segmented into two groups based on their horticulture practices. These groups were described using several factors including age and time spent maintaining different garden areas. Results from this study indicate the importance of considering the target audience prior to design and implementation of a gardening certificate program

Application of a Three-Phase Needs Assessment Framework to Identify Priority Issue Areas for Extension Programming

Cooperative Extension strives to deliver relevant programming to residents. However, problems facing communities are increasingly complex. We used a three-phase needs assessment to describe Utah residents\u27 perceptions of issue areas for Extension programming. We gathered data from 1,043 Utah residents. Results highlighted four priority issue areas for Extension programming. These were environmental quality, conservation capacity, community development, and agriculture and food safety. On the basis of our work, we recommend that Extension allocate resources to addressing priority issue areas and implement a formal needs assessment framework for monitoring issue areas to inform relevant and quality programming in response to emerging needs

The Impact of Utah 4-H on Positive Youth Development

4-H is the largest youth development program in the United States. Utah 4-H conducts programs guided by the principles of positive youth development to help youth across the state lead a successful life. This article discusses the impact of Utah 4-H on the wellbeing of youth