EXF 2023 Professional Development Needs Assessment Report

Finding volunteers

 Institutional relevance in an urbanizing landscape.

 Managing formal Extension collaborations across state lines - we need to operate regionally but funds are apportioned by state

 Regaining momentum in 4-H enrollment post-pandemic

 Strategies for successfully programming in challenging issues (climate change, DEI) given the negative impressions of these held by many non-urban taxpayers and local elected officials critical to support of Extension at the local level

Funding and Other Resources Funding and other resources were defined in the survey to include facilities, funding, having innovation capacity, institutional support, limited staff capacity/resources (small staff), meeting increased societal need, operating space, and telling our story subcategories. Funding and Other Resources was the top ranked challenge across all, 1862, and 1890 Land-grant universities and the second ranked challenge for 1994 Land-grants. Respondents selecting this option were then asked to select subcategories from the included list with the opportunity to add other contributors to this area of challenge in response to other. Findings by subcategory are presented in Table 10.

Table 10 Challenges ranked from greatest to least based on percent responses associated with funding and other resources provided by Land-grant institution type.

Institutional Rank from Highest to Lowest % Responses All Institutions 1862 1890 1994

Funding and Other Resources Subcategories Limited Staff Capacity/Resources (Small Staff)

1-20.55 2-19.22 3-12.08 4-11.14

1-20.48 2-19.20 3-12.07 4-10.79 5-10.12 6-10.05

1-19.61 2-17.65 4-11.76 

1-24.49

Funding

2-20.41 

Meeting Increased Societal Need

3-20.41

Facilities

3-13.73

2- 20.41 

Having Innovation Capacity

5-9.97 6-9.86

4-11.76 

6-4.08 

Telling Our Story

6-7.84

4-8.16

Institutional Support

7-9.03

7-9.08

5-8.82  5-8.82 

6-4.08 

Operating Space

8-7.20 9-0.94

8-7.19 9-1.04

5-6.12

Other

No Response

No Response

Number of Question Responses

1805

1641

102

49

 Items are tied for second ranking within this group.  Items are tied for fourth ranking within this group.  Items are tied for fifth ranking within this group.  Items are tied for sixth ranking within this group.

Limited staff capacity and resources, also referred to as small staff numbers was consistently identified as the top challenge associated with funding and resources by respondents across all Land-grant types. Funding followed in second but was tied with facilities for the 1994 Land-grants. Innovation capacity was ranked more highly for 1890 institutions than for 1862 and 1994s. Operating space and institutional support were more highly ranked as challenges by respondents at 1890 and 1994 Land-grants.

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