County Extension Program Development Team
Determining Goals
As you build or modify your Extension Program Development Team, the first
important step is to determine program goals and priorities. Your team will later help
you determine the specific issues, priorities etc. that you will be addressing. But prior to
that, extension staff in concert with their district team will want to evaluate the overall
county program in context of that county and the Extension organization and outline
specific, long-range programmatic goals.
Remember to prioritize goals, ensuring that you focus the ELS Team’s work on
goals that will yield the “most boom for the buck” …goals that contribute to the depth
and breadth of the program.
Answers to the following questions will provide insight to possible goals:
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Are there specific audiences that have not been reached?
Are there financial barriers to program growth/success?
Is participation in educational events at the desired level?
Do we have ample assessment data to make program decisions?
What issues have been identified, but not yet addressed?
Your Program Development Coordinator or Specialist can provide other questions
to consider and desirable program criteria. Their knowledge of programs throughout the
state/nation will help you “cast a broader net”. The following sample goals are included
only as examples; each county’s goals will be different and should reflect that county’s
program needs.
4-H Youth Development
Sample Goals
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Increase community service activities/opportunities for youth.
Expand 4-H from county schools to other schools in county.
Increase 4-H membership at the cloverleaf level.
Increase retention of Junior and Senior 4-Hers.
Begin in-school programming for 7th and 8th grades.
Generate financial support for _________(program assistant, mini-bus etc.)
Increase awareness of 4-H via the media.
Increase parent/volunteer involvement; yielding more volunteer lead activities.
Provide issue driven programs (summer programs, in-school programs) that
document impact.
Increase the number of educational events offered that teach decision making
skills for youth.
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Sample Goals
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Establish a new commodity group (forestry, landscape, livestock).
Increase non-traditional, corporate/private funding for the ANR program.
Create an educational vegetable garden accessible to elementary school students
to increase agriculture awareness and healthy lifestyles.
Develop alternative agriculture enterprises (bio-fuel, wildlife etc.) to maintain and
strengthen county agriculture base.
Establish an ANR volunteer base for programming.
Increase public awareness of Extension ANR Program and its impact.
Increase participation in educational events through increased marketing efforts.
Develop/implement a long- range, needs assessment plan.
Develop a master gardener program.
Increase the use of (technology/field trials/demonstration plots) to enhance the
county educational program.
Family and Consumer Sciences
Sample Goals
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Increase financial support through private/corporate donations and grants.
Develop and expand community partnerships and collaborations.
Increase participation through enhanced marketing efforts.
Identify and help reach new and non-traditional audiences.
Increase the awareness of FACS Extension programs.
Promote the value of FACS programs and agents to the community.
Actively recruit volunteers and establish a volunteer base for FACS programs.
Assist in the evaluation process, including ways to improve programs.
Increase media exposure of FACS Extension.
Assist in developing educational plans for selected issues and problems.