About Us

Tractor working the field

Nebraska Extension brings University of Nebraska expertise and research in 8 key areas of impact directly to Nebraskans from all walks of life in each of the state’s 93 counties. Nebraskans turn to Nebraska Extension to strengthen their families, inspire their communities, empower young people, conserve and protect natural resources and advance their farms, ranches and businesses.

Mission

Engaging with Nebraskans wherever they are, connecting them with the resources, research and innovation of the University of Nebraska.

Vision

To be the trusted educational resource for every Nebraskan, inspiring fulfilled, prosperous and healthy lives.

 

Meet the Leadership Team

Our Strategic Direction

The Big 3 respond to what Nebraskans are talking about:

To help guide our work over the next several years, we have implemented a new strategic direction. It leverages Extension’s expertise and strengths to align with what Nebraskans tell us they want and need. We know that circumstances can change. New challenges and opportunities will arise. But Extension’s clear strategic direction will allow us to respond accordingly, while remaining focused on helping Nebraska and its people.

Our strategic direction can be boiled down to three ambitions: we’re calling these “The Big 3” and they address three critical issues for Nebraskans.

  • Developing a skilled workforce
  • Enhancing health & wellbeing
  • Creating statewide economic vitality
  • Retaining & attracting young people
  • Leveraging our strengths for sustained success

Read: The Big 3 Impact

Organizational Structure

Organizational Structure

Extension is a public-funded, non-formal educational system linking the land-grant University and county government. It is believed to be the largest adult and youth out-of-school non-formal educational organization in the world. The three partners in programming are USDA, the state land-grant institution and the county government.

Federal Partner

The federal partner is United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA has four mission areas. Extension is located in the Research Education and Economics (REE) mission area. The agency that administers Extension is the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

State Partner

The land-grant colleges and universities have an alliance known as The National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC). Programs and policy for extension are formed by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP). In Nebraska funding for the Extension is through the University of Nebraska. University funding is appropriated by the Unicameral (state legislature) on a bi-annual basis through income tax and sales tax. By law Nebraska’s state budget must balance with its tax revenue.

Local Partner

In Nebraska the University has an interlocal agreement with county government to provide the local support including funding through local property tax dollars for the office facility, support staff, travel, programming supplies and equipment. This support varies depending on the size of the county. Each county or groups of counties have a constitution and bylaws that provide for an extension board to assist with program identification and planning.

Engagement Zone Coordinators

Contact Engagement Zone Coordinators

Engagement Zone Coordinators will lead multi-county Engagement Zones across Nebraska. These coordinators will foster employee success in Extension programming, build strong stakeholder engagement and connect local people to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Successful coordinators will establish an inclusive culture in their Engagement Zone to attract, hire, coach and retain talented Extension professionals. The Coordinator is expected to coach employees to Excellence in Extension and to support professional development in subject matter expertise as well as Extension best practices. The Coordinator will foster strong partnerships with elected officials, Extension Boards and advisory groups including the local Extension Board. In addition, the Coordinator will build collaborative relationships with local leaders that produce beneficial university-community initiatives.

Contact Engagement Zone Coordinators

Uniquely Local

We are where you are. We are the only team bringing the resources of the University of Nebraska to all 93 Nebraska counties, serving the distinct needs of Nebraskans from all walks of life in every corner of the state.

Collaborative

We love working with our fellow Nebraskans. We convene stakeholders, leaders, and experts to co-create solutions that make a positive impact on complex issues facing Nebraskans.

Relevant

If it’s important to you, it’s important to us. We leverage the fundamental strengths of Nebraskans and the University to create results that truly matter to lives and livelihoods.

Accountable

We answer to the Nebraskans we serve. We return Nebraskans’ investment in their University directly to their counties and communities, showing proof of performance through transparent reporting.

Research-based

You can count on us for unbiased information. We provide scientifically sound insight that helps Nebraskans make important decisions with even greater confidence.

Inclusive

We’re here to serve all Nebraskans. We honor and respect every person and every interaction and proactively foster a welcoming and inclusive culture in which accessible, meaningful learning experiences are available for everyone.

Responsive

We’re ready when and where Nebraskans need us. We listen to what’s on the minds of Nebraskans and assemble the right teams with the right expertise to address their challenges and capitalize on opportunities.

Innovative

We’re never satisfied with the status quo. We anticipate and embrace change and continually challenge ourselves and our stakeholders to take a “what if?” and “why not?” approach to problem-solving.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Nebraska Extension is committed to cultivating inclusive excellence – embracing diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and equity. Extension professionals will engage with community partners, organizations, and other audiences, as well as individuals within the organization in ways that reflect an understanding and value for individual differences (e.g., race/ethnicity, abilities, gender, sexual orientation, religion). Extension professionals will also recognize that particular populations have been and remain marginalized in US society and intentionally identify ways to remove barriers to those who have been historically underrepresented or excluded. Extension will strive to ensure that creative activities, research, learning experiences, and policies promote equity to address systemic causes of disparities. Nebraska Extension policies and practices will not discriminate based upon any protected status.