About Us

Mission

The mission of University of Vermont Extension is to improve the quality of life of Vermonters by providing research-based educational programs and practical information concerning Vermont communities, families and homes, farms, businesses, and the natural environment.

Values

Extension's guiding values comprise the following:

• Deep respect for people and their diversity--those served and those within the organization.
• Dedication to the stewardship of Vermont’s natural resources and the working landscape.
• Commitment to high quality research and outreach education.
• Regard for the essential role of good communication--personal and technical--within Extension and with every audience served.
• Commitment to the most efficient use of Extension’s resources to meet the educational needs of Vermont citizens and their communities.

These values underlie Extension’s goals, and provide focus and inspiration for carrying out our mission.

Vision

UVM Extension will further expand its recognition as a leading resource for evidence-based education that is applied to the practical problems faced by Vermont communities.  We will grow our reputation as a proactive outreach unit of Vermont’s land-grant institution (The University of Vermont) and we will be recognized as seeking to identify relevant needs and opportunities, and match them with appropriate research-centered programming. UVM Extension will be a diverse organization that teaches audiences across the spectrum, and offers programs that improve the economic, social, and ecological health of Vermont because we recognize that education is a powerful tool for improving knowledge, decision-making and self-reliance, at the individual, group or policy making level.

UVM Extension will continue to be recognized as a model of sustainable financial management.  We will work to insure that successful grant writing faculty and staff are represented in all core program areas. Our funding will continue to come from an increasing variety of sources - grants, donations, and user fees - along with state and federal support. We will remain committed to offering reasonably priced educational programming to all participants and to ensuring programs are truly available to all Vermonters, through program planning that guarantees access to all.

Recognition of the “Extension brand” as providing research-based information to help individuals and groups make positive decisions and changes will grow. Educational program delivery methods will continue to include one-on-one, group settings and webinars as we match the communications method(s) (newspaper, television and telephone) and message(s) to the audience(s). UVM Extension will continue to expand the ability of the organization and the audiences to use and apply teaching and learning through a range of technology and communications abilities, to include websites, social media (such as Facebook and Twitter), a mobile computer-training laboratory, the eXtension network and other appropriate new methods that will provide high-quality service to our audiences.

UVM Extension will continue to expand and sustain its bridges between academic, business, non-profit, government and community leaders to enhance the number of successful partnerships that improve the well-being of people’s lives personally and professionally.

Strategic Plan

Read the latest version of UVM Extension's Strategic Plan here.

Fast facts

• UVM Extension ...
  • received funding on February 15, 1913 with an appropriation from the Vermont Legislature.
  • continues to serve the residents of Vermont after close to 100 years.
  • has offices and personnel in 11 of 14 Vermont counties.
  • has faculty and staff with specialties in community development, human nutrition, youth, natural resources, and agriculture.
  • currently has over 200 faculty and staff employees.
  • has an annual budget over $11.5 million (federal, state, grant, and fee) dollars, and is focused on solving problems in the state.

• From July 2011 to June 2012 ...
  • UVM Extension faculty were successful in securing over 4.2 million dollars in grants and contracts for outreach activities in Vermont.
  • More than 64,000 direct personal contacts were made by UVM Extension faculty and program staff.
  • More than 8,000 youth were reached with UVM Extension programs.
  • More than 4,100 citizens volunteered nearly 43,000 hours with UVM Extension.
  • UVM Extension offered more than 1,100 significant educational events (6 hours minimum) to over 10,000 non-traditional Vermont students (residents) covering a wide range of subject areas.
  • The "Across the Fence" daily television program reached an estimated 20,000 households each day.

Together we can ....

Located throughout the state, UVM Extension links you to the University and provides timely, research-based information and education. Together, we can:

• Educate individuals and families
  • Engage youth through 4-H and other programs
  • Teach nutrition and food safety
  • Help families thrive
  • Provide home gardening information
  • Encourage lifelong learning
• Support agriculture and the environment
  • Increase agricultural business profitability
  • Support forest and farm stewardship and safety
  • Encourage expanded markets for locally produced foods
  • Facilitate farm transfers to maintain a working landscape
• Strengthen communities
  • Teach leadership and communication skills
  • Increase youth involvement in communities
  • Promote economic development and collaborative community projects
  • Support local water-quality improvement programs