• 2026 CES Needs Assessment

  • Purpose of this Survey

    This survey helps Extension Foundation understand the professional development needs of Cooperative Extension professionals across 1862, 1890, and 1994 institutions, including emerging areas like artificial intelligence that have grown in relevance since our last needs assessment in 2023, so we can better shape our training offerings, connect you with national opportunities, and target our support where it matters most. This year, we’ve also expanded the survey to include questions on funding, partnerships, and resource development, as well as other issues of concern to Cooperative Extension professionals. 

    This survey is anonymous. It should take about 10 minutes to complete, depending on your responses (some questions only appear based on earlier answers).

  • Section 1: Professional Development Needs: Individual & Organizational

  • Professional Development Category

    Please review the professional development categories below. Select categories that are important to you, whether individually, to your Extension organization, or both. For each category you select, mark whether it is important to you individually, to your organization, or both; you may check one or both boxes for a category.

  • Program Design, Teaching, & Evaluation
  • Technology, Data, & AI
  • Communication & Storytelling
  • Community Engagement & Relationship Building
  • Leadership, Organization Culture, and Workforce Support
  • Other (Please explain in the box below)

  • For each category you selected, please mark whether it is a training need for you individually or a training need for your Extension organization as a whole. Where appropriate, please inform us if each item is currently provided at your institution and available to you.

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  • Section 2: Funding, Partnerships & Resource Development

  • What valuable or critical programming, projects, or training have you had to reduce or lose due to funding cuts?
  • What program areas have been most reduced due to funding cuts?
  • Which external partners could most accelerate your work? Select all that apply.
  • What type of support from these partners would be most useful for your work? Select all that apply.
  • What barriers do you encounter when seeking additional outside funding or partnership support? Select all that apply.

  • Section 3: Open Feedback

  • Section 4: National Engagement & Collaboration

  • What would help you see your work as part of the national Cooperative Extension System?
  • What national-level issues do you think warrant the greatest coordination and collaboration across the Extension system? Select all that apply.
  • What might make it difficult for you to participate in a national initiative? Select up to three.

  • Section 5: Demographic Background

  • Which type of Land Grant University are you affiliated with?
  • Which 1862 Land Grant are you affiliated with?
  • Which 1890 Land Grant are you affiliated with?
  • Which 1994 Land Grant are you affiliated with?
  • Which of these options best defines your role?
  • Please select the primary program area(s) in which you work. Select all that apply.
  • Using the definitions provided, which career stage best defines where you are in your career?

  • Stay Connected (Optional)

  • Would you like to be contacted about national engagement opportunities, professional development offerings, or a possible follow-up focus group? If so, you will be redirected to a short, separate form; it is not connected to your survey answers above, so there is no way to link your name back to your responses.

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