Cooperative Extension: A Collaborative Partner for Small Town and Rural Planners
Planning requires diverse expertise and collaborative partnerships, which are increasingly important in small and rural communities. Limited budgets and staffing constraints make it essential to utilize all available resources effectively. Among these partners, land grant University Extension programs offer unique collaborative opportunities.
The Cooperative Extension System operates four program areas: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Community Development, Health and Human Sciences, and 4-H Youth Development. These program areas are supported through the land-grant university system, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA), as well as state and county funds. Community Development Extension programs offer services and technical assistance to enhance multi-disciplinary planning teams, including research capacity and community engagement expertise. Throughout the nation, Cooperative Extension programs are meeting the needs of small to mid-sized rural communities by addressing contemporary planning challenges, including issues such as renewable energy siting, sustainable development, placemaking strategies, hazard mitigation, parks and recreation, downtown redevelopment, and zoning technical assistance, among others.
From a state-level perspective, Purdue Extension has a long history of supporting Indiana communities with support on a variety of land use topics and technical assistance for local planning and zoning. Purdue Extension educators play a unique role through service on county plan commissions as directed by state statute. To support this service, Purdue Extension Community Development partners with the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) and Michigan State University Extension to offer the American Citizen Planner-Indiana program, which offers professional development training to lay planners. Another current initiative, Indiana R-STEP—Reliable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning—is a statewide effort funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to help Indiana communities navigate land use and renewable energy projects. The IN R-STEP team supports local governments as they plan for utility-scale wind and solar developments through research and education efforts, including workshops, webinars, and bus tours. These events bring together planners, landowners, utility representatives, and community leaders to discuss siting, permitting, and the economic implications of renewable energy projects. Extension’s role is to provide technical tools, data, and community engagement strategies to support locally driven decision-making.
While each state offers its own unique extension programs, national and regional approaches provide connections and support to coordinate broader efforts. The four Regional Rural Development Centers link the research and educational outreach capacity of the nation's public universities with communities, local decision-makers, entrepreneurs, families, and farmers to address rural development issues. These centers foster regional collaboration by enhancing research and extension programs, providing grant opportunities, and facilitating networking through webinars and partnerships. Additionally, NACDEP supports the professional development of extension professionals nationwide, including a working group focused on community planning and zoning, to ensure consistent quality and knowledge sharing across collaborative networks. Nationwide, Cooperative Extension programs bring unique assets to collaborative planning efforts through university research, established community relationships, and specialized expertise in rural development.
Kara Salazar, Ph.D., AICP
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