The university of idaho extension estimates that nearly 85% of the smith lever (B) and (C) allocation for 2024 will be used on the personnel cost, which includes 17.2% on fringe benefits supporting…

The university of idaho extension estimates that nearly 85% of the smith lever (B) and (C) allocation for 2024 will be used on the personnel cost, which includes 17.2% on fringe benefits supporting the 24 FTE. About 2% will be used for the temporary and part-time help positions. The rest of the funding will be used for the expenses related to innovative research, program design, implementation, outcomes evaluation, supplies and equipment, technology, administrative costs, capital outlay, and others. This funding will support the following positions: extension director, associate extension director, extension district directors, extension educators, extension specialists, and others. The extension director and associate directors provide visionary leadership for all UI extension programming and activities across the state. The director is responsible for managing resources, facilities, and supervising associate and district directors. The associate director is responsible for statewide coordination of extension programs, system-wide program planning, and accountability, including preparation of the plan of work, annual federal report, coordination of professional development, and evaluation of educational programs. The extension district directors are responsible for providing overall extension admi nistrative and program leadership for their assigned geographical region. They supervise county faculties and administrative staff, manage budgets, build relationships with the county commissioners, elected officials, and regional academic institutions. The extension educators provide programmatic leadership for multifaceted and comprehensive educational programs to serve the people of idaho in their assigned counties. They facilitate the transfer of technology and research-generated knowledge to local residents. Collaborating with various partners, the educator will plan, develop, implement, evaluate, and report the outcomes of their programs. Extension specialists are responsible for developing/coordinating district or statewide educational programs in their discipline. They build coalitions and develop collaborative programs with communities, commodities groups, or agencies to address long-range problems. They disseminate research-based information to clientele, professional organizations, and decision-makers and publish their research findings in peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, mass media, and others. The university of idaho extension uses federal funding to support educational programs that meet the needs of individuals and communities in idaho, based on the needs identified from 2017 statewide listening sessions. To offer educational programs specific to the problems faced by the citizens, the identified needs are categorized under the seven critical issues: food production systems; horticulture and small farms; community development; forest, range, and other natural resources; health and wellness; water; and 4-H youth community development. For example, in 2022, the university of idaho extension demonstrated the following public values: 481,809 direct contacts; 8,654 educational activities as deliverables; 12,507 hours of educational instructions; 15,666 times program participants changed their knowledge; 25,527 times changed their practice; and 6,760 times they received economic returns in the form of either saving costs or increased incomes with a statewide total of $21.32 million.