USDA-administered smith lever capacity funds are used by washington state university to support faculty and select support staff across the WSU extension statewide system, who are engaged in a variety…

USDA-administered smith lever capacity funds are used by washington state university to support faculty and select support staff across the WSU extension statewide system, who are engaged in a variety of efforts directly related to the mission of WSU extension as part of the larger national cooperative extension service and the land grant system. WSU extension applies smith lever funds to partial salary support for a total of 118 of these faculty (98) and staff (20) who have programmatic responsibility. Some are affiliated with academic departments in the college of agricultural, human, and natural resource sciences (extension's home college at WSU), and in academic departments in other colleges (veterinary medicine and engineering). The rest are housed in the principal program units and programs of WSU extension: agriculture and natural resources, community and economic development, youth and families, and 4-H. Extension faculty and staff are located on each of WSU's five campuses, at all four research and extension centers, in each of the 39 washington counties, on two tribal reservations, and in a number of other locations. They serve residents, communities, local government, state agencies and tribal governments on a broad spectrum of programs and needs-based activities. In addition to the programmatic and project work undertaken by those affiliated with the programs, WSU extension also supports a number of specialized units, including the WSU energy program, extension food systems program, center for sustaining agriculture and natural resources, child and family research unit, western center for risk management education, and the agriculture weather network. WSU extension activities are funded by smith lever monies, by state appropriations to WSU, by contributions from county partners, by grant & contract funds, and through private donations. This diversified funding arrangement provides maximum stability and flexibility for extension, allowing IT to best serve the needs of the residents of washington. Smith lever funding is a critical element of this foundational support, which enables delivery of a broad range of programs, projects and services, including positive youth development, nutrition assistance, community and economic development, agricultural production support, applied & translational research, collaborative process support and training, and generally the application of research-based information to support the CO-creation of improved quality of life for washington residents.