Overall, the goal of the cooperative extension program (CEP) in selected texas counties is to ensure that families and communities have greater access to the types of research, educational, and…

The Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Prairie View A&M University $14.723 million under the Extension Services at 1890 Colleges program (CFDA 10.512) on October 1, 2025.

The award funds the Cooperative Extension Program in selected Texas counties, delivering research-based educational services across four critical issue areas. Environmental management activities advance scientific understanding and provide education in natural resource and environmental systems management using innovative technologies, laboratory and field experiments, numerical modeling, big data analysis, artificial intelligence, and best management practices. Healthy lifestyles programming addresses the prevalence and reduction of chronic illness and disease, targeting health issues exacerbated by poverty, poor nutrition, unhealthy environments, and inactivity. Disaster management and outreach activities help communities understand and address disaster impacts through refined strategies, health disparity mitigation, training, and collaborative partnership development, with training targeting disaster victims, agencies, universities, and political leaders. Financial management services provide educational and technical information to limited-resource families to strengthen family systems.

The program operates through a combined network of professional educators, trained volunteers, and local offices delivering client-focused, audience-tailored outreach. Performance runs through September 30, 2030, with place of performance in Hempstead, Texas. The program is designed to promote quality of life, advance natural resource management and stewardship, strengthen food security, build resilient communities, and foster leadership development across Texas counties.

Overall, the goal of the cooperative extension program (CEP) in selected texas counties is to ensure that families and communities have greater access to the types of research, educational, and outreach services they need to solve everyday problems and issues. Therefore, our planned outreach activities are designed to promote quality of life, advancing natural resource management and stewardship, strengthening food security, building resilient communities, and foster leadership development. Outreach methods used to address the identified needs are client-focused and tailored to the audience. The combined network of professional educators, trained volunteers, and local offices will enable collaborative programs to support the following critical issues for texans: environmental management: focus on advancing scientific understanding and providing education and knowledge in managing natural resources and environmental systems using innovative technologies, laboratory and field experiments, numerical modeling, big data analysis, artificial intelligence, and best management practices. Healthy lifestyles: the prevalence and reduction of chronic illness and disease are the focus of health and wellness programming. Address the many health issues and lifestyles that are exacerbated by poverty, poor nutrition, unhealthy environments, and inactivity. Disaster management & outreach: understand and address disaster issues that impact C ommunities. Pertinent issues include refining strategies, addressing health disparities, training, and nurturing collaborative partnerships. Training will target disaster victims (individuals and families), agencies, universities, and political leaders. Fostering strong families: parenting, though still one of the most underrated jobs in the community, is beginning to attract some of the attention and consideration IT deserves. Financial management provides educational and technical information to limited-resource families to strengthen family systems and resiliency through information to understand how individuals and families obtain and use time, money, and human capital to achieve their standard of living and overall quality of life. Food safety and education: to ensure food safety, an understanding of the complete food chain is essential. Extension personnel will provide educational information about the importance of food safety and the relationship between basic sanitation practices when handling food, reducing waste, and conserving nutrients to prevent foodborne illness. Community, resource, and economic development: increase entrepreneurship opportunities through small business training and consulting. Provide education on entrepreneurship, sustainable housing, disaster response, programs for limited resource individuals, asset and wealth building, saving and investing, credit building, debt management, and budgeting. Develop and implement programs that address rural prosperity in economic development, technical innovation, improved quality of life, support of a rural workforce, and E-connectivity for rural america. Preparing youth for life and work: youth and their adult leaders are empowered to take actions that promote health, develop positive social relationships, and contribute to society. Participants will develop various life skills (leadership, livelihood, cognitive, interpersonal, etc.). This is accomplished primarily in three content areas: civic engagement, healthy living, and science. Cooperative extension programs will prepare youth to be productive, positive, and equipped with life skills to build local economic development capacity in texas communities. Cooperative extension programs will continue to support the college of agriculture, food and natural resources (CAFNR) and university-wide outreach efforts such as health initiatives, disaster management, small farm initiatives, and farmers market and expand access to extension education, knowledge, and resources.