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…

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Washington State University $9.48 million under the Smith-Lever Extension Funding program (CFDA 10.511) on October 1, 2025, for a period of performance extending through September 30, 2030.

The funding provides partial salary support for 113 extension faculty (93) and support staff (20) across WSU Extension's statewide system who deliver cooperative extension programming aligned with USDA priorities. These personnel are housed in the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the College of Engineering, and four principal program units: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Community and Economic Development, Youth and Families, and 4-H.

Place of performance includes WSU's campuses in Pullman, Washington; four research and extension centers; all 39 Washington counties; two tribal reservations; and several other locations. Extension faculty and staff serve residents, communities, local government, state agencies, and tribal governments across a broad spectrum of agricultural, natural resource, youth development, and community economic development activities.

WSU Extension also operates specialized units supported through the broader funding arrangement, including the WSU Energy Program, Extension Food Systems Program, Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Center for Trauma Education and Community Health (C-TEACH), Western Center for Risk Management Education, and the Agriculture Weather Network. Smith-Lever capacity funding is one component of extension's diversified funding model, which also includes state appropriations, county partner contributions, grants and contracts, and private donations.

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, and which align with current USDA priorities. Smith lever funds are critical for partial salary for a total of 113 of these faculty (93) and staff (20) (need to check these) 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 WSU's physical campuses. Campuses, at all four research and extension centers, in each of the 39 washington counties, on two tribal reservations, and in several other locations. Extension serves 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, center for trauma education and community health (c-teach), 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 varied 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 practices which results in improved quality of life for washington residents.