Youth, Family, and Communities
Strengthening families, growing local economies, and investing in positive youth development to build resilient communities nationwide.
Featured Youth, Family, and Communities Impacts
Land-grant university research and Extension support resilience for youths, families and communities nationwide
Here are a few examples of that work:
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Preparing youth for adulthood with financial literacy programs
Youths often enter adulthood unprepared to effectively manage finances. Studies reveal concerning trends, such as that only 24% of students and 20% of their parents […]
Advancing higher education and career readiness
Sectors across the agricultural landscape need more educated and skilled workers to support our national and local food systems. 1890 land-grant universities offer different pathways […]
Extension introduces youths to career opportunities in agriculture and STEM
The United States is facing a dearth of skilled and educated workers across the agricultural industry. With many young people being several generations removed from […]
Understanding government, building future leaders: Oklahoma 4-H Junior Governor Program
Understanding how state government functions is essential for young people to become informed and engaged citizens. To address this need, the Oklahoma 4-H Junior Governor […]
Strengthening and building cooperative businesses to support employees, consumers and local producers
Cooperative businesses, or co-ops, are jointly owned by members, including consumers, employees and producers. Because Co-ops have different business and profit-sharing models than investor-owned, for-profit […]
Confronting farm stress through research, Extension
Across the Land-grant University System, outreach and research-based work are critical to strengthening the health, safety and well-being of agricultural communities. By pairing scientific evidence […]
Empowering community resilience
Community resilience support is a critical function of the land-grant system because it equips individuals, families and local organizations with the knowledge, tools and partnerships […]
Engaging students in STEM, robotics
Exposing youth to innovative technology builds digital literacy, problem-solving skills and career readiness, preparing the next generation to compete in a rapidly evolving, technology-driven workforce. […]
4-H programs prepare youth for college and careers
Professional skills like leadership, communication, problem solving and responsibility are important in any job or career. Land-grant university Extension 4-H programs help youth cultivate these […]
Building a solid foundation for children
Early childhood is a decisive period in shaping academic achievement, social development and lifelong success. Parents, caregivers and early childhood educators play a central role […]
Improving financial literacy and well-being in adults
Adults in the U.S. often struggle with financial well-being. They face challenges including insufficient savings, debt struggles and confusion around changing tax codes. The Land-grant […]
Building healthier communities through land-grant mental health programs
Communities across the United States are affected by mental health challenges. The Land-grant University System is addressing those challenges through programs that provide practical skills […]
Connecting communities through digital skills, broadband initiatives
Extension programs at land-grant universities address community needs nationwide by expanding digital infrastructure, supporting economic development and building technology skills. These efforts strengthen educational connections […]
Growing tomorrow’s citizens: Land-grant universities empower youth voices
Civic engagement is essential to youth development because it builds leadership, responsibility, critical thinking and a sense of belonging. Land-grant universities play a vital role […]
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides disaster relief and recovery
In 2025, the state of Texas experienced 31 severe weather events, including drought, floods and major fires. The Texas State Emergency Operations Center activated 21 […]
Equipping military service providers to strengthen family financial security
Kentucky ranks 11th nationally for active-duty military personnel, with approximately 44,000 service members across the Commonwealth and more than 295,000 veterans calling Kentucky home. While […]
Extension strengthens Nevada’s early childhood workforce
Nevada’s early childhood workforce faces ongoing challenges, including high turnover, limited affordable professional development and the need for consistent, evidence‑based practices. High‑quality early learning relies […]
Extension program empowers Alabama entrepreneurs to build successful businesses
Business failures in Alabama mirror national patterns, often fueled by poor planning, weak financial management, ineffective marketing, cash flow problems and ineffective leadership. According to […]
Preparing Oregon’s youths for leadership, lifelong success
Oregon employers report that many youths enter the workforce without essential employability skills, including communication, teamwork and time management. To address this gap, Oregon State […]
Advancing student workforce development in West Virginia
In West Virginia, fewer students are going to college after high school. To meet the state’s workforce demand, 60% of West Virginians need to have […]
Extension program improves well-being for Maine families
The first three years of a child’s life are critical for growth and development. Early identification of developmental delays and subsequent referrals to early intervention […]
Growing healthy kids and strong communities through gardening in North Dakota
The children of North Dakota are the state’s most valuable resource, yet many face serious nutrition and physical activity challenges. Surveys show that 99% of […]
Collaborative planning strengthens tribal economic resiliency and leadership capacity
Tribal Nations continue advancing economic resiliency efforts for their communities grounded in sovereignty, cultural values and priorities. Strategic planning that reflects Tribal governance structures, supports […]
Immersive study abroad builds language skills and global readiness in Arkansas
University students must develop foreign language fluency and cross-cultural competence to remain competitive in today’s global workforce. Traditional classroom instruction often limits opportunities for real-world […]
Indiana expands broadband map
Through the federal Broadband Equity, Adoption and Deployment program, Indiana received nearly $870 million starting in 2024. Because a map assembled by the Federal Communications […]
Expanding rural youth access to biomedical research careers
Rural students often have limited access to immersive STEM experiences that expose them to advanced scientific research and biomedical career pathways. Without early engagement and […]
Train-the-Trainer model enhances financial professionals’ ability to increase financial literacy in clients
Finance professionals play a key role in helping American families increase financial literacy and stability. While technology has made it easier for people to learn […]
Extension program bridges poultry knowledge gap for Mississippi youths
Most Mississippi youths have limited exposure to agriculture and little understanding of poultry production, food systems and related careers, despite poultry being the state’s leading […]
EXCITE community immunity: Langston University expands vaccine awareness through trusted outreach
Vaccination rates remain low across Oklahoma, particularly in communities experiencing higher poverty and chronic disease, increasing preventable health risks and widening health disparities. Fewer than […]
Reducing barriers to strengthen community resilience across Florida
Nearly half of Pasco County households (more than 109,000) struggle to meet basic needs. Of the county’s 230,060 households, 28,079 live below the federal poverty […]
Building Arkansas’ future workforce through 4-H SeaPerch robotics
Arkansas employers increasingly seek workers with engineering aptitude, mechanical skills, critical thinking ability, teamwork, communication and digital literacy. To help prepare youth for these workforce […]
Near-peer mentors expand 4-H program reach in Tennessee
While Tennessee 4-H serves over 140,500 youths across the state, many rural communities and communities with limited resources do not have the same programs that […]
Technology provides hands-on experiences for students to explore soil science and career opportunities
Healthy soils are critical to sustain U.S. food production needs. Currently, the agricultural industry is experiencing a shortage of professionals who are skilled and knowledgeable […]
Extension programs strengthen families through health, parenting initiatives
Healthy and resilient communities are built by supporting families and youths through reliable childcare, mobile health services and strong, healthy relationships. Extension-led efforts strengthen well-being […]
Free tax prep pays dividends
Paying taxes is a civic responsibility that funds essential public services. Unfortunately, many people face barriers to affordable, accurate tax preparation. Free tax assistance programs, […]
Building West Virginia’s future fire service workforce through youth engagement
Volunteer fire departments across West Virginia face ongoing recruitment and retention challenges threatening emergency response capacity, particularly in rural and economically distressed communities. Aging volunteer […]
Hawaii teens prepare to respond to disasters
As an island state more than 2,000 miles from its closest neighbor, Hawaii is vulnerable to natural disasters — tsunamis, hurricanes, flash flooding, wildfires and […]
Extension teaches local leaders to secure grant funding for community vitality efforts
Grant funding is a critical resource for organizations, nonprofits and communities, particularly small or rural communities with limited budgets. Local leaders have strong ideas and […]
Lending library saves schools time and money
Over 50% of West Virginia’s children in public schools are from low-income families and half of the state’s schools are designated as Title I, experiencing […]
Empowering communities by advancing digital literacy
Digital literacy is essential to economic mobility, civic engagement and workforce readiness in today’s communities. Extension programs at 1890 land‑grant universities play a vital role […]
Strengthening youth development through experiential learning
Experiential learning equips young people with hands-on skills, critical thinking abilities and real-world problem-solving experiences that strengthen academic success, workforce readiness and lifelong learning. Through […]
Building youth mental health support capacity through Extension training
Youth mental health challenges continue to rise nationwide. According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, one in five teens and young adults live with […]
Connecting rural communities through digital opportunities and education
Limited availability of reliable broadband and digital tools continues to restrict educational attainment, workforce participation and access to essential services in rural Georgia. Communities surrounding […]
Empowering economic resilience through Extension
Across 1890 land-grant universities, Extension programs play a critical role in strengthening economic stability by delivering trusted, community-based education and technical assistance to underserved rural […]
Louisiana 4-H SeaPerch builds workforce-ready STEM skills through experiential robotics learning
Preparing youth for tomorrow’s workforce is critical as STEM occupations are projected to grow 10.8% nationwide between 2022 and 2032. In Louisiana, demand for skilled […]
Empowering volunteer leaders to facilitate supportive networks and personal development
According to the Puerto Rico Department of Health, one in four people in Puerto Rico live with a mental health condition. With research-backed approaches and […]