Urban/Suburban Extension: Challenges and Solutions for Program Design, Delivery, and Evaluation

The Cooperative Extension System, historically focused on rural communities, faces a growing need to serve expanding urban and suburban populations. To address this, Extension professionals require a strong foundation in designing, implementing, and evaluating programs tailored to these new audiences. This Delphi study explored the challenges and solution-oriented strategies for program design, delivery, and evaluation within urban and suburban contexts. The findings reveal limitations in current Extension programming efforts targeted toward these populations. This research offers a broader set of recommendations for developing impactful Extension programs specifically tailored to the needs of urban and suburban audiences.