University of Arizona, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension

What University of Arizona, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension does

The University of Arizona, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension is a public outreach and education organization operating as a county-level office of the Arizona Cooperative Extension System, itself part of the University of Arizona's College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences. It was established under the federal Smith-Lever Act of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and serves Maricopa County (Phoenix metro area) alongside 14+ other county offices statewide. The organization delivers science-based, research-grounded education across five primary program areas: 4-H Youth Development (including the MoYava Summer Camp), Master Gardener volunteer certification ($350-$500 tuition), ANAB-accredited Food Protection Manager Certification ($130), Project CENTRL rural leadership development (free, ~$30K invested per participant), and The Garden Kitchen whole-health programming. Supporting offerings include wildfire mitigation resources, weed management, tree care guidance, monthly gardening publications, and the Ask an Expert public question portal.

The underlying technology stack is conventional rather than proprietary: Brightspace for online course delivery, Zoom for synchronous instruction, a QuickBase-powered Ask an Expert portal for asynchronous Q&A, plus standard social media channels. No proprietary AI/ML, APIs, or SDKs are disclosed. The business model is a hybrid public funding structure: state and federal appropriations under the Smith-Lever mandate form the core revenue base; grants (including a $3.74M screwworm preparedness award) supplement; program fees and tuition generate cost recovery; and a network of 3,000+ trained volunteers enables scaled program delivery with low marginal cost. Customer segments span youth and families, home gardeners, agricultural producers, food service professionals, rural community leaders, and tribal nations. The organization claims $500M in annual mitigated risk, $4.87 ROI per state dollar, and $17M in annual added cotton crop value, framing its economic impact as substantial relative to public investment.

Operations are led by Edward C. Martin (Associate Vice President and State Director), with county-level directors (Claire Zucker, Pima County) and program-specific coordinators across food safety (Hope Wilson, Tracey Waters), wildfire mitigation (Kyle Trujillo), Master Gardener programs (Beth Reidhead in Maricopa), and 4-H STEM (Stacy DeVeau). The Maricopa County office reports a lean headcount of 19 employees, though the broader extension system operates at substantially greater scale through its volunteer network and partner organizations.

Name

University of Arizona, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension

Legal name

The University of Arizona

Website

https://extension.arizona.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1885

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The University of Arizona Maricopa County Cooperative Extension delivers science-based agricultural, youth development, food safety, gardening, and rural leadership education through a statewide network of county offices, backed by federal Smith-Lever Act funding and 3,000+ trained volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Extension Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Support Activities for Crop Production (1151)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community & Adult Education (Municipal/Community Schools) (EDAAAEAB), Regional Education Service Agencies (ESAs/BOCES/Intermediate Units) (EDADABAC), Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Cooperative extension services
• Agricultural extension education
• Youth development programs
• Master gardener training
• Food safety certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Tucson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Cooperative Extension State Funding: Funded through acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with support from state appropriations and county funding
2. Program Fees and Course Tuition: Revenue from Master Gardener courses ($350-$500), Food Protection Manager Certification training ($130), and other educational program fees
3. Grant Funding: External funding through grants including the $3.74 million secured for New World screwworm preparedness

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension delivers research-based agricultural, community, family, and youth education programs across Arizona through a statewide network of county offices including the Maricopa County office. Core offerings include the 4-H Youth Development Program, the Master Gardener volunteer training program, ANAB-accredited Food Protection Manager Certification, The Garden Kitchen community wellness program, and Project CENTRL rural leadership development, supported by subject-matter educational resources in gardening, food safety, wildfire mitigation, and tree/shrub care.

Product overview

University of Arizona Cooperative Extension is a statewide educational network that solves real-world problems with science, responding to community needs across Arizona. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including the 4-H Youth Development Program with summer camps, the Master Gardener Program with county-specific branches for volunteer horticultural education, the ANAB-accredited Food Protection Manager Certification, The Garden Kitchen whole health program, and Project CENTRL leadership development. Supporting offerings include weed management resources, cooking and food safety educational materials, monthly gardening guides for Pima County, wildfire mitigation resources, and tree/shrub care guidance. The Maricopa County Cooperative Extension specifically serves that county through programs like the Maricopa County Master Gardeners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 4-H Youth Development Program: Hands-on projects and mentorship for youth ages 8-18 that prepare them for the workforce or future endeavors.
• Master Gardener Program
• Project CENTRL
• The Garden Kitchen

Products and services

• 4-H Youth Development Program

Quantifiable outcome

• $500 Million in annual mitigated risk in crop loss and public health
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative Extension work is conducted under acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This federal partnership provides the foundational mandate and funding for extension services across the nation.
• College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences (CALES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative Extension is part of the College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Arizona, providing the academic foundation and research resources for extension programming.
• Arizona Experiment StationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the tripartite mission alongside Cooperative Extension and CALES, conducting agricultural research that feeds into extension programming.
• Tractor Supply CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTractor Supply's annual Paper Clover campaigns allow store patrons to purchase paper clovers via donations to 4-H in their local counties. Funds stay within the county to support youth camp and leadership opportunities.
• Yuma Community Food BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYuma County Master Gardeners donated 21,000 pounds of produce grown at their community garden to the local food bank in 2024.
• Arizona Center for Rural LeadershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject CENTRL is one program of the Arizona Center for Rural Leadership, which also includes Alumni in Action network and Make a Difference projects. The center focuses specifically on rural communities.
• Pascua Yaqui TribeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Garden Kitchen has partnered with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe on early childhood health and launched the PLAZA Market mobile produce market connecting local farmers to consumers.
• Arizona Tribal NationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative Extension serves Arizona's 22 federally recognized tribes including partnerships with the Hopi Tribe for Master Gardener training. The university strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations.
• Arizona Farm BureauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject CENTRL originated in 1981 after Farm Bureau Executive Secretary Andy Kurtz met with College of Agriculture leaders, demonstrating longstanding agricultural partnership.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Texas land-grant extension offering 4-H, Master Gardener, and agricultural programs across Texas counties. One of the largest US cooperative extension systems and the most directly comparable analog in scale and scope.
• National 4-H Council: National private nonprofit supporting the 4-H youth development program used by all US cooperative extensions. Comparable as a direct complement/counterpart to UA's 4-H Youth Development Program.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension: Land-grant university extension delivering research-based education across New York counties with Master Gardener, 4-H, and agricultural programs. Operates under the same federal cooperative extension mandate and structure as UA Cooperative Extension.
• Oregon State University Extension Service: Oregon's land-grant extension offering Master Gardener, 4-H, agricultural, and forestry programs. Comparable in mandate, programmatic mix, and reliance on federal/state funding flows.
• Penn State Extension: Pennsylvania's land-grant extension providing online courses, certifications (including food safety), Master Gardener, and 4-H. Comparable as a research-backed extension with a strong online learning and certification business.
• Colorado State University Extension: Colorado's land-grant extension serving arid Western agricultural communities with Master Gardener, 4-H, and crop/livestock programs. Strong geographic and climatic parallel to Arizona.
• Michigan State University Extension: Michigan State University extension delivering agriculture, 4-H, and family/community programs statewide under the same federal mandate. Closely comparable in programs, governance, and county-based delivery.
• UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR): University of California's statewide extension and research arm offering Master Gardener, 4-H, and agricultural advisory services. Directly comparable land-grant extension structure with county-based delivery.

Others

• StateFoodSafety: Private vendor that administers the food protection manager certification exam for UA Extension and many other extensions. Adjacent ecosystem participant and competitor for paid certification revenue.

Emerging players

• eXtension Foundation: National collaborative that supports and aggregates digital content for the US Cooperative Extension System. Adjacent ecosystem platform that could amplify or compete with UA Extension's digital delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uazcoopext
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/azcoopextension
• Facebookfacebook.com/UArizonaCooperativeExtension
• Instagraminstagram.com/uarizonacooperativeextension
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maricopacoopext

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Arizona, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension