What UGA Cooperative Extension does

UGA Cooperative Extension is the public outreach arm of the University of Georgia, translating research from UGA's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and College of Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) into community-based education across the state. Established under the 1914 Smith-Lever Act, it operates in all 159 Georgia counties through 331 county-based agents supported by approximately 400 faculty members, 800 professional staff, and 10,009 trained volunteers (including Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists, Master Beekeepers, and Master Composters). Programming is organized around three pillars: Agriculture and Natural Resources (crop production, livestock, pest management, horticulture), Family and Consumer Sciences (nutrition, food safety, financial literacy, diabetes prevention, VITA tax assistance), and 4-H Youth Development (clubs, summer camps, livestock programs, project achievement, environmental education).

Service delivery combines in-person and digital channels: 159 county offices, the extension.uga.edu website, a toll-free 1-800-ASK-UGA1 hotline, multiple 4-H centers, and a multi-channel social presence (YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram, email newsletter). In fiscal year 2023 the organization logged 1,808,305 face-to-face contacts, delivered 26,917 programs, produced 1,337 research-based publications (with 2.36 million webpage visits and 195,575 downloads), performed 123,525 diagnostic lab tests, and enrolled 173,505 youth in 4-H. The content library and volunteer-driven distribution network function as the underlying platform through which research is scaled to Georgia's 10.8 million residents.

Funding flows from a federal-state-county appropriation model: USDA via the Smith-Lever Act, the University of Georgia, and co-funding from each of Georgia's 159 county governments. Most services are provided free to residents; fee-based revenue is generated from certification programs (ServSafe, pesticide applicator licensing), 4-H summer camp attendance (8,000+ children annually), and select workshops. The organization has no private investors, no M&A activity, and is governed as a public non-profit educational institution under the University of Georgia Board of Regents.

Name

UGA Cooperative Extension

Legal name

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

Website

https://extension.uga.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

UGA Cooperative Extension delivers University of Georgia research-based education to all 159 Georgia counties through 331 agents, serving farmers, families, and 4-H youth with programs in agriculture, family sciences, and youth development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Extension Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Regional Education Service Agencies (ESAs/BOCES/Intermediate Units) (EDADABAC)

Keywords

• Agricultural extension services
• Youth development programs
• Community education
• Family consumer sciences
• Cooperative extension

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens, Georgia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public / Government Funding: UGA Cooperative Extension is a collaborative between UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS), funded through county, state, and federal (USDA) appropriations. Services are provided free or at low cost to Georgia residents.
2. Fee-Based Programs and Certifications: Revenue generated from program fees such as ServSafe certification training, pesticide applicator licenses, and various educational workshops and camps (e.g., 4-H summer camp).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UGA Cooperative Extension delivers research-based educational programming across all 159 Georgia counties by translating agricultural and family/consumer sciences research from the University of Georgia into workshops, classes, consultations, certifications, camps, and diagnostic services. Programming covers 4-H youth development, agriculture and natural resources, and family and consumer sciences for farmers, families, and Georgia communities.

Product overview

UGA Cooperative Extension is a collaboration between UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS), offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and services across all 159 Georgia counties. The organization provides research-based education through several core program areas: 4-H Youth Development (including clubs, summer camps, livestock programs, project achievement, and environmental education), Agriculture and Natural Resources programming, Family and Consumer Sciences, and horticultural/environmental services. Key service offerings include the Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Program, Pesticide Safety Education Program, ServSafe® food safety training, Soil and Water Testing Services, diabetes prevention education, and VITA tax assistance. The portfolio operates through a network of county Extension offices staffed by agents and supported by trained volunteers, delivering face-to-face contacts, on-site consultations, diagnostic testing, and educational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Georgia 4-H: Youth development program offering clubs, camps, and educational programs for young people across Georgia
• Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Program
• ServSafe

Products and services

• 4-H Youth Development Program A youth development program offering clubs, summer camps, project achievement, livestock programs, and environmental education for young people in 4th through 12th grade across Georgia.
• Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Program Training program for volunteers to become certified Master Gardeners who provide horticultural education and community garden support throughout Georgia.
• Pesticide Safety Education Program Educational program providing pesticide applicator training and certification for agriculture and green industry professionals in Georgia.
• Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Lifestyle intervention program designed to help individuals prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes through nutrition and physical activity education.
• School Garden Curriculum Curriculum resources for teachers to establish and maintain school gardens as hands-on learning environments for students.
• ServSafe Training Food safety certification training for food service professionals covering food handling, preparation, and safety standards.
• Soil and Water Testing Services Laboratory testing services for soil, water, and plant samples to help farmers, gardeners, and homeowners make informed decisions about nutrient management and environmental conditions.
• Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Federally funded nutrition education program helping limited-income families and youth develop skills to make healthy food choices.
• UGA Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Free tax preparation services for low-to-moderate income taxpayers provided by trained volunteers.
• 4-H Summer Camp Residential and day camping programs at Georgia's 4-H centers offering outdoor education, leadership development, and recreational activities for youth.
• 4-H Livestock Program Program allowing youth to develop responsibility and agricultural skills through raising and showing livestock projects.
• 4-H Environmental Education Residential environmental education program operating September through May at 4-H centers, providing hands-on learning correlated to Georgia Standards of Excellence.
• 4-H Project Achievement Competition program where 4-H members develop written and oral communication skills by researching topics, submitting portfolios, and giving presentations judged for awards and scholarships.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,808,305 face-to-face contacts with Georgians in fiscal year 2023
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (UGA CAES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUGA Cooperative Extension is a collaboration between UGA CAES and UGA FACS. CAES provides the agricultural research and expertise that Extension agents translate and deliver to Georgia communities through county offices.
• University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences (UGA FACS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUGA Cooperative Extension is a collaboration between UGA CAES and UGA FACS. FACS provides research-based family and consumer sciences programming that Extension agents deliver statewide through county offices.
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs part of the national Cooperative Extension System established under the Smith-Lever Act, UGA Extension operates in partnership with the USDA, which provides federal funding and policy guidance for Extension programming.
• Georgia County GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUGA Extension is a collaborative between Georgia county governments, the USDA, and the University of Georgia. County governments co-fund Extension offices and agents, enabling localized service delivery in every Georgia county.
• Georgia 4-H (georgia4h.org)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeorgia 4-H is a related agency operating under the UGA Extension umbrella, providing youth development programming. The 4-H program is delivered through county Extension offices and 4-H centers statewide.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: The Texas land-grant cooperative extension service, structurally identical to UGA Extension — university-delivered, county-based agricultural, family, and youth education across a single state. Most directly comparable peer given similar scale and southern agricultural mix.
• Michigan State University Extension: Michigan's land-grant extension service operating a comparable county-based educational delivery model spanning agriculture, 4-H, and family and consumer sciences.
• NC State Extension: North Carolina's land-grant cooperative extension, offering the same model of county-based agricultural and family-sciences education tied to a state university — closely comparable in mission, funding structure, and service mix.
• Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech / Virginia State): Virginia's land-grant cooperative extension providing agriculture, 4-H, and family sciences programming through a county-office network, directly comparable to UGA Extension.
• Purdue Extension: Indiana's land-grant extension offering agriculture, 4-H youth development, and family sciences programming via a county-office network — same institutional model and funding mix as UGA Extension.
• Penn State Extension: Pennsylvania's land-grant cooperative extension with the same county-agent, research-translation model covering agriculture, 4-H, and family consumer sciences — a peer with comparable scale and digital publishing operations.
• Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Iowa's land-grant extension service delivering agricultural and community education through a statewide county network — closely comparable in operating model and rural/agricultural focus.
• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Florida's land-grant extension, structurally identical to UGA Extension — delivers research-based agriculture and family education through county offices backed by a public university.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension: New York's cooperative extension system anchored at Cornell, with comparable agriculture, 4-H, and family/consumer sciences programming delivered through county associations — closely comparable peer despite regional differences.

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Large-scale digital education platform that increasingly delivers structured continuing-education content (agriculture, nutrition, personal finance) into categories where Extension operates — broader incumbent but overlapping curriculum.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/UGAExtension
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ugaExtension
• Facebookfacebook.com/UGA.Extension
• Instagraminstagram.com/ugaextension
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uga-cooperative-extension

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 UGA Cooperative Extension