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Richland County extension updates 4‑H programs, committee approves several grant proposals and staffing requests
Summary
County extension staff described 4‑H outreach, AmeriCorps-supported summer programming and school partnerships. The committee approved grant proposals and staffing/funding requests to support extension programs and conservation staffing.
Extension educators briefed the Richland County Land and Water Resources Committee on 4‑H programming, community outreach and an AmeriCorps position to support summer and after‑school programming. Committee members approved grant applications and funding requests to support extension and conservation staffing and programs.
Extension staff described outreach across the county, including 11 community 4‑H clubs, countywide junior leader groups and project-specific groups (shooting sports, rabbits, rocketry). Staff said discovery day drew volunteers and roughly 120 participants across volunteers, youth leaders and students. An outreach program for Hispanic families (a five-week series with campus visits) reaches about seven to eight families and is delivered in Spanish, staff said.
Extension staff said they received funding to hire an AmeriCorps member to help run day camps and other outreach; the person will be mostly a summer hire (mid‑May through August) and some applicants are 4‑H members. The committee encouraged staff to include remote-work criteria in job postings where appropriate and to coordinate with HR to verify applicant eligibility.
The committee approved multiple grant and staffing-related motions by voice vote. Staff said they will apply for a regional grant (described in the meeting as $13,500 for outreach and matching costs) and that the county also submitted larger annual staffing/grant figures for county-level funding: $134,680 requested overall (staffing request), $77,000 for land and resource water work, and about $20,000 for targeted conservation programming. Committee members moved and seconded the motions and approved them by voice vote.
Committee members asked staff to monitor state and university funding changes that could affect extension programs; staff said most extension educators are funded by county and state funds with some federal funding for specific programs. The committee also discussed recent training staff attended and recommended the new zoning administrator (when hired) receive the same trainings.
