Cooperative Extension and AmeriCorps brief delegates on grants, food programs, coastal resilience and member recruitment

Mike McGuire, director of the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, and colleagues presented the department’s programs and FY26 requests to the Assembly of Delegates on Feb. 26 and emphasized regional grants, education and service partnerships.

Extension overview: McGuire described Extension as a UMass-affiliated outreach organization that translates university research to local programs. He outlined divisions for marine/coastal processes, traditional extension outreach (nutrition, horticulture, 4‑H), AmeriCorps and two grant-funded positions overseeing municipal solid-waste/recycling assistance and household hazardous-waste coordination. "Our extension is the trusted go-to resource on Cape Cod for connecting research and education to the communities, economies and families of Barnstable County," he said.

Program highlights: Shannon Holst, deputy director, noted a net economic benefit of about $2.1 million from the municipal shellfish propagation program, $3.7 million in flood-insurance premium savings tied to the regional flood-resilience program and distribution of roughly $1.3 million to local food producers through LFPA-style funds. Extension staff are engaged in a pilot composting collaboration with Joint Base Cape Cod and in planning for a longer-term farmhouse/horticultural demonstration site on county-owned land.

Wildfire planning and budget notes: McGuire asked the assembly for a $15,000 match to secure a larger state grant to update community wildfire protection plans for Cape towns. He said Extension’s FY26 salary/fringe request fell slightly because of retirements and lower starting salaries, while non-salary costs rose ~6% largely due to inflation. Grant revenue was cited as about $2.3 million across the department.

AmeriCorps Cape Cod: Misty Niemeyer, program manager, described AmeriCorps Cape Cod as a national-service program hosted by Barnstable County and managed in-state by Mass Service Alliance. The program seeks 20 members for an 11-month residential service model focused on natural-resource management, disaster preparedness and environmental education. Members complete 1,700 service hours, receive a living allowance (currently $16,500 in the county request), housing and an education award on completion. "Members have served over a million hours in those 26 years," Niemeyer said; she added that the cumulative value of that service was calculated using a national hourly valuation.

Funding: AmeriCorps Cape Cod’s FY26 request is similar to the prior year: county support of about $570,000 plus federal AmeriCorps funding just under $500,000 (the program maximum at 20 members), and substantial in-kind housing support from towns and partners. Niemeyer said recruitment and retention were challenges last year, and that the program is considering stipend increases, transportation supports and other measures to improve member recruitment and diversity.

Delegates did not vote on any new appropriations during the presentations; presenters said they would follow up with material for committee review.