Purdue Extension explains county, state, federal funding mix as council reviews its request
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Summary
Purdue Extension staff told the council their office is funded by federal Smith-Lever funds, state allocations and county general funds; they said educators are Purdue employees and the county funds the local cooperative portion.
Molly Hunt, area director for Purdue Extension covering Delaware County, and Purdue Extension staff briefed the council on how the extension office is funded and what the county contribution covers.
Hunt told council members that the office receives three funding streams: federal funding under the Smith-Lever Act, state funding through line items for Extension services, and a county general fund cooperative contribution that pays for local office operations. She said Purdue University employs the Extension educators while the county pays its cooperative share to keep staff and services in Delaware County.
Justin Hurley, who identified himself as representing the Purdue Extension office, corrected a salary line in his submitted request for an office manager position and described a small requested adjustment. He also said the Extension attempts to offset costs by pursuing grants and user fees, but federal and state grant funding has declined in recent years and staff are often asked to generate modest revenue through program fees.
Hunt and Hurley described contract funding for Extension services that is based on a longstanding state-grid formula, and said the county will move the contractual services line to a “service-based” model for 2026 so the contract more closely matches the budgeted services.
Council members asked whether positions are funded by other sources; Hunt said some specialist positions may be funded by partner organizations but that most core educators in Delaware County are supported by the combination of federal, state and county funds. She also said Extension grants and programs partner with local public-health agencies on several free education programs in the county.
Council asked whether Extension could cut 5–10% if needed; Hunt said the office already operates on a “shoestring” compared with many counties and that any cuts would be difficult without reducing services.
The council did not take formal action on the Extension request at the hearing.
