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Extension office says targeted academies, housing fairs and partnerships are boosting small-business support
Summary
Prairie View A&M Cooperative Extension staff told commissioners they aligned programming with local leaders and partners, graduated business academy cohorts, ran a contract-ready expo and organized housing and workforce events that reached dozens of residents.
An Extension Office representative introduced Erica Jones of Prairie View A&M Cooperative Extension, who described a two‑year strategy of listening to local leaders and aligning extension programming with city and nonprofit partners to avoid duplication and expand reach.
"Rather than assuming what our communities needed, I began by listening," Erica Jones said, listing partners that include the cities of Waller, Hempstead and Brookshire, the Waller Chamber, USDA Rural Development, the SBA and Port Houston. She outlined results including business development academies (15 first-year graduates), a contract-ready business expo and two annual housing fairs that attracted more than 60 residents.
Jones also described youth and workforce efforts with Hempstead High School CTE programs and a summer STEM academy partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston. Commissioners praised the extension’s outreach and encouraged continued collaboration with small-business efforts.
No fiscal action was required at the meeting; the extension presented handouts and said it would continue program delivery and partnership development in Waller County.
