Advancing Health Equity and Well-Being in the Cooperative Extension System

CCHE is wrapping up the evaluation of Well Connected Communities (WCC), a seven-year, national health equity and well-being initiative of America’s Cooperative Extension System funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. WCC used the power of collective action and youth and adult voice to identify and address health inequities. The first (of two) WCC evaluation reports is now available: Results from WCC investments at 25 Land Grant Universities (LGUs).

Program overview: Extension has a presence in every county and reservation across the country and over a century of experience translating science into practice, primarily related to agriculture and natural resources. There is vast opportunity for Extension to be a force in advancing health equity and well-being through community-driven partnerships and promoting policy, systems, and environmental changes. To that end, WCC engaged Extension programs at 25 LGUs that partnered with local, cross-sector coalitions in over 50 communities across the country.

Findings: CCHE partnered closely with Extension to conduct the mixed methods evaluation of LGUs’ WCC work over four years.