Program Planning

Program planning provides a framework to identify needs and issues facing North Dakotans, plan the programming inputs, determine the outputs and evaluate the outcomes. The process provides a statewide focus while maintaining a tie to national initiatives and program issues.

The process is carried out through the eight program planning teams:

Community, Economic Development & Leadership 
Competitiveness and Profitability of Animal Production 
Cropping Systems in the 21st century 
Farm & Family Economics 
4-H Youth Development 
Human Development & Family Science
Natural Resources & Environmental Management 
Nutrition, Food Safety & Health

All Extension agents and specialists are members of a planning team. Ask your supervisor or mentor about getting involved with your team.

"Plans of Work" are developed by individual staff, several staff in an office, Multicounty Program Units and state teams. All these steps are necessary to build state programs from grassroots input and to help all staff think about their educational efforts.

View the State Plans of Work to see how the pieces come together.

Of course, plans must be flexible. Your programming may change if there's a drought or flood, school shooting or food poisoning outbreak.

The NDSU Extension Service's goal is to move toward using a four-year plan of work so we can focus on key issues longer than one year and create more impact.