Communicating the value of Extension programming to stakeholders remains a challenge for many Extension professionals. Program evaluation is a tool that can help communicate the value of Extension; however, many evaluation methods fail to articulate a story of aggregated impact. A public value instrument was recently developed to help communicate the impact of Extension. Communicating Extension’s impact has become more critical, yet more difficult, to do during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research note shares the results of a program evaluation using the Extension public value instrument to determine the impact of Georgia Cooperative Extension’s programs during the shelter-in-place orders due to COVID-19. Respondents (n = 572) indicated high levels of self-reported knowledge gain, wellness, intent to change behavior, and perceived economic value. The results demonstrated respondents’ overall satisfaction and valuation of Family and Consumer Sciences programs during COVID-19. The Extension public value instrument enabled evaluation data collection for Extension professionals to communicate the value of their program impact despite major disruptions to traditional program formats.

Extension program participants tell story after story of the impact of Cooperative Extension on their lives, their families, and their businesses. Despite huge amounts of qualitative data, very little quantitative data exist showing the aggregated public value of Extension programs—especially across program areas. The lack of data leaves Extension administrators high and dry when they are asked to show public value, a circumstance sometimes resulting in reductions in human and financial resources. A simple, yet powerful Extension public value instrument was developed and used in Georgia along with analysis methods designed to showcase the short-, medium-, and long-term impacts of Extension programs.

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