Examination of Cooperative Extension as a Bridging Organization to Enhance Cross-boundary Collaborative Water Management

Authors

• Mark E. Burbach, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Stephanie M. Kennedy, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Weston M. Eaton, National Renewable Energy LaboratoryFollow
• Kathryn J. Brasier, The Pennsylvania State UniversityFollow
• Daran R. Rudnick, Kansas State UniversityFollow
• Walt Whitmer, The Pennsylvania State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2025

Citation

Burbach, M.E., Kennedy, S., Eaton, W.M., Brasier, K.J., Rudnick, R.R., and Whitmer, W. (2025). Examination of cooperative extension as a bridging organization to enhance cross boundary collaborative water management. Journal of Extension, 63(3): 4.

Comments

RS-5073

Open access

License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Abstract

We explored stakeholders’ familiarity with, trust of, perceived competence of, and shared vision with Cooperative Extension on water-related issues in two states to determine the degree to which Extension is positioned to be an effective bridging organization. Results of surveys in Nebraska and Pennsylvania showed that, overall, neither agricultural producers nor non-farm households were very familiar with Extension. However, both stakeholder groups perceived Extension to be trustworthy, competent, and have similar goals on water-related issues. Extension should renew efforts to bolster its familiarity among these groups to enhance its effectiveness as a bridging organization.