Reconsidering Extension: Defining Urban Extension in Kentucky

As the vast majority of the population in the United States shifts to dwelling within large population centers, it is necessary to examine the responsibility and role that Cooperative Extension has to serve urban communities. Throughout its history, the land-grant system, through Cooperative Extension, has demonstrated the ability to impact the lives of individual citizens and communities positively. Within this theoretical discussion, we illuminate Cooperative Extension’s responsibility to serve urban communities in the 21st Century and highlight essential milestones in the development of urban Extension throughout the past 100 years. Also, we explore the foundations and relevance of recently developed urban Extension frameworks to the practice of urban Extension and outline a process utilized to define urban for Cooperative Extension within {southern state}. Finally, we conclude by examining examples of urban Cooperative Extension initiatives and discussing their implications in broader social, environmental, and health settings.