2021 County and State Highlights

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Download Statewide Highlights (PDF)

County Contributions: $2.7M

State Contributions: $8M* (in 2021, for every $1.00 that counties contributed, UNH provided $2.03 of statewide resources)

These contributions leveraged an additional $8.1M in federal funds, grants, program income and gifts

Food and Agriculture

  • $1.2M procured in new capital as specialists worked with farmers to implement business plans
  • 11,495 downloads of the newly created Granite State Gardening Podcast
  • Assisted 15 farms in the development of farm transfer or succession plans, preserving 4,191 acres of farmland and maintaining 195 jobs, generating $13.5 million in revenue. Their assets, land and buildings are valued at $29.8 million.

Natural Resources

  • $2.9M increase in future production value of forest products (lumber, furniture, wood chips for fuel, etc)
  • Consulted with 1,334 landowners who manage 60,184 acres
  • $1.13 million generated in forest product sales and tax revenue
  • 9,535 additional acres of NH forest managed with forest management plans

Community and Economic Development

  • Extension specialists worked with 2,483 NH businesses
  • $500K in grants and resources leveraged to support economic development projects
  • 12 municipalities worked with Extension specialists
  • 5 new businesses/enterprises were launched
  • Community and economic development specialists helped expand a makerspace and business incubator in Concord and helped generate facade improvements to five downtown buildings in Pittsfield
  • Efforts to increase tourism and nature economy have included a regional branding and marketing campaign to promote the Sugar River Region in Sullivan, a plan to expand biking trails in Northfield and neighboring towns, and installation of signage to guide trail users to downtown businesses and services in Bristol

Youth and Families

  • $1.5M USDA and SAMHSA grant is funding programs to help Granite Staters lead healthy, active lives, reduce healthcare costs and curb opioid misuse
  • 2,884 youth and adults participated in healthy living and nutrition education programs
  • 2,665 youth enrolled in 4-H agriscience, STEM and healthy living programs
  • 600 people received mental health training and wellness education
  • 629 teachers trained in Next Generation Science Standards
  • 249 older adults helped through chronic disease and pain self management and Walk with Ease programs
  • 109K people reached via social media campaigns focused on nutrition, food safety, food access and physical activities

Volunteers

  • 4,543 volunteers
  • 130,594 hours
  • $3.8M value of volunteer time (State Values of Volunteer Time (NH): $28.54; independentsector.org/)

Economic Expertise

  • • Dairy specialists worked with ten farms to identify and initiate changes to improve milking parlor efficiencies, increasing production and quality while supporting animal comfort
  • Extension’s crop weather monitoring stations and plant disease forecasting tools were utilized by 76 apple growers to make informed decisions and avoid unnecessary pesticide applications
  • Extension forestry specialists trained 201 forest industry professionals

Lifelong Learning

  • Food safety specialists provided certification opportunities to food service workers from schools, hospitals, food pantries and other public establishments
  • Natural resources specialists brought together 85 communities for a land conservation conference called Saving Special Places
  • The 4-H Virtual Club reached 220 youth and summer programming reached over 400 children

Covid-19 Response

  • With N.H. Department of Agriculture, secured $500,000 USDA-NIFA State Department of Agriculture Farmer, Rancher Stress Assistance
  • Network grant to raise awareness, provide education and offset costs related to farmers’ mental health
  • With $225,000 in funding from the Extension Foundation, provided research-based information to North Country and Strafford County communities to support informed vaccination choices
  • Provided hands-on training to teach community members how to build a greenhouse at Winnisquam Middle School; this led to a gardening curriculum for students during hybrid learning
  • With $680,000 from a USDA grant, provided agriscience-based remote learning experiences to 800 rural elementary school children

Download Belknap County Highlights Sheet (PDF)

State Contributions: $427,898

County Contributions: $164,611

In 2021, for every $1.00 that Belknap contributed, UNH provided $2.60 of statewide resources

Food and Agriculture

  • 80 farm businesses received technical assistance, leading to greater profitability and environmental sustainability

Natural Resources

  • 644 acres managed with forest stewardship plans
  • 62,525 feet of improved or constructed forestland roads and trails on private lands
  • Provided technical assistance with funding from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
  • Helped Laconia work on its natural resources inventory with wildlife as an initial focus

Community and Economic Development

  • Co-founded the Foothills Foundation in the Northfield-Tilton Region

Youth and Families

  • 300 community members attended a fall festival co-hosted by 4-H and the Belknap County Fair Board
  • Offered courses in chronic pain management and the Walk with Ease program to curb opioid misuse and improve health
  • 195 people reached through healthy living and nutrition programs to prevent chronic disease
  • 4-H partnered with Gilmanton Library on “Science at the Library,” a program intended to increase STEM literacy among youth
  • “Growing Pizza” garden program taught youth about growing food and nutrition
  • The organization focuses on promoting outdoor recreation and expanding the local and regional economy; they completed a trail plan to connect trail users to natural, cultural and recreational assets of the region

Volunteers

  • 172 volunteers
  • 5,985 hours
  • $170K value of volunteer time (State Values of Volunteer Time (NH): $28.54; independentsector.org/)

Download Carroll County Highlights Sheet (PDF)

State Contributions: $480,308

County Contributions: $288,786

In 2021, for every $1.00 that Carroll contributed, UNH provided $1.66 of statewide resources.

Food and Agriculture

  • 31 farm businesses received technical assistance, leading to greater profitability and environmental stability

Natural Resources

  • 2,583 acres improved
  • Consulted with 197 landowners who manage 2,583 acres
  • 1,075 additional acres in forest stewardship plans

Community and Economic Development

  • 50 Ossipee residents partnered with Extension to establish the Friends of Ossipee Rail Trail — the group is converting an existing rail right of way into a trail connected with downtown businesses

Youth and Families

  • 325 youth reached with science and technology programming
  • Science tech partners include: John Fuller Elementary, Conway Elementary Schools, the Freedom and Public Libraries, Project SUCCEED and the Mount Washington Valley Career Camps
  • Established 4-H Wildside Photography Scavenger Hunt for youth
  • 126 people reached through healthy living and nutrition programs
  • Increased food access through the Ossipee United Round Table and as a founding member of the Carroll County Food Access Network

Volunteers

  • 255 volunteers
  • 7,067 hours
  • $201K value of volunteer time (state Values of Volunteer Time (NH): $28.54; independentsector.org/)

Download Cheshire County Highlights (PDF)

State Contributions: $417,366

County Contributions: $179,975

In 2021, for every $1.00 that Cheshire contributed, UNH provided $2.32 of statewide resources.

Food and Agriculture

  • 39 farm businesses received technical assistance, leading to greater profitability and environmental sustainability

Natural Resources

  • $379K in future value of improved acreage
  • Consulted with 134 landowners who manage 7,890 acres
  • 1,243 additional acres managed by forest stewardship plans
  • $147,000 generated in forest product and tax revenue

Community and Economic Development

  • Launched Keene Downtowns and Trails program through which municipal staff, business leaders and community residents are working together to connect trail users with downtown businesses
  • 4-H partnered with the Conservation District of Stoddard and Nature Groupie to lead guided winter hikes for kids during the pandemic

Youth and Families

  • Held listening sessions with county residents as part of the Monadnock Children’s Food Access Alliance efforts to analyze regional characteristics and better understand barriers to food access for limited resource families
  • During the Cheshire County Fair, the Cheshire County 4-H team initiated the “Mental Health Round-up” project, an activity designed to improve youth mental health and well-being through makers activities; the 4-H experience reached over 70 youth, many of whom learned of 4-H for the first time

Volunteers

  • 162 volunteers
  • 6,323 hours
  • $180K value of volunteer time (state Values of Volunteer Time (NH): $28.54; independentsector.org/)

Download the Coös County Highlights (PDF)

State Contributions: $446,342

County Contributions: $$233,163

In 2021, for every $1.00 that Coös contributed, UNH provided $1.66 of statewide resources.

Food and Agriculture
  • 52 farm businesses received technical assistance, leading to greater profitability and environmental stability

Natural Resources

  • 4,000 acres improved
  • Consulted with 100 landowners who manage almost 4,000 acres
  • 400 additional acres protected by conservation easements

Community and Economic Development

  • Launched the Coös County Trail Stewardship Research Project
  • With support from the Tillotson Foundation, identified best stewardship model for human-powered trails in the North Country

Youth and Families

  • 345 people reached through healthy living programs aimed at preventing chronic disease
  • Coordinated the Androscoggin Valley Farm to School network to increase healthy food access
  • Offered chronic disease and pain self-management courses and Walk with Ease program to older adults to curb opioid misuse and improve health
  • 4-H gardening program taught youth about growing food and nutrition

Volunteers

  • 154 volunteers
  • 7,343 hours
  • $209K value of volunteer time (State Values of Volunteer Time (NH): $28.54; independentsector.org/)

Download Hillsborough County Highlights (PDF)

State Contributions: $775,657

Hillsborough Contributions: $418,260

In 2021, for every $1.00 that Hillsborough contributed, UNH provided $1.85 of statewide resources.

Food and Agriculture

  • 72 farm businesses received technical assistance, leading to greater profitability and environmental sustainability

Natural Resources

  • $375K in future value of improved acreage
  • Consulted with 214 landowners managing 7,815 acres
  • 1,719 additional acres now managed with forest stewardship plans
  • $146,000 generated in timber production and tax revenue

Community and Economic Development

  • Partnered with New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs and regional economic development leaders to coordinate economic development efforts with the support of state and federal resources

Youth and Families

  • 418 professional and volunteer educators were trained in science education through science literacy programs
  • 396 youth participated in ecology and engineering programs hosted by the STEM Discovery Lab at UNH Manchester
  • Offered chronic disease and pain self-management courses and the Walk with Ease program to older adults to improve health and prevent opioid misuse, in partnership with local organizations like Nashua’s Ahepa Senior Manor
  • 200 adults and 1,168 youth reached through health living programs to prevent chronic diseases such as obesity
  • 4-H partnered with the Nashua Boys and Girls Club to teach horticulture and food safety to youth

Volunteers

  • 572 volunteers
  • 23,723 hours
  • $677K value of volunteer time (State Values of Volunteer Time (NH): $28.54; independentsector.org/)

Download Grafton County Highlights (PDF)

State Contributions: $533,907

County Contributions: $338,882

In 2021, for every $1.00 that Grafton contributed, UNH provided $1.58 of statewide resources.

Food and Agriculture

  • 62 farm businesses received technical assistance, leading to greater profitability and environmental sustainability

Natural Resources

  • $408K in future value of improved acreage
  • Consulted with 111 landowners who manage 8,505 acres
  • 1,300 additional acres now managed with forest stewardship plans
  • $160,000 generated in timber production and tax revenue

Community and Economic Development

  • Worked with Grafton County to explore alternative energy systems
  • Based on a preliminary UNH assessment showing long-term cost savings, the county has allocated funding to conduct feasibility studies to provide resilient and renewable electricity to power the county complex

Youth and Families

  • 243 people reached through healthy living and nutrition programs to prevent chronic disease
  • With support from USDA Rural Health and Safety Grant, Extension brought together community partners in the Haverhill/Woodsville region to build community resilience and enhance community health outcomes
  • Participated in the Whole Village Collaborative Garden to provide locally grown vegetables and healthy recipes to senior citizens and people with low incomes
  • Offered courses in chronic pain management to curb opioid misuse and facilitated coalitions in the Haverhill and Mascoma areas with 75 individuals from key local partners to build community resiliency during and after the pandemic

Volunteers

  • 301 volunteers
  • 17,671 hours
  • $504K value of volunteer time (State Values of Volunteer Time (NH): $28.54; independentsector.org/)

Download Merrimack County Highlights (PDF)

State Contributions: $696,074

County Contributions: $398,679

Food and Agriculture

  • 125 farm businesses received technical assistance, leading to greater profitability and environmental sustainability

Natural Resources

  • $521K in future value of improved acreage
  • Consulted with 277 landowners who manage 10,852 acres
  • 2,162 additional acres managed with forest stewardship plans
  • $203,000 generated in forest product and tax revenue

Community and Economic Development

  • 5 downtown building facades renovated in Pittsfield with grant funds secured in partnership with Extension specialists

Youth and Families

  • 75 people were brought together to build community resiliency during and after the pandemic; they represent local partners and agencies in the Kearsarge Region
  • Provided training in social and emotional mindfulness to teachers and staff at East Side Learning Center and the Pace Charter School
  • 4-H families helped elderly residents of Merrimack County Nursing Home carve pumpkins for Halloween
  • Nutrition lessons were offered in English, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Nepali, Farsi and Spanish

Volunteers

  • 439 volunteers
  • 17,795 hours
  • $507K value of volunteer time (State Values of Volunteer Time (NH): $28.54; independentsector.org/)

Download Rockingham County Highlights (PDF)

State Contributions: $651,874

County Contributions: $414,973

In 2021, for every $1.00 that Rockingham contributed, UNH provided $1.57 of statewide resources.

Food and Agriculture

  • 61 farm businesses received technical assistance, leading to greater profitability and environmental sustainability

Natural Resources

  • 3,295 acres improved
  • Consulted with 106 landowners who manage 3,295 acres
  • The Coastal Research Volunteer program trained 121 people who volunteered 1,451 hours on NH’s coast
  • Municipal staff, board members and residents learned about causes and effects of coastal flooding, as well as how to plan for emergencies

Community and Economic Development

  • Worked with residents of Derry to revitalize Hood Par
  • Improvements to attract more people to the park and to local businesses include new benches and signs promoting businesses/attractions while future projects include: • pickleball courts • hockey boards • backboards • a splash pad • fishing dock • improved playgrounds • new lighting • landscaping

Youth and Families

  • 125 youth learned how to grow hydroponic plants at home and planted extra rows in their gardens for people in need through the 4-H Grower’s Pathway program

Volunteers

  • 1,057 volunteers
  • 24,519 hours
  • $699K value of volunteer time (State Values of Volunteer Time (NH): $28.54; independentsector.org/)

Download Strafford County Highlights (PDF)

State Contributions: $410,470

County Contributions: $165,236

In 2021, for every $1.00 that Strafford contributed, UNH provided $2.48 of statewide resources.

Food and Agriculture

  • 61 farm businesses received technical assistance, leading to greater profitability and environmental stability

Natural Resources

  • $199K in future value of improved acreage
  • Consulted with 69 landowners who manage 4,144 acres
  • 691 additional acres managed with forest stewardship plans
  • 642 additional acres protected in conservation easements

Community and Economic Development

  • 25 partner organizations collaborated with Extension to form the state’s first Comprehensive Economic Development Region
  • Collaborators included NH Division of Business and Economic Affairs and Strafford Regional Planning Commission

Youth and Families

  • 290 youth completed the national 4-H babysitting curriculum
  • Specialists offered technical assistance to the Dover Mental Health Alliance and Strafford Public Health Network, resulting in:
  • Increased youth mental health education
  • Increased access to healthy food for low-income residents
  • Improved evaluation practices
  • Schoolyard SITES connected teachers in Rochester and Oyster River schools with science volunteers for teacher professional development and citizen science investigations for students
  • Served as the Food Unit Lead for the Seacoast COVID Incident Management Team to improve food security

Volunteers

  • 699 volunteers
  • 9,261 hours
  • $264K value of volunteer time (State Values of Volunteer Time (NH): $28.54; independentsector.org/)

Download Sullivan County Highlights (PDF)

State Contributions: $517,330

County Contributions: $285,706

Food and Agriculture

  • 68 farm businesses received technical assistance, leading to greater profitability and environmental stability

Natural Resources

  • $491K future value of improved acreage
  • Consulted with 194 landowners who manage 10,229 acres
  • 1,639 additional acres managed with forest stewardship plans
  • $191,000 in additional forest product and tax revenue

Community and Economic Development

  • $28K USDA Rural Business Opportunity Grant has funded development of a destination website and media to promote the Sugar River Region
  • Extension helped establish the Sugar River Region Destination Council to promote the region’s natural, recreational, historic and cultural assets

Youth and Families

  • $125K CDC Drug Free Communities grant has helped older adults manage chronic pain and reduce the risk of opioid misuse
  • Extension led efforts to address drug abuse by coordinating two local coalitions (Sunapee’s Compass Coalition and the Public Health Network/West Central Behavioral Health’s Youth CAN coalition) and by offering Chronic Pain Management courses to help individuals find alternatives to opioids; the CAN coalition hosted National Night Out Events in Claremont and Newport reaching over 100 community members

Volunteers

  • 98 volunteers
  • 2,741 hours
  • $78K value of volunteer time (State Values of Volunteer Time (NH): $28.54; independentsector.org/)

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