NEED announces winners of the 2021 Exceptional Local Program Awards!

September 2, 2021

The Association of Northeast Extension Directors (NEED) is thrilled announce the winner and runners up of the 2021 Exceptional Local Program Awards — 

WINNING PROGRAM

University of New Hampshire — New Hampshire Vegetable & Fruit IPM Scouting Program

RUNNERS UP

University of Delaware and University of Maryland College Park – Addressing Farmer Stress While Building Farm and Farm Family Resilience in Delaware, Maryland and Beyond

West Virginia State University – Healthy Grandfamilies Program


The Exceptional Local Program Awards were created to celebrate spectacular northeast Extension programs that are delivered at the community level, respond directly to local issues or needs, deliver clear local impact, and engage program planning and assessment throughout.  

Competition for this inaugural year was fierce. We believe these winning programs exemplify the kind of locally focused, impact driven, and responsive work NEED seeks to celebrate.

In November, NEED will host a virtual award celebration featuring presentations from all three programs. NEED members, Extension directors and administrators from across the country, Extension professionals, and others will all be invited join in this celebration. We hope all who attend see this as an opportunity to learn both about and from these excellent programs.  

Please direct any questions about this years Exceptional Local Program Awards or how too submit a 2022 nomination to NEED Executive Director, Ali Mitchell Dunigan, at [email protected].