09/25/2026
The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service is proud to announce $2,645,425 in Rural Health Transformation Program funding to support our proposal Cooperative Extension: The ROOT of Rural Health – Rural Outreach, Opportunity, and Transformation.
This investment will allow Extension to build on more than a century of service Arkansas communities and expand the reach of evidence-based health education, chronic disease prevention, physical activity opportunities, health literacy, and community-driven health improvement across rural Arkansas. This investment is more than the numbers. It is about...
✅ the childcare provider creating a healthier environment for young children.
✅ the family that has a safer place to walk, play, and be active.
✅ the faith leader equipped to connect someone with trusted health information and resources.
✅ the patient who feels more confident asking questions and making informed decisions about their health.
✅ local leaders, volunteers, and community partners having the tools and resources to address the health needs they see every day.
✅ ensuring that where an Arkansan lives does not have to determine their opportunity to live a healthy life.
ROOT was designed around a simple idea: lasting improvements in rural health happen when we invest not only in individuals, but also in the people, partnerships, places, and systems that surround them. The project will pair evidence-based education with local leadership, community partnerships, and improvements to the environments that support healthy choices.
We are incredibly grateful to the State of Arkansas and the leaders, partners, communities, and stakeholders who made this investment in rural health possible.
Cooperative Extension has a presence in all 75 Arkansas counties, and for generations our work has been rooted in trusted relationships with the people and communities we serve. This investment gives us an opportunity to deepen those roots and build even greater capacity for locally driven, sustainable health improvement.
The funding is an incredible opportunity. Now, the work begins. 🌱
We look forward to working alongside communities and partners across Arkansas to help healthier ideas take ROOT, grow, and create lasting change.
https://uaex.uada.edu/life-skills-wellness/default.aspx
