Marshall County CES

County Emphasis:

Financial Security & Economic Well-Being

Concentration 1:

Financial Security and Economic Well-Being

Concentration 2:

Work and Life Skill Development

Concentration 3:

Animal Production and Management

Concentration 4:

Plant Production and Management

Situation:

A disproportionate number of Kentuckians live in economically distressed communities (39% of Kentuckians, compared to 15% nationally). Further, most Kentucky households are concerned with financially sustaining a quality of life that allows them to survive and thrive in an economically challenged society. From housing to grocery expenses, the cost of living continues to rise, and households are ill-equipped to adjust. Securing financial stability is vital for the well-being of state constituents. The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) is committed to improving the financial security and economic well-being of families across the Commonwealth. Related CES programming is designed to help Kentuckians become more economically resilient by promoting financial literacy education, comprehensive family resource management skills, and small business engagement and support.

In a 2023 University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Community Needs Assessment, with nearly 28,000 responses from across the state, Building Financial Literacy and/or Resource Management Skills was among the top 10 state-identified priority issues reported by Kentuckians, and Efforts that Support Local & Small businesses was among the top 10 Community & Economic Development needs in the state.

Youth Focus

In Kentucky, economic uncertainty due to job market fluctuations and agricultural shifts impacts youth through unstable family environments and limited resources. Hospitality, retail, and tourism generated over $10 billion in 2023, with job growth in culinary arts, tourism, and hobby industries. The unemployment rate increased by 4.7% from July 2023 to July 2024. According to the Kentucky Cooperative Extension System Community Needs Assessment (2023), priorities include building financial literacy and resource management skills, youth life skill training (e.g., leadership and communication), strengthening youth workforce readiness (e.g., entrepreneurship, business development), and engaging diverse and non-traditional youth audiences. America’s future relies on a ready workforce and engaged communities to tackle major challenges. Kentucky 4-H develops youth potential for lifelong success through essential skills in communication, leadership, and civic engagement. 80% of 4-Hers reported that 4-H helped them explore career options and 95% reported 4-H helped them identify things they were good at, and 50% reported 4-H helped them with college decision-making. 4-H programs equip individuals with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to thrive in their personal lives, family lives, and communities.

County Situation:

LDM, NR, VW

According to the 2024-25 Cooperative Extension Service State wide Community Needs Assessment -- Marshall County Youth Development Data -- In the Top 12:

#2 -- Youth life skill training opportunities (e.g. leadership and communication skill building opportunities) -- 4.4 out of 5

#3 -- Strengthening youth workforce readiness (including entrepreneurship, business development skills, etc.) -- 4.3 out of 5

#6 -- Strengthening youth-adult or mentoring relationships -- 4.2 out of 5

Long-Term Outcomes:

Adult

1. Increased financial literacy skills
2. Improved financial security and stability
3. Improved financial and economic well-being

 

Youth

1. Youth will make sound financial decisions.  

Intermediate Outcomes:

Adult

1. Increased sound financial decision making
2. Implementation of financial literacy and resource management strategies/skills
3. Increased savings (e.g., as a result of budgeting, saving, reducing debt, spending wisely, stretching resources)
4. Increased access to community financial resources

 

Youth

Youth will practice responsible consumer and financial management decision-making such as budgeting, actions on needs verses wants.   

Initial Outcomes:

Adult

 Strengthening financial literacy and well-being, including but not limited to, budgeting, spending wisely, saving, using credit responsibly, reducing debt, estate planning, fraud reduction, etc.

1. Improved financial literacy knowledge
2. Improved employability and interpersonal skills
3. Increased confidence to implement employability strategies
4. Developed strategies for maintaining a health work-life balance

 

Youth

Youth will aspire to make SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound) economic and financial well-being decisions. 

Evaluation:

Outcome	Improved knowledge related to financial literacy concepts (initial)
Indicator	Number of individuals who reported increased knowledge of family finance and/or resource management concepts.
Method	Self-reported surveys
Timeline	Post-program/curricula survey administration

 

Outcome	Improved financial and/or resource management skills (e.g., creating a budget, checking credit report, developing an estate plan, etc.) (initial)
Indicator	Number of individuals who reported developing skills related to family finance and/or resource management
Method	Self-reported surveys
Timeline	Post-program/curricula survey administration or follow-up evaluation

 

Outcome	Increased confidence to implement family finance and resource management skills (e.g., budgeting, spending wisely, saving, using credit responsibly, reducing debt, estate planning, reducing fraud, etc.) (initial)
Indicator	Number of individuals who reported improved confidence to implement to family finance and/or resource management skills.
Method	Self-reported surveys
Timeline	Post-program/curricula survey administration

 

Outcome	Increased sound financial decision making (intermediate)
Indicator	Number of individuals who made a sound financial decision (e.g., regarding credit, budgeting, savings, debt, estate planning, fraud reduction, etc.).
Method	Self-reported surveys, documentation, or interviews
Timeline	Follow-up evaluations to capture action/behavior change over time.

 

Outcome	Implementation of financial literacy and resource management strategies/skills (intermediate)
Indicator	Number of individuals who implemented at least one strategy to better manage their family finances and resources (e.g., considered wants/needs, avoided bank fees, reviewed tax forms, set savings goals, started estate plan, developed budget, increased fraud protection, etc.).
Method	Self-reported surveys, documentation, or interviews
Timeline	Follow-up evaluations to capture action/behavior change over time.

 

Outcome	Increased savings (intermediate)
Indicator	Dollars reported saved as a result of participating in a financial education or family resource management program.
Method	Documentation (direct report, repeated survey) or interviews
Timeline	Ongoing/as changes are made and projects progress

 

Outcome	Improved business development and operation skills (e.g. marketing, branding, customer outreach)
Indicator	Number of small businesses who report developing skills related to business marketing, expansion, or retention through participating in Extension programming.
Method	Self-reported surveys, documentation, direct report
Timeline	Post-program survey administration; follow-up evaluation

 

Outcome	Improved knowledge of small business management and financial literacy concepts (initial)
Indicator	Number of small businesses who report increased knowledge of business financial management concepts (e.g. budgeting, pricing, taxes, financial planning)
Method	Self-reported surveys
Timeline	Post-program survey administration; follow-up evaluation

 

Outcome	Increased access to community financial resources through Extension support (intermediate)
Indicator	Number of grants or tangible financial resources accessed by communities, nonprofits, or small businesses as a result of Extension-supported initiatives
Method	Tracked through self-reported surveys from community partners, nonprofits and small businesses, documentation from grant reports where Extension provided support
Timeline	Ongoing

 

Outcome	Short term
Indicator	Number of youth who reported learning the differences between purchases made for “needs” vs “wants” .  Number of youth who reported that they learned about budgeting.  Number of youth who reported that they learned about savings.
Method	Standard Evaluation Tool for 4-H Family Consumer Sciences: Survey
Timeline	Immediate Post Program

 

Outcome	Medium Term
Indicator	Number of youth who reported that they have identified one or more jobs that might be a good fit for them in Family Consumer Sciences.   Number of youth who reported that have taken steps to pursue gaining knowledge for a job in Family Consumer Sciences.   Number of youth who reported that they have practiced budging skills.   Number of youth who reported that they have practiced needs versus wants knowledge when making purchases on a budget. .  Number of youth who reported that they have included savings in their budget.
Method	Standard Evaluation Tool for 4-H Family Consumer Sciences: Survey
Timeline	End of program year

 

Outcome	Long Term
Indicator	Long-term evaluation will be conducted using the National 4-H Index Study.
Method	Standard Evaluation Tool for 4-H Family Consumer Sciences: Survey
Timeline	1 or more years

 

Learning Opportunities:

Audience	Individuals, Families, Employees
Project or Activity	Development of Financial Literacy Skills
Content or Curriculum	Use Less. Spend Less. Stress Less. curriculum; publications; MONEYWI$E newsletter and podcasts; PROFIT; Recovering Your Finances curriculum; OneOp; Big Blue Book Club; In the Face of Disaster; Leader Lessons; Money Habitudes; etc.
Inputs	Programmatic materials, paid staff, volunteers, community partners, non-profit organizations, schools, financial entities and organizations, businesses, etc.
Date(s)	Ongoing

 

Audience	Individuals, Families, Employees
Project or Activity	Development of Family Resource Management Skills
Content or Curriculum	Use Less. Spend Less. Stress Less. curriculum; publications; MONEYWI$E newsletter and podcasts; PROFIT; Recovering Your Finances curriculum; OneOp; Leader Lessons; etc.
Inputs	Programmatic materials, paid staff, volunteers, community partners, non-profit organizations, schools, Court system, community centers, etc.
Date(s)	Ongoing

 

Audience	Individuals, Families, Employees
Project or Activity	Estate Planning
Content or Curriculum	Estate Planning publication series; Transferring Cherished Possessions curriculum; MONEYWI$E newsletter and podcasts; OneOp; Leader Lessons; farm succession and legacy building programs; etc.
Inputs	Programmatic materials, paid staff, volunteers, community partners, non-profit organizations, schools, farms, community centers, etc.
Date(s)	Ongoing

 

Audience	Communities
Project or Activity	Local & Small Business Support
Content or Curriculum	Small Business Roadmap, SBDC publications, Growing Our Own, Economic Development Collaborative resources, Economic Subject Matter resources CEDIK Vibrant Economies toolkit, Creative Economy Program, KFMN, Market Ready Producer Training
Inputs	Programmatic materials, paid staff, small businesses, volunteers, community partners, non-project organizations, schools, farms, community centers, etc.
Date(s)	Ongoing

 

Youth

 

Audience	Youth
Project or Activity	Building a Healthy, Wealthy Future
Content or Curriculum	Building a Healthy, Wealthy Future
Inputs	4-H Family and Consumer Sciences programs in which youth experience a sense of belonging, and developmental relationships, explore their spark, and actively engage in meaningful opportunities.   Accredited and certified volunteers in 4-H FCS projects.  Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association  Clothing Volunteers  Four residential camping facilities.   Cooperative Extension Educational facilities.   Utilization of approved research-based curriculum.  Outreach of the Cooperative Extension Land-Grant System.   Funding from the Kentucky 4-H Foundation, Inc.   Funding from local, state, and federal sources.   Engagement of youth and volunteers in program delivery.   Engaging communities in identifying and implementing programming based on local needs.
Date(s)	September 1 – August 30

 

 

Audience	Youth
Project or Activity	Piggy Bank Contest
Content or Curriculum	Money Habitudes   Building a Healthy Wealthy Future   Jump$tart: Reality Check   Money Smart   Building Your Financial Future   Kentucky Saves Week
Inputs	4-H Family and Consumer Sciences programs in which youth experience a sense of belonging, and developmental relationships, explore their spark, and actively engage in meaningful opportunities.   Accredited and certified volunteers in 4-H FCS projects.  Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association  Cooperative Extension Educational facilities.   Utilization of approved research-based curriculum.  Funding from local, state, and federal sources.   Engagement of youth and volunteers in program delivery.
Date(s)	September 1 – August 30

 

Evaluation:

Outcome	Improved knowledge related to financial literacy concepts (initial)
Indicator	Number of individuals who reported increased knowledge of family finance and/or resource management concepts.
Method	Self-reported surveys
Timeline	Post-program/curricula survey administration

 

Outcome	Improved financial and/or resource management skills (e.g., creating a budget, checking credit report, developing an estate plan, etc.) (initial)
Indicator	Number of individuals who reported developing skills related to family finance and/or resource management
Method	Self-reported surveys
Timeline	Post-program/curricula survey administration or follow-up evaluation

 

Outcome	Increased confidence to implement family finance and resource management skills (e.g., budgeting, spending wisely, saving, using credit responsibly, reducing debt, estate planning, reducing fraud, etc.) (initial)
Indicator	Number of individuals who reported improved confidence to implement to family finance and/or resource management skills.
Method	Self-reported surveys
Timeline	Post-program/curricula survey administration

 

Outcome	Increased sound financial decision making (intermediate)
Indicator	Number of individuals who made a sound financial decision (e.g., regarding credit, budgeting, savings, debt, estate planning, fraud reduction, etc.).
Method	Self-reported surveys, documentation, or interviews
Timeline	Follow-up evaluations to capture action/behavior change over time.

 

Outcome	Implementation of financial literacy and resource management strategies/skills (intermediate)
Indicator	Number of individuals who implemented at least one strategy to better manage their family finances and resources (e.g., considered wants/needs, avoided bank fees, reviewed tax forms, set savings goals, started estate plan, developed budget, increased fraud protection, etc.).
Method	Self-reported surveys, documentation, or interviews
Timeline	Follow-up evaluations to capture action/behavior change over time.

 

Outcome	Increased savings (intermediate)
Indicator	Dollars reported saved as a result of participating in a financial education or family resource management program.
Method	Documentation (direct report, repeated survey) or interviews
Timeline	Ongoing/as changes are made and projects progress

 

Outcome	Improved business development and operation skills (e.g. marketing, branding, customer outreach)
Indicator	Number of small businesses who report developing skills related to business marketing, expansion, or retention through participating in Extension programming.
Method	Self-reported surveys, documentation, direct report
Timeline	Post-program survey administration; follow-up evaluation

 

Outcome	Improved knowledge of small business management and financial literacy concepts (initial)
Indicator	Number of small businesses who report increased knowledge of business financial management concepts (e.g. budgeting, pricing, taxes, financial planning)
Method	Self-reported surveys
Timeline	Post-program survey administration; follow-up evaluation

 

Outcome	Increased access to community financial resources through Extension support (intermediate)
Indicator	Number of grants or tangible financial resources accessed by communities, nonprofits, or small businesses as a result of Extension-supported initiatives
Method	Tracked through self-reported surveys from community partners, nonprofits and small businesses, documentation from grant reports where Extension provided support
Timeline	Ongoing

 

Outcome	Short term
Indicator	Number of youth who reported learning the differences between purchases made for “needs” vs “wants” .  Number of youth who reported that they learned about budgeting.  Number of youth who reported that they learned about savings.
Method	Standard Evaluation Tool for 4-H Family Consumer Sciences: Survey
Timeline	Immediate Post Program

 

Outcome	Medium Term
Indicator	Number of youth who reported that they have identified one or more jobs that might be a good fit for them in Family Consumer Sciences.   Number of youth who reported that have taken steps to pursue gaining knowledge for a job in Family Consumer Sciences.   Number of youth who reported that they have practiced budging skills.   Number of youth who reported that they have practiced needs versus wants knowledge when making purchases on a budget. .  Number of youth who reported that they have included savings in their budget.
Method	Standard Evaluation Tool for 4-H Family Consumer Sciences: Survey
Timeline	End of program year

 

Outcome	Long Term
Indicator	Long-term evaluation will be conducted using the National 4-H Index Study.
Method	Standard Evaluation Tool for 4-H Family Consumer Sciences: Survey
Timeline	1 or more years