Impact

Long-term outcomes/impacts are improvements to societal conditions experienced by a group, population, or area. These types of changes take time to be realized because they occur after program participants have first gained knowledge and skills and then adopted or changed behaviors or practices as a result of their participation in educational programs.

Three categories of condition change outcomes describe how UC ANR research and extension project/programs can make a difference in people's lives:

Economic improvements:

Households, businesses/industries and/or communities enjoy greater opportunities and control over the production, development and management of their resources:
money, labor, materials

Examples:

• reduced operating costs
• average reduction of in monthly spending on food
• savings through prevention
• better decision making
• economic policy development or improvements

Social improvements (includes health status and civic progress):

Families, groups and communities experience improved nutrition and health and decreased incidence of food-related sickness and disease. Families, schools, work settings, and/or communities experience enhanced wellbeing.

Citizens, communities, government work more effectively and efficiently for the public good.

Examples:

• decrease in incidence of food-borne illness
• reduction in cases of back injury
• increase in voluntary compliance with regulations
• increase in participation in local government and civic organizations
• increase in youth engagement in civic activities

Environmental improvements:

Land, water, air, soil, plant and animal resources will be protected, clean and safe.

Examples:

• pollution prevention or reduction
• decreased incidence of exotic or invasive pests
• new and/or improved environmental policies and management
• acres of agricultural land protected in land trusts
• restoration of riparian habitats