County Support Agreements
Training Video Coming Soon.
On this page: Overview, About County Support Agreements, Workflow, Agreement Execution
Overview
County Support Agreements, sometimes called Local Agreements, play a critical role in ensuring the success of Cooperative Extension programs across California. These agreements not only formalize the collaboration between UC ANR and individual counties but also provide critical support to underserved populations and local communities, directly addressing county-specific needs through research, outreach, and education.
By outlining the responsibilities of both UC ANR and the County, these agreements ensure clarity and mutual understanding, creating a strong foundation for effective program delivery. The responsibilities may include delivery of UCCE programming, County financial or in-kind contributions, staffing, and resource management, all of which are vital to maintaining the extension programs that serve local agricultural, environmental, and community health needs.
The relationship between the UCCE County Director (CD) and County personnel is essential to the success of this collaboration. UCCE County Directors act as liaisons, fostering ongoing communication to ensure that the County's needs and priorities are understood and addressed by UC ANR. Strong relationships help foster collaboration and make the issuance/renewal process mutually beneficial.
About County Support Agreements
County Support Agreements are essential for sustaining the ongoing collaboration and support of counties serviced by UC ANR programs. These agreements not only secure resources but also ensure that all stakeholders remain engaged and committed to advancing the shared mission of UC ANR.
While contributions from counties may vary, every form of support—financial or otherwise—is vital to the successful implementation of UC ANR programs that strengthen local agriculture, conserve natural resources, and promote community health.
Maintaining and negotiating these agreements is about much more than compliance or mitigating risk. At its core, this process builds collaborative relationships that are flexible and responsive to the evolving needs of each county. Clear, written agreements provide a solid framework for future negotiations, enabling sustainable support and program longevity.
Our ultimate goal is to have updated agreements in place for all counties active within UC ANR, ensuring alignment with our mission and long-term success.
The success of County Support Agreements hinges on the relationship between County Directors (CDs) and County personnel. As liaisons, CDs actively engage with local leaders to ensure that both county and UC ANR needs, priorities, and wish lists are clearly understood and reflected in the agreements.
This ongoing communication is crucial to securing buy-in from counties and making the renewal process smooth. By maintaining a strong connection with county personnel, CDs help ensure that UC ANR programs remain relevant and responsive to local challenges, particularly when addressing community needs and underserved populations.
We rely on the CD to take initiative and responsibility over the relationship with the County, as they will be the main person communicating the needs and goals of each county to PCPA, as described below.
County Support Agreement Workflow
At PCPA, we're here to help facilitate County Support Agreements in a way that supports UC ANR’s programs without causing any hurdles. We aim to be as flexible as possible!
The timeframe from conception to final draft can vary from county to county, but expect the process to take six months or longer, excluding the County Board of Supervisors approval process. Certain factors may occasionally increase the turnaround time. This could be due to the nature of working with counties to verify all parties are following their policies and that each party agrees with the terms of the agreement. The length of time needed for PCPA to review and execute an agreement can also vary depending on the complexity of the terms.
County Directors are responsible for being the liaison between PCPA and the counties. They kick off the collaboration and handle communications between us and the counties. They are also responsible for tracking the progress of the agreement and providing updates to PCPA.
Reference the following steps to get your agreement review started. We're here to help make this process as smooth as possible for you!
County Support Agreement Steps |
#1 Initiate DiscussionThe CD approaches the County to discuss terms (or vice versa) – either to renew an existing agreement, update an outdated agreement, or establish a new agreement. |
#2 Keep Key Stakeholders InformedThe CD is responsible for keeping the Director for County Cooperative Extension informed throughout the negotiation process. |
#3 Communicate Needs to PCPAThe CD communicates the County’s needs to PCPA before presenting any draft agreement to the County. |
#4 Draft Agreement with PCPADuring the negotiation phase, reach out to newagreement@ucanr.edu to begin drafting the agreement using the PCPA template.
PCPA will help finalize the draft agreement before the CD presents it to the County. |
#5 CD Presents Draft to CountyThe CD presents the PCPA-approved draft to the County for review. |
#6 Review and RevisionsThe County reviews the draft, makes revisions as needed, and returns it to the CD. |
#7 Review and and Approval ProcessThe CD works with PCPA to review and approve any revisions to the draft. |
#8 Final NegotiationsBoth parties continue negotiations until both are satisfied with the agreement. |
#9 Execution ProcessPCPA assists in the execution process for ANR, while the County handles its own formal approval processes internally. |
Agreement Execution and Signature Authority
County Support Agreements must be executed by the authorized representatives of all parties. For UC ANR, the designated authorities are outlined in Delegation of Authority 1058, which has been re-delegated to the Vice President, the Associate Vice President Research and Extension, the Associate Vice President of Business Operations, etc.
The County Director (CD) also signs the agreement, but only to indicate that they have reviewed and recommended the terms to the appropriate authority.
PCPA arranges the execution process for ANR, while the County handles its own formal approval processes internally.