Coaching or Mentoring?

Not that many years ago it wasn’t very cool to have a coach for personal development. It was seen as somewhat of a weakness if you sought out a coach for help. Today, it’s different. You want to learn and grow because you’re after increased effectiveness. It’s cool to have a coach.

On the other hand, mentors have been a big part of personal and professional networks throughout our lives. These relationships continue to be a vital part of our development and the quality of our lives. Mentors are mindful in assisting on your journey to sustained excellence.

The Extension Foundation was formed in 2006 by Extension Directors and Administrators. Today, the Foundation partners with Cooperative Extension through liaison roles and a formal plan of work with the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) to increase system capacity while providing programmatic services, and helping Extension programs scale and investigate new methods and models for implementing programs. The Foundation provides professional development to Cooperative Extension professionals and offers exclusive services to its members. In 2020 and 2021, the Extension Foundation has awarded 85% of its direct funding back to the Cooperative Extension System, 100% of funds are used to support Cooperative Extension initiatives.

This technology is supported in part by New Technologies for Agriculture Extension grant no. 2020-41595-30123 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and membership funding. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.