Build your best life. Trust Extension to help. Illinois Extension experts are here to help families, businesses, and communities solve problems and learn new skills with research-based webinars, virtual meetings, videos, and more. Let's Get Started Connect. Learn. Grow. Get Savvy: Tackling Taxes Jan 27 | NOON: Young adults and college students can learn about tax forms, deductions, credits, and other tax basics in this free online webinar. Winter Gardening Ideas From caring for a Christmas tree to keeping houseplants happy, Illinois Extension horticulture educators have you covered on ways to keep your green thumb active this winter! Cold Weather Resources From firewood and space heater safety, to feeding your family and keeping your home safe and warm, we've made it easy to find information to help. Online Master Gardener Training Give the gift of gardening. Illinois Master Gardening training starts in January and February with online only and hybrid options. Webinars and Digital Training Information you trust is just a click away. Illinois Extension’s high-quality programs are available for free online as live webinars. Miss a program? Check out the recordings. Let's Talk Money No matter where you are with finances, gain knowledge and build confidence to make positive changes for your financial present and future. Master Gardener Training Gain practical experience and horticulture knowledge straight from Extension educators so you can positively impact your community. Budget-Friendly Nutrition Tips Make healthier choices for your family on any budget. Find your healthy lifestyle with Eat. Move. Save. Advocate for the Environment Love nature? The Master Naturalist program works with adult volunteers to support natural spaces and wildlife around Illinois as environmental stewards. 4-H service project brushes off invasives In 1830, a young Abraham Lincoln traveled from Indiana with his family to settle in Illinois. Almost two centuries later, new young leaders are following in his footsteps by preserving the state’s natural legacy at his namesake park. Smaller turkeys, lower prices on Thanksgiving menu With more intimate gatherings being the new norm for Thanksgiving and Christmas, small whole turkeys at lower prices are on the menu in 2020. Diabetes Tools and Resources 1 in 10 people in the U.S. have diabetes. This collection of diabetes webinars, tools and resources on meal planning, stress management and other topics can help people with diabetes understand risk factors and adopt healthy behaviors to better manage their diabetes. Illinois Master Gardener volunteers recognized for their dedication You may not know the names of Illinois’ Master Gardeners, but you know their work. Horticulture is their passion and their mission is helping others learn to grow. Green your Halloween by composting pumpkins This Halloween, don’t trash your pumpkins, smash them. Decomposing organic materials in landfills are a major source of the greenhouse gas methane. Illinois teen crowned national 4-H civic engagement winner Elizabeth Weidner won the national 4-H Youth in Action Pillar Award for Civic Engagement. Elizabeth is an advocate for pediatric cancer awareness, research, and funding, and works to support the families patients. COMMUNITY RESOURCES Response resources for COVID-19 The spread and mitigation of coronavirus (COVID-19) is an evolving concern for Illinois. This library of resources can help families, businesses, community leaders, and ag producers cope. Find Local Food Resources Find all food assistance sites closest to your Illinois zip code, including food pantries, school meal sites, and grocery stores and farmers markets that accept WIC/SNAP. Economic and Functional Value A new report finds that Extension provides more than $600 million annual benefit to Illinois, ten times its budget. Read the report. En Espanol La Extensión de la Universidad de Illinois es el principal alcance emblemático de la Universidad de Illinois en Urbana-Champaign, que ofrece programas educativos a los residentes de los 102 condados de Illinois, y mucho más. Upcoming Events January 26, 2021 Intro to Fruit Tree Pruning: From the “Old and Neglected” to the “Just Planted” Fruit Trees On-line via Zoom (Stephenson County) 2021 Driftless Region Beef ConferenceOnline $1000 to Spend: Online Simulation EventOnline simulation (Rock Island County) McLean County 4-H New Family OrientationZoom (McLean County) Carroll-Lee-Whiteside Teen Teacher ProgramOnline More Events Recent News January 25, 2021 Winter pruning boosts blackberry and raspberry harvests January 22, 2021 Southern Illinois growers rely on Extension's sound production advice January 22, 2021 Live happy, healthier, wealthier lives; Extension can help January 22, 2021 4-H helps feed hungry families in their communities January 21, 2021 Local officials gain federal impact perspective in free session More News Releases