Extension was authorized by the passage of the Smith-Lever Act in 1914. The federal law established the Cooperative Extension Service to be administered through each state’s land-grant university. In Illinois, Extension operates through the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Funding for Extension includes federal funds and grants, state funds and grants (through the Illinois Department of Agriculture), local municipalities (both allocations and tax levies), and private donations. With this complex funding structure comes specific requirements for transparent acknowledgment of affiliations, as well as adherence to all non-discrimination and accessibility policies of the federal and state governments and the university.

Download the Required Statements Best Practices Guide.

The Statements:

College Affiliation: College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

Cooperating Statement: University of Illinois, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Local Extension Councils Cooperating.

EEO Equal Opportunity Statement: University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Copyright Statement (if needed): ©2024 University of Illinois Board of Trustees. For permission to reprint, revise, or otherwise use, contact extension@illinois.edu.

Accommodation Statement (if needed): If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact the event coordinator. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your needs.

Smith Lever Fund Statement (if needed): Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the US Department of Agriculture by the Director, Cooperative Extension Service, and University of Illinois.

Extension Boilerplate for New Releases: Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities. Illinois Extension is part of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences.

When to use what

Use case examples below highlight which statements are required for common Extension materials.

Promotional Flyer | Marketing Brochure

• Extension wordmark
• ACES College affiliation
• Cooperating statement
• Equal opportunity statement
• ADA statement A (if promoting a meeting, event, or webinar)
• Contact information

Social Media Posts and Graphics

• Block I logo
• Extension Name

Video (all items included in the official Extension video bumper)

• Block I logo
• Extension Name
• ACES College affiliation
• Cooperating statement
• Equal opportunity statement

Print Newsletters

• Extension wordmark
• ACES College affiliation
• Cooperating statement
• Equal opportunity statement
• ADA statement A (if promoting a meeting, event, or webinar)
• Contact information

E-newsletter

• Extension wordmark
• ACES College affiliation
• Cooperating statement (typically a link in footer)
• Equal opportunity statement (typically a link in footer)
• ADA statement A (if promoting a meeting, event, or webinar)
• Physical address of the office sending the newsletter
• Copyright statement (if including educational content)

Print Curriculum | Educational Publications

• Extension wordmark on the cover of the publication
• ACES College affiliation
• ADA statement B (if course permanently housed online)
• Copyright statement
• Cooperating statement
• Equal opportunity statement
• Smith-Lever statement (if applicable)

Powerpoint

• Block I logo
• Extension Name
• Copyright statement
• Cooperating statement
• Equal opportunity statement 
• ADA statement B

Website

• Cooperating statement (typically a link in footer)
• Equal opportunity statement (typically a link in footer)
• Web Privacy Notice (typically a link in footer)