How are the Statewides funded?
The three statewide public service programs are each mandated by separate, long-standing federal and state legislation. The Oregon legislature provides funding for the Statewides in three distinct line items in the state budget. State appropriations enable the Statewides to receive and compete for federal, local and external sources that fund research, outreach, innovation and other activities across the state.
This investment helps keep OSU at the forefront of bringing the latest science and technology to bear on the issues facing Oregonians and ensuring sustainable food and agricultural systems, forests, environments and communities for the future.
2022 legislative session
See details in OSU's 2022 legislative report.
While there were some individual investments in Extension programing and Experiment Station improvement projects, OSU did not receive the $2.2 million requested to maintain current service levels for the OSU Statewides. As a result, these programs have less capacity to address Oregon's critical needs and emerging issues.
2021-23 funding
The Statewides received $151.9 million in the 2021 legislative session, which represents a 5.88% increase. This was $2.2 million less than the full continuing service level funding request.
| Statewide Public Service Program | 2021-23 Legislatively Approved Budget* | 2021-23 Base Funding Request | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Experiment Station | $80.5 M | $81.7 M | $1.17 M |
| OSU Extension Service | $59.3 M | $60.1 M | $863 K |
| Forest Research Laboratory | $12.1 M | $12.3 M | $176 K |
| Total | $151.9 M | $154.1 M | $2.2 M |
| * Includes restoration of 2020 Special Session cuts. An additional $4.4 M for Statewides facilities support was moved to the Statewides base budget from the Public University Support Fund per changes to the HECC’s funding allocation model. | |||
2019-21 and 2020 Special Session funding
In the second special session of 2020, the Oregon Legislature approved a 2.5% cut to the Statewides for the current biennium. Compounded to a single fiscal year, this equates to a 5% cut in FY21.
The Oregon legislature approved a $19.2 million funding increase (15.4%) for the Statewides for the 2019-21 biennium. This increase includes $14.4 million to cover continued service level costs and address past budget shortfalls and $5.2 million for new initiatives, including $2 million to the OSU Extension Service for fire resilience and recovery and a total of nearly $2.7 million to the Agricultural Experiment Station and Extension for water quality and quantity programs. The legislature also approved $375,000 for organic agriculture Extension, and one-time funding of $125,000 for a continuing Agriculture Experiment Station berry research position.