Civil Rights
CESP 2-3: Notification to Groups of Nondiscrimination
Date Revised: 5-12-2025
Supersedes: 7-27-2014
Summary: Establishes policy requiring annual notification to organizations of Extension's policy of nondiscrimination and documentation of nondiscrimination status of organizations and groups requesting Extension assistance.
USDA regulations issued pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 require that Extension can provide assistance only to those organizations that do not exclude any person from membership or participation in any activities of the organization or subject any person to discrimination because of race, color, sex, or national origin. Pursuant to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Extension cannot provide significant assistance to organizations that exclude any person from membership or participation on the basis of sex. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits significant assistance to organizations that exclude people from membership or participation on the basis of disability. Pursuant to the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Extension cannot provide assistance to organizations which illegally exclude people from membership or participation on the basis of age. The Extension faculty members involved are responsible for assuring that an organization or group is nondiscriminatory in these areas before rendering Extension assistance. Such assurances must be documented.
All county extension offices are required to maintain in the county civil rights file the annual notification to all organizations worked with concerning Extension policy relating to discriminatory practices. When state Extension faculty members assist an organization or group at the request of an area or county Extension faculty member, the responsibility for assuring nondiscrimination rests with the requesting faculty member. When a state Extension faculty member works directly with an organization or group, the responsibility for assuring nondiscrimination rests with the faculty members involved.
All organizations and groups with which Extension works regularly on a continuing basis (except governmental agencies) are to be notified annually concerning regulations related to nondiscriminatory practices that are conditional to Extension assistance. Organizations receiving this letter of notification might include:
• Garden Clubs
• Farm Organizations
• Commodity Organizations or Groups
• Chamber of Commerce
• Fair Organizations
• Chambers of Commerce
• Others as Appropriate
See suggested letters for use by state and county faculty members listed below:
Often, the requirements of the annual notification are confused with the requirements of the Public Notification Plan. For example, it is not necessary to send the annual notification letter to a grass roots organization unless the Extension Service is also working with the grass roots organization on a continuing basis in one or more of the program areas. The grass roots organizations should be notified of new programs and program changes on an as needed basis, which might be several times a year or less than once a year.
Before rendering assistance to any organization or group, it is the responsibility of the county Extension agent to determine that the organization or group is nondiscriminatory. The agent must document this determination and maintain this documentation in the county files for a period of three years.
Forms:
PCT - 02: Determination of Nondiscrimination Status Organizations and Groups