UNR Cooperative Extension launches Southern Nye County needs survey

The University of Nevada, Reno Cooperative Extension began soliciting public input for Southern Nye County on Jan. 2, opening a needs-assessment survey that will remain available through Jan. 31, 2026. Available in both English and Spanish, the questionnaire asks residents to identify priorities across children, youth and families; health and nutrition; the natural environment; and community and economic development, and to describe how familiar they are with UNR Extension services and which formats and topics would make programming more accessible.

Survey topics explicitly include addiction, public health and health care, internet access, tourism, housing affordability, renewable energy and workforce readiness, among other local concerns. Participants who complete the survey are entered for a chance to win a $50 gift card as a thank-you for their time. The Pahrump Cooperative Extension office at 1651 E. Calvada Blvd. is identified as the local hub for future programming shaped by the feedback.

For local residents, the assessment represents a direct mechanism to influence what services and outreach are prioritized in the coming months and years. Responses on workforce readiness and internet access, for example, can inform training programs and broadband-related support that affect employment prospects and business development in a county where remote work and energy projects are increasingly salient. Input on housing affordability and tourism can guide community-development activities that intersect with county planning and private investment decisions.

From a policy and market perspective, the Cooperative Extension’s survey functions as a low-cost data collection effort to align public educational resources with measured local demand. The results will allow Extension staff to allocate limited programming capacity toward areas with demonstrated resident interest, which can improve program effectiveness and potentially leverage external funding or partnerships if clear community needs are documented.

The bilingual format aims to broaden participation and improve representativeness of responses across Southern Nye County’s diverse populations. Because the survey window is limited to January, residents who want to influence next year’s Extension offerings should respond before the Jan. 31 deadline. Feedback collected through this process will be used to design local programming delivered from the Pahrump office at 1651 E. Calvada Blvd.