You might know Michigan State University Extension for 4-H, gardening advice or its work with Michigan farmers and growers. But that’s only part of the story for the organization with deep roots in every county of the state.
Across Michigan, MSU Extension connects residents with university expertise and practical, research-based resources for some of life’s biggest decisions — and lots of everyday ones, too. Whether you’re buying a house, launching a business or looking for ways to make your community stronger, there is an MSU Extension program that can help.
Here are five ways people across the state can tap into MSU Extension’s knowledge and resources.
Buying your first home
Buying a home is a major life milestone, but for first-time buyers, it also brings on a slew of questions, such as: “Could I buy a house? Should I buy a house? What exactly is a mortgage?”
For more than 20 years, MSU Extension has helped Michigan residents navigate the homebuying process with education and one-on-one support from certified housing counselors who can help prospective homeowners understand every step in the homebuying process.
Extension is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and offers programming in live virtual seminars, in-person workshops and self-paced online learning.
Launching your own business
For Michiganders who want to turn a favorite recipe into a product or start their own food company, MSU Extension can help.
For more than two decades, the MSU Product Center has been connecting entrepreneurs with MSU expertise and industry resources to help them launch and grow successful businesses.
A free, self-paced course from MSU Extension and the MSU Product Center covers the basics of starting a food truck business in Michigan, including creating a business plan, developing menus, and understanding marketing and licensing. The course is available in both English and Spanish.
For entrepreneurs ready to take an idea further, the MSU Product Center provides expertise and one-on-one support to help Michigan food and agriculture businesses develop products, navigate regulations and reach customers. In 2025 alone, the Product Center worked with more than 500 clients who launched 88 new products into the marketplace and created or retained more than 400 jobs in Michigan.
Becoming a better leader for your community
MSU Extension programs prepare local officials and residents for the decisions that shape their communities. Through training in zoning, land use, local government finance and leadership, participants gain knowledge they can put to work where they live.
That was the case for Niles Annelin of the Michigan Department of Transportation, who took part in Extension’s Great Lakes Leadership Academy, which prepares leaders across industries to build trust and navigate complex systems.
“Gaining knowledge on topics such as meeting management techniques, conflict resolution and communication styles were immediately applicable to my work at MDOT.”
Michelle Parkkonen, managing director of technical assistance programs with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, has seen the difference training can make through the Zoning Administrator Certificate, or ZAC, Program.
“ZAC delivers results that matter for economic growth,” Parkkonen says. “Communities with predictable zoning and strong customer service, core outcomes of ZAC training, are consistently more competitive in attracting community-driven development.”
Living your best life
Across the state, MSU Extension provides research-based health and wellness resources and programs that help people manage stress and chronic illnesses, improve their sleep, strengthen social connections, grow their parenting skills, eat well and much more.
Thousands of Michigan residents have participated in diabetes prevention and management programs by MSU Extension health educators, who share tips on managing medications, navigating stress and communicating with healthcare providers.
“I have more knowledge now. I’m more careful,” says Sherida Burch, who took an MSU Extension diabetes management class. “I can see where I need to get a vegetable in. I’ve learned about foot care, wound healing and things you don’t think about or know. I’ve learned so much.”
Health and well-being extend beyond physical health, though, which is why MSU Extension also offers programs to support mental and emotional well-being.
One participant describing the changes they experienced after taking a Sleep Education is for Everyone Program, or SLEEP, says, “I feel more refreshed and energized. I am thinking more clearly, my memory and attention span has improved, and my mood is definitely consistent, whereas I had more ups and downs prior to taking the SLEEP course.”
And for both new and seasoned parents, the Building Early Emotional Skills program helps parents and guardians better understand their children and their emotions.
“This class has truly helped me cope with day-to-day feelings and actions that both my child and I have,” says Deondra Harris, a Saginaw County resident who participated in the program. “Even though I am the mother of six children, ages 21, 20, 18, 12, 3 and 2, I couldn’t have been more excited to attend this class. I now feel more at ease with our day-to-day routines, and I have a deeper admiration for this smart, tiny, little person that stands before me.”
Protecting Michigan’s plants and animals
When Mackinac Island’s famous lilacs were threatened by an insect pest, MSU Extension experts and volunteers traveled to the island to help bring them back to health.
“We have the annual 10-day Lilac Festival that celebrates the lilacs and brings people in,” says Steph Castelein, with the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. “But caring for them is a challenge. It takes time. It takes energy. It takes people, and it takes people who know what they’re doing.”
After several seasons and with the help of nearly 30 volunteers, the historic plants are flourishing again, preserving a beloved feature for islanders and visitors to enjoy for years to come.
That same reach extends beyond plants. MSU Extension and Michigan Sea Grant are working with communities and partners to restore lake sturgeon to the Saginaw River system, where nearly 8,000 young sturgeon have been stocked, helping build healthier waterways that support recreation and local economies.
And for Michigan’s growing population of beekeepers, MSU Extension offers research-based education and resources to help them care for their hives and support healthy pollinator populations, no matter how big or small the operation.
“I have felt like our apiary is too small to bother the Extension office. I see that is not the case,” says one beekeeping program participant. “I will continue to utilize [MSU] Extension resources more in the future.”
Expertise that belongs to everyone
For more than a century, the knowledge and resources of Michigan State University Extension have been reaching generations of Michigan residents, helping solve problems, build skills, strengthen communities and make everyday life better.
Explore more of what MSU Extension has to offer.
