Langston University’s Cooperative Extension is about to get bigger.

The extension spans 19 Oklahoma counties, but that number will reach 28 thanks to new funding. Langston University President Ruth Ray Jackson said the university received $2.5 million more in agriculture programs and research funding this year.

Money for extension research and programs comes from the federal government, and the state is required to match it dollar for dollar. After steadily increasing its funding match, this is the first time the state has reached a 100% funding match for the university, according to a university press release.

The extension provides educational programs and services to producers and the general public, including working with the state’s historic All-Black Towns, 4-H youth development program and connecting farmers with smaller operations to resources.

For Micah Anderson, a horticulture extension educator, this means connecting to more people. He said the growing extension staff is gradually contacting more people and trying to help underserved farmers.

“It's just a good feeling that you're able to reach people, and people are being helped,” Anderson said.

He said it also means the extension will need to use more community-based organizations and probably add people.

The university received $3.5 million dollars for delayed maintenance projects. About $2.5 million is going toward replacing the roof on the university’s Oklahoma City campus, which was the former News 9 headquarters.

This comes after state lawmakers called for an audit following a letter from the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Agriculture saying the university is one of 16 historically Black colleges that have been underfunded. According to the letter, Langston University has been underfunded by more than $400 million dollars since 1987.