All Reasonable Effort (ARE) is how program leaders market program offerings to various groups. It is the act of inviting new participants to the program to increase diversity to accurately reflect the communities we serve. For the UC Master Gardener Program, we are required to document the usage of these four methods internally (when recruiting new volunteers) and externally (when recruiting the public to participate in our program).
ARE is achieved when three out of the four federally approved outreach methods are used in a program year. The four All Reasonable Effort methods are:
- Individual Effort: face-to-face, phone calls, text messages
- Personal letters or emails: Personal letters must address the recipient by name and invite them to an event with a specific time and place.
- Promotional Materials: Newsletters, posters, flyers
- Mass Media: Social Media, podcasts, press releases
ARE Webinar
To learn more about ARE for the UC Master Gardener Program watch the July 2024, All Reasonable Effort webinar hosted by Jocelyn Mobley, UC Master Gardener Program Impact and Evaluation Coordinator and Kit Alviz, UCOP Program Planning and Evaluation.
Roles and Responsibilities
The statewide office and UC ANR program planning and evaluation collect county ARE information once a year, in July, through an All Reasonable Effort Qualtrics survey. Below is a table of the matrix used to gather the counties’ ARE practices.
| Trainee Recruitment | Public Recruitment |
Mass Media Effort | Yes/No/I’m not sure | Yes/No/I’m not sure |
Individual Effort | Yes/No/I’m not sure | Yes/No/I’m not sure |
Promotional Effort | Yes/No/I’m not sure | Yes/No/I’m not sure |
Personal Letter Effort | Yes/No/I’m not sure | Yes/No/I’m not sure |
County Program's Role
The county’s role in All Reasonable Effort (ARE) is vital to ensuring that outreach and recruitment efforts are documented and sustained. Each county is responsible for keeping a detailed record of its ARE practices for at least three years. This helps ensure compliance with federal guidelines and supports ongoing efforts to reach diverse and underserved audiences. County program leaders must also attend the annual ARE webinar to stay informed on best practices and evolving strategies. Additionally, they are required to complete the ARE Qualtrics survey, distributed each July, which gathers data on the methods used to recruit new volunteers and public participants. This annual report is crucial for tracking outreach effectiveness and ensuring that ARE efforts reflect the diversity of the communities served.
Contact Jocelyn Mobley at jmmobley@ucanr.edu to schedule a meeting to learn how to incorporate best ARE practices into your program!
ARE Reports
Results from the All Reasonable Effort Qualtrics Survey