If adversity brings opportunity, great opportunity may now be on the doorstep. The dual forces of an economy transitioning from an industrial focus to an innovation imperative, and a global financial downturn of massive proportions are leaving families, organizations,and communities scrambling for relief, solutions, and hope. Meanwhile, a long-time community presence, Cooperative Extension, is finding itself increasingly marginalized as its agricultural roots and stakeholders constitute a diminishing influence within the university, the economy, and the political landscape. In the midst of this pressure for communities and Extension organizations to reinvent themselves, concerns about global warming, national security, and rising energy prices are pushing energy issues to center stage. The emergent possibility is for Cooperative Extension to play a catalytic economic development role in communities interested in taking advantage of energy opportunities by leveraging its ubiquitous community presence, and linking communities to the extensive energy expertise of universities.