Innovation is often referred to as something tangible, a new technology or program design that we can put our hands on or new concept that we can begin to define. But these things result from a program innovation process that we can support to make easier and stronger. As Extension professionals, we are called upon to be innovative, but there are certain individual, group and organizational factors enable and challenge the process. In this session, we will show how innovation is an ongoing, iterative process of translating new ideas into improved program performance. Using examples from a study of innovative Extension programs in Minnesota and nationwide, we will describe a framework of five key factors that can support or resist innovation, and illuminate how this framework can be used in developmental evaluation with Extension staff to strengthen program innovation through improving the factors that support it.