4H The Publics Youth Organization

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4-HThe Publics Youth Organization

• Dorothy McCargo Freeman
• State 4-H Leader Assistant Director
• Center for 4-H Youth Development
• University of Minnesota Extension Service

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I pledge

• My head to clearer thinking,
• My heart to greater loyalty,
• My hands to larger service and
• My health to better living,
• For my Family, my Club, my Community, my Country
  and my World.
• Repeated time and time again by thousands of
  youth
• Identifies the guiding principles and outcomes
  created over 100 years ago

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An American Idea

• 4-H Youth Development which turned 100 years old
  in 2002, is an American ideathe worlds largest,
  dynamic, informal educational program for young
  people based on democratic principles.
• National 4-H Week Speech, Oct. 2004
• Cathann Kress, Ph.D.
• National 4-H Headquarters, CSREES, USDA

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One Hundred Three Years Later

• We ask
• What is our value?
• Why do we do this work?
• What are the main tasks involved in being a
  public youth organization?
• I believe the Answers may be found in a
  discussion of
• What is the essence of 4- H Youth Development?

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What is the Essence of 4-HYouth Development?

• To engage young people in the work of the
  Land-Grant University and USDA
• To teach knowledge and life skills which enhance
  quality of life
• To create opportunities which promote positive
  youth development

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A Cooperative Venture

• The authority for the 4-H Youth Development
  program is vested in a cooperative structure
  between youth, interested adult volunteers, and
  the professional expertise of the land-grant
  universities and the United States Department of
  Agriculture.
• We partner with Counties and their citizens to
  make this program available to young people.
• The cornerstone of this cooperative venture is
  the relationships between Federal (USDA/CSREES),
  State (Land-Grant University/U of MN) and County
  Governments.

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So What??

• A public organization. This makes 4-H a public
  youth organization, under the Cabinet level of
  the Secretary of Agriculture, at the direct
  request of Congress.
• With 501(c) (3) status as given under a group
  ruling issued by the Internal Revenue Service
  (IRS) ruling letter of February 9, 1973.

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Our Public Responsibility

• As a public program, there are a number of
  inherent responsibilities.
• Our programs must be open to all without regard
  to race, religion, etc.
• Be good stewards of the program and of the fiscal
  and human resources required to do that program
  well.

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A Public Program Open to All

• Not only are we open to all young people, but we
  are also not issue specific or gender specific in
  our approach to delivering value for that public
  investment. This makes 4-H different in many
  respects from other youth development
  organizations.

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A Publics Youth Organization

• Our National or State Missions
• Are not gender specific boys vs. girls
• Are not issue specific - teenage pregnancy,
  prevention of, etc.
• Are not age specific - for teenagers only
• Are not race or ethnic specific
• Are not location specific - rural vs. urban vs.
  suburban
• Understanding this helps us identify potential
  audiences to help us Grow Green

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Growing Green/Our Opportunity

• We have excellent programmatic tools
• Making 4-H Clubs Better materials
• 4-H Adventure
• Utilize a systems approach to accomplish Goal
• Target locations of potential populations
• Provide staff resources to recruit and engage
  diverse audiences
• Enhance current programs and create initiatives
  that may be used to attract new audiences.
• Leadership
• Intercultural Communication Competence
• Science and Technology
• Desired Outcome A Balanced Portfolio

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Our Public Responsibility

• Requires good stewardship of the program and of
  the fiscal and human resources required to do
  that program well.
• Programs Stewardship assure quality experiences
  for young people
• We provide support for staff development,
  training of volunteers, and the materials that
  are used in the program.
• Fiscal and Human Resource Stewardship we all
  operate in good conscience in the form of
  assuring funds raised under the name and emblem
  are used to advance the public work of the 4-H
  program

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Program Stewardship

• Club Quality Assurance
• Adventure Quality Assurance
• Program Planning
• Program Reviews and Sun-Setting
• All Staff reporting on same five (5) criteria
• Assure delivery
• Ensure quality
• Grow green
• Strengthen support
• Increase access

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Fiscal and Human Resource Stewardship

• Fiscal and human resource stewardship means that
  we all operate in good conscience in the form of
  assuring funds raised under the name and emblem
  are used to advance the public work of the 4-H
  program.
• National Leadership
• 2004 received National guidelines on use of 4-H
  Name and Emblem
• Minnesota 4-H Framing the Issue Committee
• Agreed to follow Nationals lead
• Reviewed Minnesotas current standings
• Minnesota Strategies for Implementation

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Our most recent Communication

• E-mail dated 2/3/05

State Leaders  FYIthere is discussion in
Congress to tighten the government oversight of
tax exempt organizations.  You can read a draft
at this sitehttp//www.arentfox.com/PDFs/Senate
20Draft.pdfMight have implications for our
foundations, or some of our groups greg
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Understanding our Working Guidelines

• Land Grant Universities (1862s, 1890s and
  1994s) and State Cooperative Extension Services
  have been granted the authority to use the 4-H
  NE they have not been made authorizing
  designees for the Secretary of Agriculture.
• This means
• Within a state, the 4-H NE may be used in
  support of the state programs.
• But, state officials may not authorize other
  entities beyond the scope of their program to use
  the 4-H NE.

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What authorities do private partners and
organizations have related to the 4-H NE?

• Private entities must be
• Sanctioned by an appropriate body within the
  Cooperative Extension System
• And, authorized by National 4-H Headquarters to
  use the 4-H Name and Emblem.
• They are much like the Land Grant Universities
  and State Cooperative Extension Services and have
  been granted the authority to use the 4-H NE,
  they have not been made authorizing designees for
  the Secretary of Agriculture.
• They have additional limitations on their use as
  well.

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Additional Limitations on Private Entities

• All private incorporated organizations, must
  obtain authorization from National 4-H
  Headquarters for use of the NE.
• All private incorporated organizations are
  prohibited by federal regulation from using 4-H
  in their job titles.
• All private incorporated organizations are
  prohibited from extending their use of the 4-H
  NE to any materials, products, projects, events
  or activities for which they have not received
  specific approval from National 4-H Headquarters.

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4-H NE Authorization Processes

• The 4-H NE is a federally protected mark.
• Everyone using that mark must have authorization
  to do so. We have different mechanisms for
  authorizing different entities
• State and local Cooperative Extension Services
• 4-H Clubs, Volunteer Leaders and 4-H members
• Affiliated Committees, groups and other entities
• Activities and Events
• Incorporated Groups
• Commercial Vendors
• State and local Cooperative Extension Services
• Authorization to use the 4-H NE is part of 18
  USC 707.

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Our Realities

• Training
• Lack of understanding of fiscal policies (both
  University and National 4-H)
• Lack of appropriate policies/guidelines for all
  different groups
• Policies and Guidelines
• Wide range in how current 4-H Name and Emblem and
  financial policies are implemented.
• Relationship of type of clubs/groups to the
  amount of money raised in county and how that
  money is utilized or not utilized to support the
  whole program.
• Revenue Generation and accountability of funds
• Lack of trust
• Auditable trails
• Fiscal management required of 501 ( c ) (3)
  organizations

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My Reality

• This may affect you if
• There are 4-H groups that you dont have
  financial reports on
• There are groups that carry private incorporated
  status but also have 501 (c ) (3) status of the
  National 4-H group ruling
• There are programming events that cater to
  private gain of the individual
• I am being held accountable, but when asked could
  not provide auditable trails of the dollars
  raised.
• There are individuals who may have given more
  than 250 but may not have received the
  appropriate receipt or we did not file form 990.
• There are not records in my office that tells me
  how much money is raised in support of the 4-H
  Name and Emblem.

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Dont Panic

• Remember there is a group working on this for us.
• Follow the groups lead.
• Working on it one-case-at-a time.
• We are not the only State that has
  operationalized the policies and guidelines as we
  did.
• But, we did this and time has come to make
  changes.

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Our Plan The Outcomes

• Desired Outcome
• Key stakeholders, internally and externally,
  (staff, volunteers, youth) willingly and
  consistently implement financial policies,
  guidelines and procedures.
• Indicator of Success
• Clear set of policies/procedures posted to
  internal web site
• Ownership is with each of us being called keeper
  of the Clover.

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Our Plan Action Steps

• Number I Clarify Use of Name and Emblem
• Consult with legal entities regarding
  responsibilities of groups using name and emblem.
• Identify which groups are encompassed by 4-H
  Fiscal requirements (clubs, federations, project
  groups, committees, 4-H fair groups).
• Develop a position paper that share a clear,
  concise rationale.

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Our Plan Action Steps

• Number II Clarify Policies Development
• Clarify financial policies, guidelines and
  procedures.
• Develop a short list of clearly stated policies
  that apply across all groups pilot test, revise
  as necessary.
• Develop guidelines and procedures for selected
  groups that compliment overall policies, pilot
  test, revise as necessary.
• Develop teaching guides and resources related to
  specific topics for helping groups implement.

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Our Plan Action Steps

• Number III Communication Plan
• Develop process and timeline for sharing and
  engaging stakeholders statewide in dialogue
  around name and emblem
• Identify stakeholder groups and within each group
  identify key allies and those who may potentially
  have negative objections
• Schedule and host opportunities for purposeful
  dialogues.
• Post position paper, policies, guidelines, and
  procedures on 4-H website.
• Include position paper in newsletter.
• Serve as a resource to support county
  implementations.

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Our Dialogue ORID

• Objective Question
• What are the main components that would define
  good stewardship of fiscal and human resources?
• Reflective Question
• What is relatively easy/difficult for us to
  deliver on as it relates to these components?
• Interpretive Question
• What are the main things that are needed to
  insure success of good stewardship of fiscal and
  human resources
• Decisional Question
• Committee will review and utilize information to
  guide the work.