Not a month goes by –and sometimes not a week – when I’m not asked, “Why is there a 4-H Foundation? What exactly do you do?” With a robust marketing and public-relations initiative launched last year and an increased level of public engagement, the number of times I hear this question is on the rise. With that in mind, I’ve decided I should take this opportunity to better explain our role with the Kentucky 4-H program and our mission as an organization. Hopefully, this will help you better understand who we are, what we do, and how we do it.
Who we are
The Kentucky 4-H Foundation Inc. is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to financially supporting the Kentucky 4-H program and its members across the Commonwealth. The Foundation operates under an Memorandum of Understanding with and is a partner of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service – 4-H Youth Development Program, UK College of Agriculture.
A 20-member Board of Directors from various geographic, economic, and professional backgrounds governs the Foundation. Most board members are 4-H alumni, but all have a passion for 4-H and helping Kentucky’s youth grow through the “learn-by-doing” experiences provided by 4-H, which build outstanding leaders with marketable skills to succeed in today’s global society.
What we do
What the 4-H Foundation does is best described by our recently adopted mission statement: Lead fund development for the Kentucky 4-H Youth Development Program and advance support by alumni and other stakeholders to ensure 4-H remains a vital center of excellence in the Commonwealth.
In short, we work every day to raise and manage the funds needed to support Kentucky 4-H. In addition to fundraising, we manage the assets of nine endowments with a value more than $2.6 million and other short-term investments. We also provide financial management for more than 60 4-H accounts with annual expenditures of more than $1 million.
How we do it
The Foundation accomplishes its mission with two main activities. The first is fundraising. We work to identify potential donors. Donors range from individuals to major corporate donors; no amount is too small or large. For major donors, we identify their interest and then work to match them with a particular 4-H program or project. For smaller donations, we use direct mail, on-line solicitation, and other ways to communicate and solicit.
Individuals, small businesses, and organizations are important parts of our donor base because they often provide the undesignated donations that allow the Foundation to do its work, support new programming, fill in when shortfalls happen, and support areas were a designated donor has not been secured. These undesignated donations to the Foundation’s Annual Fund are often the most needed resources. The Board also conducts fundraising events, such as the annual Kentucky 4-H Homecoming and Sporting Clays Tournament.
Second, we manage the financial side of more than 60 4-H program accounts. These programs range from projects like Horse, Dog, and SET to programs such as the Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference, 4-H Summit, and the new Achievement Program. We also manage 4-H Camp maintenance accounts and lead the Camp Improvement Campaign. We manage the revenue to each of these programs or projects, which may be donations, registration fees, or earnings from investments. The Foundation is then responsible for accounts payables and other accounting responsibilities.
If you’re already a donor, I say thank you and extend to you our deepest gratitude. We could not do our important work without you and you are the reason for our success. If you not a donor and want to support Kentucky’s youth – or maybe because there is a 4-H memory is near and dear to your heart — it’s never too late to share your passion for 4-H by donating to the Foundation to help Make the Best Better!
