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Frequently Asked Questions About the Michigan 4-H Youth Participation Fee
Who Pays?
Is the fee for youth, volunteers or both?
This fee is only for youth participants.
Does every youth involved in 4-H in any way have to pay the fee, or only those in a club?
At this time, youth involved in clubs are charged the $10 annual participation fee. Youth who are NOT currently members of a 4-H club are charged $10 to attend a paid, multiple-day 4-H event, in addition to any normal registration fee. For instance, a teen who registers to attend Exploration Days and is not in a 4-H club is charged the normal registration fee, plus an additional $10. When a non-4-H-club youth registers to attend a 4-H event and pays the $10 fee, the county 4-H educator should take that opportunity to encourage the youth to enroll in 4-H, since paying the $10 fee entitles that youth to all the benefits of 4-H enrollment.
As the fee program evolves, we will investigate the possibility of additional participation fees for youth involved in 4-H through schools and community partnerships, where fees are deemed appropriate.
How does the participation fee relate to youth in the REAACT program, the Proud Equestrian Program (PEP) or other special projects?
Grants for grant-funded programs should be written to include a $10 participant fee for those involved in the program. For PEP, the definition of “youth participant” includes mentally and/or physically challenged participants up to age 26. If the PEP participants are in a separate club, not hosted or supported by an outside granting entity, they are considered to be 4-H club members and pay the $10 participant fee.
If an FFA member wants to participate in a 4-H junior livestock show/sale, does the fee need to be paid?
If the show/sale is a collaboration between FFA and 4-H, a youth involved only in FFA is not required to pay. If it is solely a 4-H event, the FFA member pays a $10 fee in order to participate, if he or she is not also a 4-H member and if the event is for multiple days. Any youth not enrolled in 4-H who participates in a 4-H program and pays the $10 fee is entitled to join 4-H (i.e., they’ve already paid the annual participation fee), and his/her family should be contacted by the county’s 4-H educator about the benefits of enrolling in 4-H.
If an event is free-of-charge to 4-H members, do non-4-H youth have to pay $10 to attend the event?
No, such an event is free to all attendees.
If an event is co-sponsored by 4-H and a non-Extension organization, do youth who are not 4-H members have to pay $10 on top of any existing event fee?
No, we do not charge a $10 nonmember fee to attend events that are jointly offered by 4-H and other non-Extension organizations.
We have a 4-H club established in a facility where youth are incarcerated. Do they have to pay the fee?
We anticipate that youth within such a facility or program could find sponsorship or grant funding to cover the participant fee.
What about participants who live in counties with an Extension tax millage?
Youth participants are required to pay the participation fee. Participation in 4-H is an opportunity for youth to become engaged in new and exciting projects. Millages that support Extension programs in the counties are there to pay for shortfalls, staff, overhead costs, etc. The 4-H program reaches youth, and the participation fee funds that are kept in the county are used to defray costs of new or enhanced programming for these youth.
Do children of 4-H volunteers pay the $10 fee?
Yes. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of 4-H. Without them, new programs are just notebooks on shelves. We know 4-H volunteers often spend their own dollars (not to mention many hours) on resources for the youth they work with. With money available for programming from county offices, many volunteers may be able to reduce their own financial investment. And any youth who participates in 4-H—including children of 4-H volunteers—gets much, much more than $10 worth of learning, participating, growing and sharing from the 4-H experience.
What about youth enrolled in both Michigan and Wisconsin?
They pay $10 in their Michigan club for being involved in Michigan 4-H.
What about clubs that are financially supported by outside organizations, like ISDs, NRA, sportsmans groups, etc.?
As with any other 4-H club, the expectation is that $10 per member gets submitted to the county office (or appropriate fee scholarships requested), whether members pay it individually, the supporting group pays it or some other method of fundraising is employed.
What about day camps/summer one-week camps, one-day activities?
Youth not enrolled in 4-H who only attend a one-day 4-H event are not charged the participation fee. Youth not enrolled in 4-H who attend a series of 4-H programs—like a summer day camp where they are involved for a number of days—have a $10 fee added to any existing program fee. Any youth not enrolled in 4-H who participates in a 4-H program and pays the $10 fee is entitled to join 4-H (i.e., they’ve already paid the annual participation fee) and his/her family should be contacted by the county’s 4-H educator about the benefits of enrolling in 4-H.
Do Cloverbuds pay the same fee?
Yes. Showing at the county fair is only one piece of 4-H participation—and not the most important piece. 4-H is about discovering new things, ideas and interests; it’s about learning what it means to be a good citizen and participate in community service; it’s about helping kids make connections, explore their strengths and creativity, and make good choices. Cloverbuds get all that and more from 4-H, and gain as much in new programming resulting from the $10 fee as any other 4-H participant.
Are youth leaders considered youth or leaders? Are they charged a $10 participation fee?
Youth who are age 19 or under and are enrolled in 4-H pay the $10 participation fee, regardless of whether or not they also act as volunteer teen leaders.
Michigan 4-H Youth Participation Fee Information FAQ's :
Copyright
© 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Michigan State University
Last Updated: September 12, 2007
Last Reviewed: September 12, 2007
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