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Frequently Asked Questions About the Michigan 4-H Youth Participation Fee
Working with Stakeholders
What if a member won’t pay the fee?
If a youth cannot pay the fee because it is a financial burden on his/her family, 4-H will find a scholarship to cover the participation fee. However, if a family simply declines to pay the fee because they disagree with the idea of a 4-H participation fee, the county 4-H Extension educator should make every effort to help them see the value of 4-H and how much their child gets from being a part of 4-H. 4-H staff members and volunteers should point out that the cost is only 83 cents a month, and every penny of that money is going to improve 4-H programming. If a family still declines to pay the fee out of philosophical disagreement with the policy rather than financial need, regretfully, their child would not be allowed to enroll in 4-H.
Will the county cut support as a result of this fee?
We hope not, but each county office needs to educate county officials about the purpose of the funding and the need for it. County officials must understand that the funding is needed to replace dollars from many sources that have been lost over several years due to state and local budget cuts. Those losses have prevented 4-H from moving ahead with programs that meet today’s needs, not yesterday’s. To keep 4-H from becoming obsolete, we must be able to make investments in programming.
Is there a chance the legislature could reconsider the appropriation that was considered during the summer of 2006 and rescind the fee?
There is always a chance the legislature could consider funding for 4-H, but only MSU Extension can make a decision about rescinding the fee. Since there is no such proposal pending, it’s unproductive to speculate about what might happen in the event of a new legislative proposal.
How do individual leaders have input into decisions about how the state 4-H office invests its portion of the fee dollars?
They contact their county 4-H educator, county Extension director or program leaders in the state office to share their ideas about new programming for Michigan’s 4-H youth. These in-the-field volunteers are closer to our youth than anyone else in the 4-H program and provide valuable, insightful input to help the 4-H leadership make good decisions regarding program development. Programming decisions are also made with help from the seven Michigan 4-H program priority teams (science and technology; global and cultural awareness; citizenship, leadership and service; environmental and outdoor education; personal development; animal science; and health and well-being) and from the other educational support areas of 4-H. All of these teams consist of 4-H on- and off-campus staff members, volunteers and youth.
Can the participation fee be used as a write off on taxes?
No, because it is not a business expense (as union dues or membership in a professional association are), and it is not a charitable donation. It is a participation fee such as a parent might pay for their child to engage in sports, music, dance, etc. However, donations to the 4-H Foundation that are contributed specifically to fund participation fee scholarships are tax deductible.
If an outside organization or person wants to sponsor a 4-H club and pay that club’s participation fees, could that be considered a charitable donation?
In order to qualify as a charitable donation (and therefore tax-deductible), the money must be given to the Michigan 4-H Foundation, 4-H’s non-profit arm. Contact the Michigan 4-H Foundation at (517) 353-6692 or info@mi4hfdtn.org for more information.
Michigan 4-H Youth Participation Fee Information FAQ's:
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© 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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