Michigan 4-H Youth Development


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4-H Youth Development Michigan State University 160 Agriculture Hall East Lansing, MI 48824-1039 USA Phone: 517-432-7575 Fax: 517-355-6748 Email: msue4h@msu.edu Disclaimer & Indicia

Frequently Asked Questions About the Michigan 4-H Youth Participation Fee

How Much?

Is the fee per individual or per family?
Families with one youth participant pay $10; families with two youth participants pay $20 total; families with three or more youth participants pay an annual maximum of $30 total.

What is the definition of a family?
In order for the family maximum to apply (see above), the youth in question must all be siblings.

Does everyone pay the same, regardless of project area?
All youth involved in clubs or attending 4-H events as non-club members pay the same $10 annual participation fee, regardless of the projects in which they are involved.

Does the fee vary by county or region?
No, the state level annual youth participation fee of $10 is the same throughout the state. If counties or clubs charge their own participation fees, these are in addition to the $10 state-level fee.

Can a county charge more than $10 and keep the additional money to use for ongoing programming?
Yes, so long as $5 is sent to the state and $5 of what is kept in the county is used for new and/or improved 4-H programming.

Can a county choose to collect only the 4-H state office portion of the fee ($5) instead of the entire $10?
No, although the county could choose to cover $5 of the fee on behalf of the youth participant, through fundraising, sponsorship or their 4-H council. However, the portion covered by the county must go into the county’s “fee” fund, and those dollars must be used to develop, implement and/or update 4-H programming.

Will there be increases every year? Is the fee being phased in?
The fee is not being phased in, and we don’t anticipate fee increases every year. There may be a need at some time in the future to increase the fee, but the $10 annual fee should not increase for at least the next several years.

If a youth joins partway through the year, is the fee prorated?
No. The annual participation fee covers one 4-H programming year, which runs from September 1 to August 31. The fee is the same no matter when the youth joins during the year.

If an enrolled 4-H participant doesn’t complete his/her project or chooses not to participate after paying the fee, do they get a refund?
No, 4-H does not issue refunds for non-participation.

If a youth enrolls without paying the participation fee up front and then later decides not to participate, is the club or county still obligated to cover their fee since their enrollment will show up in Blue Ribbon?
Yes, the fee should either be collected or accounted for through a fee scholarship. Preferably, the fee would be collected at the time of enrollment.

What about school enrichment clubs? What type of fee are they charged? How about after school clubs?
We are still finalizing plans for how the participation fee will be implemented for these types of programs. Rather than charge individual participants in these programs an individual fee, these types of clubs will most likely be charged a flat participation fee for the year. The amount has not yet been determined. Until these plans are finalized, counties should proceed as they have in the past. Fees will not be charged retroactively to school-based programs that have already been arranged.

Michigan 4-H Youth Participation Fee Information FAQ's :