In an effort to stabilize funding and grow the 4-H youth development program, Kansas 4-H is implementing an annual K-State Research and Extension 4-H program fee of $15 per member. The new fee goes into effect in October – which is the start of the new 4-H year.

 

State 4-H leader and department head of Kansas State University’s 4-H youth development program, Wade Weber, says the fee will provide continuity to its programming.   “Meaning, there are areas that we want to invest in. There are areas that we want to grow in. There are new project areas that we want to bring to local communities, and invite volunteers to be trained on because they are essential to equipping young with the skills that they need to be successful going forward. (:18)

Weber says the program fee will be used to enhance 4-H’s volunteer infrastructure. “Which I’m hearing across the board as I talk with folks in communities across Kansas, is that we need to continue to incentivize that on ramp for volunteers to participate in all the things that they could be a part of to invest their time and energies within the 4-H youth development program. (:15)

 Nearly 80,000 young people participate in Kansas 4-H, along with 11,000 adult and youth volunteers in partnership with local extension agents who serve all 105 Kansas counties.