A national collaborative partnership
Did you know that the National 4-H Council: https://4-H.org and Tractor Supply Company have provided a partnership where it is easy for everyone to contribute to your local 4-H program? Yes, the 2025 Paper Clover Campaign will be open from April 21 to May 4 for the Spring and from November 28 to December 14 for the Winter. If you want to support your local 4-H program, please make every effort to donate at the cash register or to any 4-Hers conducting an in-store promotion. Each cashier is waiting with a paper clover—the symbol of 4‑H—for $1, and you may sponsor as many as you can, and 90 percent of every dollar will return to your local 4-H program. All donations will go towards 4-H youth to attend hands-on educational camps, conferences, and leadership programs nationwide.
Tractor Supply Company – a model partnership
According to the National 4-H Council website, Tractor Supply Company is the nation’s largest rural lifestyle retailer. Tractor Supply’s fundraising efforts, including its bi-annual Paper Clover Promotion, are committed to growing true leaders. By inviting customers to donate at checkout, they have raised over $22 million for the National 4-H Council and local 4-H programs nationwide. Tractor Supply’s long-standing tradition of giving back to its communities fosters confidence and competence in tomorrow’s leaders.
Creating an Endowment – an Opportunity for All
Creating an endowment is my appeal to all businesses, stakeholders, and philanthropists. Undoubtedly, this will help demonstrate the power of giving, where collaboration versus competition is key. In this previous blog post, I listed what we aim to achieve. Individuals and businesses who are interested in joining with other donors to establish this endowment should contact the UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County 4-H Office at (772) 462-1228 or email us at john.ferguso@ufl.edu
4-H Association: Collaboration versus Competition
The St. Lucie County 4-H Association, or Advisory Board with an active and efficiently running 4-H County Council, demonstrates this principle. Each 4-H project (spark/ interest) should be an opportunity to achieve a standard of excellence. This is chiefly achieved through fostering a sense of belonging, a healthy relationship with peers and partnering adults, and the proper civic engagement that nurtures Positive Youth Development (PYD).
Subsequently, the St. Lucie County 4-H program is demonstrating the following:
- Facilitating group support funds for program development, scholarship, awards, and recognition. See highlights and impacts here!
- Focusing on collaboration versus competition towards a shared mission, vision, goal, and outcome. See the Extension Pathway here!
- Analyzing the 4-H membership/ participation by geographic area. An idea is here!
- Conducting a needs assessment of our target audience (adults and youths), including the underserved population. Kindly complete an evaluation of the needs assessment here!
- Expanding the program to reach new audiences by increasing communication, youth advocacy, stakeholders’ awareness, and accountability. See the intent here!
- Supporting Positive Youth Development (PYD). The 4-H Thriving Model and Workforce Development through Science, Citizenship & Leadership, and Healthy Living Habits. See intended here!
A long-term expected outcome via teamwork
With this purpose in mind, our three state-wide strategic plan goals are increasing 4-H enrolment by 300,000, Florida Camp revitalization, and workforce development.
For more information, contact the 4-H Extension Agent @ john.ferguso@ufl.edu. The 4-H Program Specialists Candace Wickham @ wickham.c@ufl.edu, Terri Zuidema @ tzuidema1@ufl.edu, or Wren Underwood @ e.underwood1@ufl.edu.
Prepared by John Ferguson (4-H Extension Agent).
An Equal Opportunity Institution. UF/IFAS Extension, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Andra Johnson, dean for UF/IFAS Extension. Single copies of UF/IFAS Extension publications (excluding 4-H and youth publications) are available free to Florida residents from county UF/IFAS Extension offices.
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