MSU Extension 4-H

Each year, the Michigan 4-H Foundation provides 4-H statewide learning experience sponsorships to a variety of Michigan 4-H programs and events. These sponsorships greatly reduce the cost of 4-H activities and make them more accessible for 4-H youth, volunteers and staff to attend. Generous gifts from donors, endowment fund earnings and general fund support from the Michigan 4-H Foundation make the sponsorships possible. 4-H program staff and event coordinators may apply for 4-H statewide learning experience fund sponsorships on a yearly basis through a competitive process. 

For the 2024-25 program year, the following programs received a total of $123,500 in sponsorships from the Michigan 4-H Foundation. 

• 4-H Animal Science Career Quest  
• 4-H Capitol Experience  
• 4-H Dairy Science Day  
• 4-H Exploration Days 
• 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp  
• 4-H National Congress*  
• 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor Fall Training and Spring Workshop 
• 4-H Spectacular Youth Leadership Institute  
• 4-H True Leaders in Equity Institute*  
• 4-H Winterfest 
• Goosechase platform unlimited use for Michigan 4-H staff 
• Michigan 4-H Month of the Military Child Virtual Challenge 
• Michigan 4-H Spring Livestock Workshop  
• Michigan 4-H State Horse Show 
• Michigan 4-H State Skillathon Competition 
• National 4-H Dairy Conference* 
• National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest* 
• World Food Prize Michigan Youth Institute  

*These programs received funding to support Michigan 4-H youth to attend the event. 

In addition, the following statewide 4-H programs will receive more than $30,000 in continued funding in the 2024-25 program year, as designated by donors who have made contributions specifically to these events. 

• Michigan 4-H Beef, Sheep and Swine Workshop 
• Michigan 4-H Dairy Conference 
• Michigan 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp 
• Michigan 4-H Poultry Workshop 
• Michigan 4-H Proud Equestrians Program 
• Michigan 4-H Shooting Sports Workshops 

New this year, the following multi-county events will also receive support totaling $8,088 from the Michigan 4-H Foundation to support events in the 2024-25 program year: 

• Animal science clinics in the Upper Peninsula (Alger, Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon and Schoolcraft counites) 
• District 8 Leader Meet (Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot, Ingham, Ionia and Montcalm counties)  
• Food for Thought – Putting the 4-H STEM Challenge into Action (Calhoun, Clinton and Ingham counties) 
• Growing the collegiate 4-H clover at MSU (Ingham County primarily with other counties and audiences as well) 
• Planting the Seeds to Grow the Next Generation of 4-H (Bay, Huron, Genesee, Lapeer, Midland, Sanilac, St. Clair, Shiawassee, Tuscola, and Saginaw counties) 
• Southeast Regional 4-H Spark and Share Summit (Genesee, Huron, Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Saginaw Sanilac, St. Clair, Tuscola, Washtenaw and Wayne counties).
• U.P. Summer 4-H Camp (Alger, Chippewa, Delta, Gogebic, Houghton, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Ontonagon and Schoolcraft counites) 
• Urban 4-H Empowerment Project (Kent, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana and Ottawa counties) 

Annual support for 4-H learning experiences is provided by these Michigan 4-H Foundation endowment funds: 

• Adam Family Endowment Fund 
• James H. and Dorothy A. Anderson Fund 
• Jack and Betty Barnes Tribute Fund 
• Thelma and Leonard Burleigh Fund 
• Thomas H. Cobb Shooting Sports Fund 
• The Echo Endowment Fund 
• David Eppelheimer 4-H Exploration Days Fund 
• Phyllis Eppelheimer Memorial Fund 
• Milon Grinnell Memorial Fund 
• John F. and Andrea E. Grix Endowment 
• Donald J. and John H. Hawkins Memorial Fund 
• Henning Family Fund 
• George E. and Deanna J. House Endowment 
• A.G. Kettunen Endowment 
• Russell G. and Lou Ann S. Mawby Endowment 
• E.C. Sackrider Memorial Fund 
• William Allen Schiller Memorial Endowment 
• Noel W. and Sandra Clarkson Stuckman 4-H Endowment Fund 
• Francis H. and Ingrid E. Thacker Endowment 
• Turner-Ousterhout Memorial Fund 
• Norman R. and Marjory A. Veliquette Endowment 
• Westrate Family Fund 
• WNF&GA, Michigan Division Endowment 
• Howard Zindel Memorial Fund 

Support for 4-H learning experiences in the 2024-25 program year is also provided by individual donations and these sponsors: 

• GreenStone Farm Credit Services 
• National 4-H Council partnerships with JOANN and Tractor Supply Company 
• Tkachik Sisters Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan 

If you or your organization are interested in sponsoring a 4-H learning experience, visit the Michigan 4-H Foundation website.