How to Start a 4-H Alumni or Booster Group

Former 4-H members remember fair week, carpooling and the person who knew where to find another stapler. Many want to help the next generation, but building a booster group takes more than an alumni dinner and a coffee can marked Donations. Decide what the group should accomplish, then ask Extension how to organize it properly.

Ask the local program what support it needs

Schedule a meeting with the county 4-H educator or the state program office. Ask what volunteer, fundraising or alumni structures already exist. Find out whether an existing foundation, approved committee or partner can handle the work. The University of Minnesota Extension 4-H alumni information is one example of a state program maintaining a connection with former members.

Pick one practical goal for the first year. Maybe the county wants mentors for an approved career night, supplies for a project workshop or resources to reduce participation costs. Ask how the program will decide who benefits and how progress will be measured. The role of a supporter can include providing resources while youth and program staff run the educational activities.

Resolve the name, money and authority before recruiting

Get the sponsor's instructions on using the 4-H name and emblem, collecting donations, opening accounts, approving expenses and signing agreements. Use the approved process for gift acknowledgment and recordkeeping. A prospective group's organizers should ask an authorized official or qualified adviser about questions involving taxes, legal structure or liability. If the county already has a suitable way to receive funds, start there. A committee that spends six months debating what to call its bank account may have missed an opportunity to put twenty kids in a workshop.

Write a short charter describing who the group supports, which decisions it can make and how it chooses rotating leaders. Decide who provides financial reports and where records stay. Include a way to handle conflicts of interest and to approve any commitments made in the club's name.

Give former members a few ways to help

Offer roles that different adults can sustain. A former exhibit judge might speak to teens about career options. Another alumnus might share a public event announcement or help purchase materials through the approved process. Volunteers who interact with youth should follow the program's screening, training and supervision requirements. Give prospective helpers a contact who can explain the expectations. Use adult outreach channels and keep youth membership information with the program.

Try one project and review the outcome

Agree on the event or expense, the person responsible and the completion date. Afterward, report what happened to program leaders and supporters. Ask whether the group provided help that the program can use again. If the work adds more administrative burden than it solves, adjust the next project.

An alumni group can be useful without becoming a full-time institution. Keep the work concrete, give volunteers a reasonable amount to do and ask youth leaders how the support affected their project. The stapler may have started the conversation. The kids' experience should determine what the group does next.