The 4-H After-School Robotics Club in Iosco County received a $1,000 Michigan 4-H Legacy Grant to use VEX Robotics as a tool to help members develop life skills, reduce risk factors and build assets.

Each year, the Michigan 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees approves the distribution of competitive grant funds to encourage development of innovative 4-H opportunities in local communities. For the 2017-18 program year, 4-H mini grants were awarded in four grant categories.

Michigan 4-H Legacy Grants
Michigan 4-H Legacy Grants, funded by the Michigan 4-H Legacy Fund endowment, encourage creativity and support the implementation of great ideas that promote positive youth development in communities.

• The 4-H After-School Robotics Club in Iosco County received a $1,000 grant to use VEX Robotics as a tool for Hale Area Middle School students to help them develop life skills, reduce risk factors and build assets. The program will foster innovation, teamwork and responsibility as youth work together to solve problems and collaborate on the creation of their robots.
• The Kalkaska County 4-H Dream Team also received a $1,000 grant to support the creation of a Dream Team baseball team and summer day camp in 2018. The team and camp will allow for special needs youth to be paired with peers in middle and high school to create an active learning environment in which all youth can grow together.

4-H Educational Garden Grants
Two 4-H Educational Garden Grants were funded by the Albert A. Albright Endowment for 4-H Plant Science and Gardening Education.

• Shiawassee County’s Pleasant Valley Community Garden project received a $1,000 grant to build a garden in a local, economically depressed trailer park that will benefit many families and senior citizens. The youth involved will learn how to grow, harvest, prepare and eat their own food while working together and building confidence throughout the project.
• Iosco County’s 4-H Community Garden project also received a garden grant to provide youth an opportunity to prepare a garden, plant seeds and harvest the crop to support the AuSable Valley Community Mental Health Youth and Family Services Department. The youth participants will also learn responsibility, food and nutrition, and physical activity.

Collins 4-H Youth Horticulture Grant
The Collins 4-H Youth Horticulture Grant is funded by the William J. and Ruth D. Collins Endowment Fund to advance local 4-H club work in plant science and horticulture activities.

• Oakland County’s Alcott Spring Time project received a $350 grant to plant and grow a large quantity of daffodils and tulips in the Alcott Elementary’s barren garden areas and courtyards. The 4-H Tech Wizards Program at the school will be able to develop relationships with their mentors and garner a better understanding of service to their community.

4-H On-Target Grants
Two On-Target county grants were funded by the Thomas H. Cobb Shooting Sports Fund to help enhance county 4-H shooting sports programs.

• Archery Grows Here in Houghton/Keweenaw counties was granted one of the $500 grants to support the Copper Tips 4-H Archery Club which currently serves over 100 youth in the area. With the large amount of involved youth, the grant will expand and further develop the club providing new space and equipment for club activities that aim to increase coping, competencies and contributory life skills.
• Also receiving an On-Target grant is Aiming for Archery in Schoolcraft County to develop an archery club geared to seven to 12 year olds. The club will allow youth to develop skills that help them succeed by actively engaging in their own development as archery is a very individual-based discipline.

4-H Participant Scholarship Grants
The Michigan 4-H Foundation also awarded $5,000 in 4-H Participant Scholarship Grants across 4-H programs in 18 counties: Calhoun, Cass, Cheboygan, Clinton, Crawford, Emmet, Gratiot, Iosco, Kalamazoo, Macomb, Mecosta, Monroe, Oakland, Roscommon, Saginaw, Shiawassee, St. Clair and Washtenaw counties. These grants provide scholarship support for youth who are unable to pay the 4-H youth participant fee per county. The 4-H Participant Scholarship Grant Program is made possible by gifts to the Michigan 4-H Foundation 4-H Participation Fee Scholarship Fund.

The Michigan 4-H Foundation mini-grant cycle re-opens April 1. Grant applications are due by June 1, 2018. Learn more about Michigan 4-H Foundation mini-grants.

The Michigan 4-H Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that supports Michigan 4-H Youth Development. For more information about the Michigan 4-H Foundation, visit www.mi4hfdtn.org. Michigan 4-H Youth Development is the youth-serving program of Michigan State University Extension. To learn more about Michigan 4-H, visit www.4h.msue.msu.edu.