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 2016-17 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.

• Allegan County’s Shooting Sports Program received a $1,000 grant to upgrade its shooting equipment to open the opportunity for youth to participate in competitive shooting while emphasizing safety, rules and sportsmanship.
• The Macomb County 4-H Peer Mentoring Program also received a $1,000 grant to provide supplies for its mentorship program, which matches successful high school seniors with freshmen who are having a tough time adjusting to high school. Mentors promote life skills such as leadership, career exploration, communication and financial literacy.

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.

• Iron County’s 4-H Green Thumb Community Garden Project received a $1,000 grant to expand the community garden. The garden provides a space for 4-H, schools and a local community center to teach hands-on gardening, plant science and nutrition education to local youth.
• Wayne County’s Ecorse Grandport Academy 4-H Garden Project also received a garden grant to expand the current 4-H garden at Grandport Academy. Youth will become certified junior master gardeners and engage in hands-on gardening, nutrition and physical fitness.

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

• Gratiot County’s Non-Typical Shooters 4-H Club was granted one of the $500 grants to install target cameras and screens to enable audience members to see the results of shooters’ shots. Allowing the audience to see the results before the shooter retrieves his or her arrows creates more excitement in the sport and allows potential shooters to see shots that end up on target.
• Kalamazoo County was also awarded a grant that will help fund the start-up of a new club, including the purchase of archery equipment. The Aim to Achieve 4-H Club allows youth interested in shooting sports to join an archery-specific club and start practicing.

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.

• Monroe County’s Rockin’ Ranchers 4-H Club received a $350 grant for their Monarch Butterfly Migration and Breeding Garden Project. The educational garden will be built at a public library and will serve as a sanctuary for monarch butterflies and also help educate the public on butterflies, local ecology and 4-H.