A Word from Our President
Photo credit: Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Thank you so much for your interest in the Tennessee 4-H Foundation!
We’re thrilled to share our journey with you. Since our establishment in 1953, we have been dedicated to bolstering the lives of young Tennesseans through our partnership with the University of Tennessee Extension and Tennessee State University Extension. Our mission is unwavering: to create and sustain positive youth development opportunities for Tennessee 4-H members, ensuring they continue to thrive and enrich youth development.
Tennessee boasts a rich legacy and vibrant culture within 4-H. With an impressive enrollment of over 150,000 spirited young individuals, our state proudly holds the top spot for 4-H club participation nationwide. This distinction is a testament to the value that these programs add — not only are they cultivating future leaders and engaged citizens, but they also foster higher educational aspirations and healthy lifestyle choices among its members.
The Tennessee 4-H Foundation is proud to be the nonprofit partner of the Tennesseee 4-H Program. The Foundation currently holds nearly $20 million in assets that support the 4-H program across the state and spends upward of $2 million annually towards nurturing young talent through awards, scholarships, and opportunities for national and statewide engagement.
Our success story has been penned by the generosity of countless donors whose contributions have been vital to our existence and progress. We invite you to be part of this remarkable legacy by supporting 4-H agents, administrators, and volunteer leaders as they guide our youth on their journey to “Make The Best Better.”
Warm regards,
Carol Coley McDonald, President
The Tennessee 4-H Foundation is an organization dedicated to creating and sustaining positive youth development opportunities for Tennessee 4-H Members.
The Tennessee 4-H Foundation was formed in 1953 to support State 4-H Congress. The mission of the foundation has grown over the years to support all aspects of Tennessee 4-H. Each year the Tennessee 4-H Foundation provides nearly $3,000,000 in support of 4-H programs across the state.
History
On April 10th, 1953, a passionate group of 4-H alumni and supporters gathered in Nashville to formally establish the Tennessee 4-H Foundation.
In the early years the Foundation and its membership worked with county leaders and Extension staff to create Citizens’ committees in order to raise funds for 4-H programs on the county level. In 1958, the Foundation extended its mission to support Tennessee State 4-H Congress. State 4-H Congress is Tennessee’s premier youth leadership and citizenship event. By 1962, the Foundation had once again grown its scope to include support to the youth governance group, State 4-H Council.
Over time the Foundation has continuously developed to include all aspects of Tennessee 4-H, and now its mission is simply “to create and sustain positive youth development opportunities for 4-H members in Tennessee.”
Today the Foundation has nearly 25 million dollars in assets, most of which are permanently endowed to create a perpetual source of income for county, regional and state level events, scholarships and awards.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Tennessee 4-H Foundation is to create and sustain positive youth development opportunities for 4-H members in Tennessee.
Strategic Vision
- Secure and prudently manage Foundation assets and investments to provide current and long range financial support to the 4-H program.
- Expand the network of 4-H supporters through increased Foundation membership.
- Develop fund raising activities to enhance county, region and State 4-H programs.
- Communicate the Foundation Mission to members, potential members, Extension Staff, 4-H’ers, parents, volunteers, and community leaders.