About Tennessee 4-H Foundation

A Word from Our President

Welcome on behalf of the Tennessee 4-H Foundation.

Since 1953, we have partnered with the Tennessee 4-H Program, a part of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, to offer outstanding development opportunities to the young people of Tennessee. 4-H is Tennessee’s largest youth development organization with over 170,000 members participating annually. 4-H members learn by doing–building their technical skills while growing into caring, competent, and capable adults.

4-H makes a positive impact. Young people who participate in 4-H are more likely to go to college, less likely to be involved with drugs and alcohol, and are more likely to volunteer within their local community.

The Tennessee 4-H Foundation is the not-for-profit partner of the Tennessee 4-H Program. With help from our friends and supporters, the Foundation secures private funds to create and sustain positive youth development opportunities. Each year we distribute more than $1.7 million in funding to the Tennessee 4-H Program.

Please join us by investing in the youth of Tennessee. Together we can make a positive difference for our state’s most precious asset, the leaders of tomorrow.

Mark Wilson, 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 Club Foundation, Inc., better known as 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 over $1,500,000 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 over ten 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.