4-H Update

Volume 14, Number 6

Reminders:

• April 13-15: CAE4-HA, Cripple Creek
• May 1: 4-H OnLine Youth Enrollment data due, Joy Bauder
• May 15: IFYE host applications due, State 4-H Office

ES237 Information Needed!

This is just a reminder that the May 3rd deadline is just around the corner!  The good news for all is that the only documentation I need from you is to fill out the form below, get the appropriate signature (s) and either email, fax or mail to me by May 3 (information listed below).  I will double check the totals within 4HOnline and then provide the information to the CSU Extension accounting office for invoicing.  PLEASE DO NOT SEND MONEY UNTIL THE INVOICE ARRIVES!

Additionally there are still a few remaining counties that haven’t begun entering any data into 4HOnline, please don’t delay!  4HOnline will be the only mechanism for the final ES237 reports that are processed in October.

Please click on these links: http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/enrollverification.doc, http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/enrollverification.pdf

ATTENTION: those with 4-H Shooting Sports Responsibilities

Several 4-H Shooting Opportunities have been posted to the Colorado 4-H Shooting Sports web site. Please pass this along to those members or families who may be interested.

-    2010 Douglas County Fun Shoot (4/25/2010)
-    2010 Flagler Lake YHEC Event (5/1-2/2010)
-    2010 Weld County Shotgun Invitational (5/22/2010)
-    2010 Weld County All Event Invitational (6/5/2010)

Here’s a direct link to flyers and information on all shoots:

http://www.co4hshooting.org/shooting_opportunities.html

A reminder … we are looking for dedicated 4-H Leaders who are willing to serve on the State 4-H Shooting Sports Training Team. We need Leaders willing to give their time to train other volunteers in 4-H Shooting Sports disciplines. With the National 4-H Shooting Sports training coming to Grand Junction in May, this is a perfect opportunity to join our Training Team! Interested? Contact Jim Hamilton (jim.hamilton@colostate.edu) at 719.846.7403. – Perry Brewer

2010 4-H National Science Experiment

On behalf of 4-H National Headquarters at NIFA, USDA, National 4-H Council and the entire 4-H SET Management Team, we are pleased to announce that North Carolina A&T has been selected as the leading university for this year’s National Science Experiment which focuses on water quality and climate change.

Using a three-tiered experiment model, the experiment engages youth of all ages to learn at the simplest level how carbon dioxide can affect aquatic animals, plants and other living organisms in lakes, streams, rivers and oceans. These activities help facilitators lead discussions to help youth better understand climate change. Using worksheets and online guides, the experiment will help youth take the activities and connect back to their lives by measuring their own carbon footprint, their family’s footprint, and estimate energy savings by looking at gas and electric bills.

Visit 4-H.org to find the full news release about this year’s experiment. We look forward to sharing the final experiment materials with the 4-H community in late May.  – Willa Williams

2010 Wild Bug Fish Camp and YHEC Information

Here’s what you’ve been waiting for – information on the 2010 Wild Bug Fish Camp! – The Wild Bug Fish Camp is designed to allow leaders and members to participate together in a learning experience focusing on natural resources and the environment. http://www.4hfishing.org/2010_wbf_camp.html

Do you enjoy hunting, shooting or just being outdoors? Would you like the opportunity to enhance your skills and learn more about hunting methods, game species, hunter ethics and safety? Then think about attending the 2010 Flagler YHEC Event.  http://www.co4hshooting.org/shooting_opportunities.html – Perry Brewer

4-H International Exchange Programs 2010

4-H/Japanese Summer Exchange
Japanese exchange students have 100 percent medical coverage and may participate in host family vacations. Teens from hosting families in Colorado are subsequently eligible to participate in an exchange program to Japan during any of the following summers until they are 21 years old.

Inbound -Host families are needed for approximately 75 Japanese boys and girls, ages 12-21. Japanese teens from the Labo and Lex organizations arrive in Colorado on July 21 and join host families on July 23 after orientation by 4-H staff. Teens from the Utrek program arrive in Colorado on July 21, joining their host families on July 25 after orientation and a camp in the mountains. Both groups return to Denver on August 18 and depart for Japan on August 19.

Outbound-The outbound exchange involves a family that acts as a host for a Japanese youth. This enables their son or daughter, ages 12-19, to apply to be a delegate to Japan for a four-week (July 7 – August 5) or eight-week (June 10 – August 5) homestay experience. Travel expenses are assumed by the traveler. (Application due 2-1-10)

4-H/Japanese High School Exchange
Inbound-Colorado will host 10 Labo, Lex, and Utrek Japanese high school exchange students, ages 15-18. These participants stay with host families and will attend Colorado high schools from July 2010 through mid-June 2011. They are proficient in English and will attend an additional intensive English language class before arriving in Colorado.  Families who host a high school delegate are eligible to receive a $1,000 scholarship toward the cost of sending their son or daughter to Japan for four or eight weeks.

Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX)
Inbound-Host families are needed for FLEX students, ages 15-18. This program is funded by the U.S. State Department to instill democratic principles in exchange participants from the New Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union. FLEX participants come from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Colorado will host 10 participants  who will stay with host families and attend high school August 2010 through mid-June 2011.

International 4-H Youth Exchange (IFYE)
Inbound- IFYE delegates, ages 19-30, stay two to three weeks with several host families during their three-month stay in Colorado. IFYE’s come from many regions of the world: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Australia, Asia and Africa. They share information about their country, culture and the IFYE program with various community groups and travel throughout Colorado during their visit. IFYEs generally arrive in Colorado mid-June or mid-September.

International 4-H Youth Exchange (IFYE)
Outbound-IFYE delegates, ages 19-30, visit a foreign country for three or six months. The countries are located in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Australia, Asia and Africa. Six-month delegates leave the United States in late June and return in early December. Three-month delegates return in early September. The delegate lives and works with host families and gains a unique perspective about another culture. When delegates return, they travel throughout Colorado to share their experiences and broaden international awareness. The Colorado 4-H Foundation offers two full scholarships each year for IFYE representatives, (personal spending money excluded).

Click on these links for further information:  http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/HostFamiliesNeeded-JapaneseSummer2010.pdf,

http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/FLEX-RecruitmentRelease-2010.pdf

- Courtney Loflin, State Program Coordinator, courtney.loflin@colostate.edu, (970) 491-2711

New Everyone Ready Seminar

A new volunteer development seminar is now available: Bridging the Gap between Volunteers and zrmployees: Keys to Effective Partnership. One of the universal challenges in volunteer development is assuring that employees and volunteers who work together on a daily basis are enthusiastic and supportive of each other. This seminar examines the root causes of possible tension, analyzes the employee perspective, and discusses ways to improve attitudes and practices throughout the organization. Log in now! – Dale Leidheiser

Colorado Dairy Goat Association Award Available

The Colorado Dairy Goat Association(CDGA) has allotted a small amount of money to be divided across all of the Colorado counties that have 4H members enrolled in dairy goats.  In order to qualify for a small (but hopefully helpful) monetary award, you must 1) respond with the number of kids enrolled in the dairy goat project in your county and 2) give an estimate of the number of dairy goats you expect to have at your county’s fair!  Even if you only have one member entered, please respond to this opportunity.

There only request is that the award only be used within the DAIRY GOAT project! We would like to have your response by May 1.  Please include the contact name that the check should be issued to and the address you would like to have it mailed to. Thanks for all you do for your 4H members! – Greg Larson - vl.larson@juno.com

4-H Update

Volume 14, Number 5

Reminders:

• April 5-6: STEM regional Open Forums, CSU Campus
• April 13-15: CAE4-HA, Cripple Creek
• May 1: 4-H OnLine Youth Enrollment data due, Joy Bauder
• May 15: IFYE host applications due, State 4-H Office

NEW IRS Guidance for 2009 Tax Year Filing for 4-H Groups – Time Sensitive

We received an update last week from USDA with guidance on 4-H IRS filing requirements  This information provides guidance on obligations for the 2009 tax year only. Please read below for further instruction and links that will help you with this process.  This coming July we will receive information regarding 4-H groups’ IRS filing obligations for future years.

Topic #1: Current filing requirements for Colorado 4-H organizations clubs certified under the national Group Exemption Number. This is the certification process we underwent two years ago.

- 2009 Tax Year Filing Guidance
This document outlines the steps to identify if a club needs to file an IRS form or not. Some of this information is contrary to what we were previously  told. My understanding after reading all of the information is that very few of our clubs must file an IRS 990 series form. http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/tax/2009TaxYearFilingGuidanceFor4hGroups.pdf

- 2009 Tax Year Filing Guidance for 4-H Groups
This a visual flow chart that aligns with the above document. Simple and easy to follow. http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/tax/2009TaxYearFilingGuidanceFor4hGroupsFlowChart.pdf

- 2009 990-Series Return Filing FAQs
These are FAQ’s that may help answer common questions. Please call me if you have additional questions. This form references Publication 78 that lists a few Colorado affiliated organizations not on our state certified list. I looked and there are 9 Colorado organizations with 4-H in their name. They are mainly county foundations. Do a search here: http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/
http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/tax/2009-990-SeriesReturnFilingFAQs.pdf

- Sample IRS Form 990-N Filing Notice
You may have clubs that have received this notice from the IRS. They should use http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/tax/2009TaxYearFilingGuidanceFor4hGroupsFlowChart.pdf to determine whether they need to file the 990-n or other 990-series return.
http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/tax/SampleIRS-Form990-N-FilingNotice.pdf

In my email last week (Friday, March 19) I attached a spreadsheet that lists all the 4-H affiliated organizations currently listed under the national Group Exemption Number (GEN). This is the list we compiled two years ago;  and has not since been updated. Please thoroughly search this document (it is not organized by county) and cross check it against your current list of clubs. We are now being asked to update this spreadsheet with NEW clubs only. Read below for further information on this process.

Topic #2: Updating the Colorado list of certified 4-H organizations under the GEN.

This is a time sensitive task which we need to have completed by counties and returned to the State 4-H Office by April 7.

- Form 8821 sample
This form must be filled out, printed, signed and returned for each existing 4-H organization in your county not listed on the Colorado.xlsm spreadsheet. This form must be returned to our office no later than close of business on Friday, April 9.  http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/tax/Form8821-Sample.pdf

- Form 8821 Instructions for 4-H
These are the instructions for completing the form. http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/tax/Form8821-InstructionsFor4h.pdf

- Template for submitting 8821 data to 4-H HQ
Please enter information from Form 8821 into this spreadsheet and return a copy with the hard copies to Ellen Butler. Or, e-mail a copy of this completed template and send the hard copies to Ellen. Please do this no later than the close of business on Friday, April 9. http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/tax/TemplateForSubmitting8821-DataTo4hHQ.xls

Thanks for your help and any feedback that can help clarify these issues. While there’s a lot of information here, I think that it does, in the long run, simplify the IRS reporting requirements of 4-H affiliated groups. – Dale Leidheiser

4-H Age Reminder

We recently had a call from a parent wanting to enroll their child in 4-H. She had searched on several county 4-H websites and found conflicting information about how we determine 4-H age. We determine an individuals age as of December 31 each year. A child who is five on December 31 is eligible to join 4-H. A child who turns five on January 1 is not eligible to join 4-H as their 4-H age is 4. This is not a change in policy, but a clarification. Please update your websites accordingly and call if you have any questions! Here’s a hotlink about joining 4-H if you’d like to use it: http://www.colorado4h.org/join.shtml
- Dale Leidheiser

ATV Safety Online Mini Site Goes Live

We are very pleased to introduce the new ATV Safety online mini site sponsored by the Specialty Vehicle Association of America (SVIA) and the ATV Safety Institute (ASI).  The site promotes safe and responsible use of ATVs, thereby reducing accidents and injuries that may result from improper ATV operation by the rider.  We encourage you to visit the site at www.4-h.org/atvsafety and become a member!

Here are some great new interactive tools and resources available:

•         e-Learning Courses  –  there are three free interactive e-Learning Courses for Adults, Teens (12-15 years old) and Youth (6-11 years old);
•         Safety Tips – coaching tips and advice for parents and guardians to assist youths’ ongoing learning process and can learn the “Golden Rules” of ATV safety by downloading useful resources;
•         ATV Safety Videos – view video shorts talk about the importance of ATV safety – one video features the Massey brothers Kyle, from the Nickelodeon television series Zoey 101 and Chris, star of Disney’s Cory in the House and That’s So Raven.

And as a member, you also get to partake in the following features:

•         ATV Riding Game, Tread-sylvania – members can test their ATV safety knowledge by playing the new ATV riding game, Tread-sylvania, developed by New Mexico State University;
•         GeoMapping – map out your favorite courses ;
•         Calendar and Discussion Forum – submit events for the interactive calendar and have ATV discussions on the forum;

Please share this new site with 4-H youth and adults. www.4-h.org/atvsafety
- Sheila Chacona, 4-H ATV Safety, National 4-H Council, 301.961.2858

Volunteer Development Training

The Center for Nonprofit Success is offering a training on Volunteer Management on Thursday, April 8. It’s not too late to register at: http://www.cfnps.org/denls4.aspx. Linda Fuller, who now works with OMK in Denver, had a long career with Girl Scouts of America is one of the featured presenters!

4-H Night with the Nuggets

Get ready to have some big fun!  April 1, 8:30 p.m. the Denver Nuggets go up against the Portland Trailblazers! This is a great opportunity to get everyone you know to the game… It is a great price at $20 a ticket!!!  WOW, that would make an excellent date night, friends night out or even office appreciation gifts for employees or bosses.  What better time to take friends or co-workers to a game!  It is not just for 4-H member or leaders or volunteers… It is for EVERYONE!

Be sure to pass this on to any business friends you have or any list serves you are allowed to forward it to.  It is easy and anyone can attend.  $5 of their ticket goes back to the 4-H program. It is easy to order just got to www.pepsicenter.com/nuggets/4H.asp and select the county where you live and order.

Click here to post a flyer in your office:  http://www.colorado4h.org/Blog/docs/2010/4hNightWithTheNuggets.pdf

If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call at 970.491.0246. – Melissa Oliver

MetLife Afterschool Innovator Award

The Afterschool Alliance and MetLife Foundation are partnering to develop and disseminate a series of Issue Briefs that address topics related to middle school youth and afterschool programs. Nominate a program by April 23, 2010 for a chance to receive a MetLife Afterschool Innovator Award and be highlighted in one of our Issue Briefs.  Awardees will be recognized in the related Issue Brief and in the final compendium.  Awards will be given out by the Afterschool Alliance in conjunction with the 2010 Lights On Afterschool and each recipient will receive an award of $5,000 to be used to continue or improve upon the highlighted program.

We need your help in finding programs that are:

Providing multiple benefits to middle school students:
•    Nominate an exemplary middle school program that is providing benefits to middle school students, including helping them succeed academically in middle school, providing opportunities for service and preparing them for success in high school.

Promoting health and wellness for pre-teens and teens:
•    Nominate an innovative afterschool program that provides a place for middle school youth to be physically active, while teaching them to make positive choices for themselves.

Preparing middle school youth for college and careers:
•    Nominate an afterschool program that better prepares middle school youth for high school, college and careers, while keeping them on track and engaged in middle school.

Merging middle school programs and STEM learning:
•    Nominate a middle school afterschool program that incorporates/features STEM activities, giving students time to develop an interest in science, inspiring them to learn STEM skills and even explore STEM careers.

Your knowledge of the field is critical in helping us identify these potentially lesser known, yet highly effective, programs and the individuals running them.  Take a moment to make the nomination yourself or to point candidates in our direction.  Our online nomination form can be found at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/metlife2010 and additional details are available online at http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/metLife.cfm.  If you have any questions please contact Chris D’Agostino at cdagostino@afterschoolalliance.org or call 202.347.2030.
- Pam Garza, National Project Director,  National 4-H Council

A Model for Managing Controversial Issues for County Fairs

I know many of you can’t relate to controversial issues at county fairs! But, there are some fairs where a little conflict and controversy rear their ugly heads. What do you do when that happens? If you’re prepared, you can keep your own emotions, defensiveness and fear under better control. Here is a publication from Minnesota that can help you prepare for what you hope won’t happen!

Colorado Youth Advisory Council Positions!

The Colorado Legislature established COYAC in 2008 to give young people an opportunity to participate in the policy-making process. Their primary purpose is to “examine, evaluate, and discuss the issues, interests, and needs affecting Colorado youth now and in the future and to formally advise and make recommendations to elected officials regarding those issues.” (Colo. HB 08-1157)

There are 40 young people serving on COYAC, ages 14-19, from all over Colorado. There is one member from each state Senate district, and 5 at-large members. They talk to other youth throughout the state to hear their concerns, examine bills in the legislature, decide whether or not to support them, and suggest ideas for new laws. Four legislators are also non-voting members of our Council. They help the council connect with the Legislature and provide support and feedback for ideas.

This year there are 17 two-year vacancies among the Colorado senate districts and at-large posts. You can go to the following website to learn more information: http://www.civiccanopy.org Click on the Youth Advisory Council link to download the application, find your senate district and learn more about the work of the council.

This is a great opportunity for older 4-H members interested in youth involvement and civic governance to get involved! Please contact us if you have more questions!

e-Postcard (Form 990-N) FAQ

The e-Postcard is a very simple system that should take less than 10 minutes to file. To complete the e-Postcard, you will need the following information:

• Your organization’s Employer Identification Number (EIN). This number is sometimes referred to as a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). This is the same number you would have used when you applied for Federal tax-exempt status. An EIN consists of 9 digits and the format of the number is NN-NNNNNNN (for example: 00-1234567).
• Your organization’s legal name (e.g.. “Busy Bees 4-H Club”)
• Any other names your organization uses to do business (There shouldn’t be another name!)
• Be able to answer the following questions:
  • Has your organization terminated or gone out of business? (only answer “Yes” to this if your club has disbanded and distributed its assets to a 501(c)(3) organization)
  • Are your gross receipts normally $25,000 or less? (if you earned more than this, you’ll need to fill out a 990 form)
• The organization’s mailing address (or P.O. box), city, state and zip code (usually the organizational leaders address, or in some cases, the county office)
• Your organization’s website address (if you have one)
• The name and address of one of your organization’s principal officers (usually the organizational leader).
  

Please call if you have any questions!