Approved Guidelines for Fund Raising in 4-H 

The purpose of having a treasury in a 4-H Youth Development Council is to provide funds to
support the activities of 4-H Members and Adult 4-H Volunteers in their pursuit of educational
and community goals. Funds raised/donated in support of the 4-H Program are in public trust and
therefore must be carefully managed in order to safeguard the positive image of the organization
for future generations.
 
Fund raising is one of the 4-H Youth Development Council’s significant objectives. Funds
should be raised for specific purposes that include 4-H program development, community
service, assisting youth who do not have the resources to participate without financial assistance,
etc.
 
Any fund-raising program using the 4-H Name or Emblem must be conducted in compliance
with federal USDA guidelines. 
 
Any use of the 4-H Club Name or Emblem is forbidden if it exploits the 4-H program, its
volunteers or 4-H participants, the United States Department of Agriculture, Purdue Extension,
or the land grant institution and its employees. Fund raising programs using the 4-H Name or
Emblem may be carried out for specific educational purposes. Such fund raising activities should
be approved by the appropriate entity as follows:
  1. Approval by the County Purdue Extension office (via the 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator) if the fund raising activity is to be carried out in a single county.
  1. Approval by the State 4-H Program Leader if the activity is to be carried out on a multicounty level or state wide.
 
Each organization should be able to show proof of its authorization to use the 4-H name and
emblem.
  • For a 4-H Club, a 4-H charter signed by State Extension Officials indicating the group is organized in accordance with 4-H program objectives is sufficient.
  • For a 4-H Youth Development Council, a current signed Memorandum of Understanding with the county Extension Office is evidence of a group’s authorization to use the 4-H name and emblem. 
 
Under no circumstances may the 4-H Name or Emblem be used for fund raising purposes in any
games of chance such as bingo, raffles, etc. It is the responsibility of the 4-H Youth Educator to
inform 4-H organizations of this policy.