Community Pride: Service-Learning Grant Program
Community Pride is a service-learning program aimed to support 4-H members and clubs across the state in giving back to their communities.
Project proposals are due December 1. Final reports are due June 1. All information regarding these submissions can be found below.
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Program Objectives
The objectives for this program are for youth to:
- Learn about their community and the impact it has on their lives
- Learn to work with a team in community activities, programs, organizations
- Develop skills and knowledge in community leadership
- Gain experience carrying out projects to improve their community
- Develop an interest in and love for their community
Questions
Citizenship/Leadership Coordinator | Derby Sale, sderby.sale@ufl.edu
Partnership Opportunities
Partnership opportunities, including title sponsorship, are available for this statewide program. Contact Caylin Hilton at grow4h@ifas.ufl.edu to learn more.
Guidelines & Procedures
4-H members of all ages may participate in a Community Pride Project. During the project a community issue is identified, a service project is selected, a plan is implemented by the group, and reflection and reporting take place.
This is a competitive project. To be eligible for one of the Top Five Community Pride Project Awards, groups must have submitted a proposal and a final report. Even groups who do not receive funding are eligible to submit a final report and compete for one of the Top Five Awards.
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Step 1: Community Needs Assessment
During the fall, youth study the challenges facing their community and identify needs and assets. Youth then select one community need to focus on.
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Step 2: Planning Process
Youth research the community need they are going to focus on and develop a plan to combat this community need.
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Step 3: Submit a Community Pride Proposal
Each group must submit a proposal for funding their Community Pride Project.
Proposals must be submitted online through the following link by December 1 to be considered for the current 4-H years funding, Community Pride Proposal (ufl.qualtrics.com). County 4-H Professionals (faculty/staff) will receive an email to approve the application once it is submitted. Applications will not be considered complete without approval from your county 4-H professional.
For submission, you will need to upload additional documents that can be found at the following links, Proposed Project Budget and Proposed Media Strategy.
For reference only, you can see what information needs to be submitted at the following link, Sample Proposal - Community Pride. All submissions must be made through Qualtrics. No other types of submissions will be accepted.
Proposals will be scored by volunteer judges and then receive an average score. To help prepare and ensure that your proposal is clear to judges, you can access the score sheet at the following link, Proposal Score Sheet - Community Pride.
Please Note: Funding is awarded based on available funding, number of proposals submitted, and score received on the proposal. If a project does not receive full funding from the Florida 4-H Foundation, groups are still expected to follow through on the process by working with you to build additional support.
Groups that are awarded funding will be notified via email in January. Groups that are awarded funding MUST follow up with the Florida 4-H Community Pride Final Report available below.
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Step 4: Implement Your Project
Youth should implement their service project between January and June.
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Step 5: Evaluate and Report
All submissions must be made at Community Pride Final Report (ufl.qualtrics.com) by July 1 to compete at the state level for recognition. All proposals are invited to submit a final report; those that received grant funds are expected to submit.
As part of the report, you will need to download the Final Project Budget, fill it out, and upload it within the online submission form. For reference only, you can see what will need to be reported at Sample - Community Pride Final Report. No PDF submissions will be accepted.
All participants in the Top Five Projects will be invited to a recognition meal held during 4-H University.
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Leader's Guide
You can access at Community Pride Leader’s Guide (edis.ifas.ufl.edu).
This guide supports Club/Project Leaders in helping club members succeed. It includes:
- Community needs assessment instructions
- SMART Goals Worksheet
- Project calendar worksheet
- Sample reflection questions.