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4-H LogoFlorida 4-H

4-H LogoFlorida 4-H

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.

  • 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

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.

  • 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.

  • Step 2: Planning Process

    Youth research the community need they are going to focus on and develop a plan to combat this community need.

  • Step 3: Submit a Community Pride Proposal

    Each group must submit a proposal for funding of their Community Pride Project.

    Proposals must be submitted through Qualtrics at THIS LINK by December 1 to be considered for the current 4-H years funding. 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 a Proposed Project Budget and a Proposed Media Strategy. These templates can be found by clicking on the links in the previous sentence. 

    For reference only, you can see what will need to be reported at Community Pride - Proposal. No PDF submissions will be acepted. All submissions must be made through the Qualtrics link. 

    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. 

  • Step 4: Implement Your Project

    Youth should implement their service project between January and June.

  • Step 5: Evaluate and Report

    All Florida 4-H Community Pride Final Reports must be submitted through Qualtrics by June 1st to compete at the state level for recognition. A link will be made available to submit the report online.

    For reference only, you can see what will need to be reported at Community Pride - Final Report. No PDF submissions will be accepted. All submissions must be made through the Qualtrics link.

    All participants in the Top Five Projects will be invited to a recognition meal held during 4-H University.

Leader's Guide

You can access the Community Pride Leader’s guide by following THIS LINK.

This guide is meant to support Club/Project Leaders to help club members succeed in the Community Pride Project. 

  • This guide includes:
    • Community needs assessment instructions
    • SMART Goals Worksheet
    • Project calendar worksheet
    • Sample reflection questions.

2022 Projects

Collage of three pictures including tree saplings, a 4-H member delivering information to a woman at her front door, and community members learning more about 4-H at an information table

  • Dream It, Style It, Make It – Broward (Top 3 Project)

    Tree-Plenish Tree Giveaway

    After learning that their schools and community were using too much paper and not planting enough trees to replace the usage, Dream It, Style It, Make It set out to take on a green initiative that they could realistically accomplish within various constraints due to COVID, funding, and permits. In partnership with Tree-Plenish and their local Master Gardeners, they were able to provide the Miramar community with 75 trees and 66 pollinator friendly plant while learning that ideas are only as good as being able to implement them.

Two 4-H members preparing for their community service project by gathering supplies and keeping track of what they're buying

  • G.R.I.T.S. - Lake (Top 3 Project)

    Mission Foster Closet

    As G.R.I.T.S. 4-H became more aware of the discomfort youth in the foster care system experience constantly moving from place to place, they set out to provide welcome kits that include necessities such as, toothbrushes, sippy cups, snacks, stuffed animals, color books, toys, and so much more stuffed into a drawstring bag. While learning how to organize, persevere, and be resilient, G.R.I.T.S. was able to impact about 75 families who foster with 150 welcome kits.

A 4-H member looking over the supplies for their community service project

  • County Council - Wakulla (Top 3 Project)

    Blessing Box

    As the Wakulla 4-H County Council saw bright green boxes popping up around town, they got curious about the purpose they served. Once they learned more from Wakulla Feeding Wakulla about these blessing boxes and the food insecurity they were aimed at eliminating, the County Council set out to create a blessing box of their own at their Extension Office. Since March, about 616 people have used the blessing box. The County Council’s efforts were so impactful within their community that their local middle school decided to donate overstocked food to the cause. This is sure to make their efforts sustainable beyond the Community Pride grant.

Three 4-H members preparing supplies for their community service project

  • Teen CERT - Wakulla

    Disaster Buckets for Seniors

    Through a local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, the Wakulla County Teen CERT learned about the need to be prepared for disasters and that senior citizens were the most likely to be unprepared. Noticing this need, they set out to supply their older community members with disaster buckets. Through community classes that taught others how to make their own buckets and giveaway events where they handed out premade buckets, Wakulla County Teen CERT impacted 100 plus community members.

Two 4-H members with their shopping carts full of supplies for their community service project

  • Explorer's - Hamilton

    Foster Love Bags

    After learning about youth in the foster care system having to leave their personal belongings behind and carry what they can in garbage bags, the Explorer’s 4-H Club set out to give these youth something personal to call their own with a dignified way to carry it. Through learning how to sew pillowcases, budget, and shop, 24 backpacks filled with personal items were provided to local youth to keep and call their own.

Information Contact

Program & Submissions | Derby Sale, sderby.sale@ufl.edu

Sponsorship | Caylin Hilton, grow4h@ifas.ufl.edu