Sponsor: Public Health
Title
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Memorandum of Agreement with University of Minnesota Extension for 4-H Youth Development and Extension Volunteer Program
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Recommendation
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1. Approve the Memorandum of Agreement with University of Minnesota Extension for administration of the 4-H Youth Development and Extension Volunteer Program education programs for the period of January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2027.
2. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the agreement.
3. Authorize the County Manager to approve and execute amendments in accordance with the provisions of the agreement, provided the amounts are within the limits of available funding.
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Background and Rationale
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Ramsey County has previously partnered with University of Minnesota Extension (Extension) to support two public education programs under two separate agreements:
• The 4-H Youth Development Program (4-H)
• The Extension Volunteer Program (formerly known as The Master Gardner Program)
Minnesota Statute 38.34 authorizes a board of county commissioners to incur expenses and spend money for county Extension work. Ramsey County currently provides funding for the general operations and employment of Extension Educators to administer these programs to county residents. Public Health will fund both programs for the proposed 2025-2027 agreement.
4-H Program:
4-H Youth Development Program (4-H) is delivered in a county-based funding model across the state of Minnesota. This historical partnership between Extension and counties have allowed the rich resources at the university and in local communities to be exchanged for greater understanding and benefit.
4-H is a positive youth development program for young people of all beliefs and backgrounds in
grades K-12, empowering them with skills to lead for a lifetime. Through hands-on non-formal learning experiences, young people engage with peers and caring adults to develop a spark for learning while nurturing and growing their leadership, civic engagement, and life skills.
In Ramsey County, the 4-H Youth Development program:
• Supports hundreds of member youth from across Ramsey County to engage in 4-H clubs, camps, showcases and other 4-H learning experiences. This includes recruitment, screening, and training of over 150 volunteers, interns, and partners to support these youth experiences.
• Partners with Ramsey County Library to offer enrichment experiences for young people.
• Builds sustainable funding out of the 4-H Ramsey County Leaders’ Council that supports.
Ramsey County 4-H youths’ participation in the larger 4-H program and reduces barriers to
participation.
• Provides youth worker training and technical assistance to youth-serving organizations.
• Will support public education opportunities and programs related to waste management and recycling.
Extension Volunteer Program:
St. Paul - Ramsey County Public Health has contracted with the Extension Service since the 1990’s to provide programs and employ Extension Volunteer Coordinator staff, specifically in support of public education opportunities related to waste management. The program teaches residents gardening skills and strengthens community health and environmental stewardship through composting, recycling education at public facing events, and through gardening projects with area schools and with community organizations. Investment in this program leverages close to 10,000 hours of volunteer time annually in Ramsey County, reaching thousands of residents in various locations throughout the county.
The Ramsey County board recently engaged in discussions with Extension about updating the name of this volunteer program by removing "Master" from contracts and program documents. This Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) submitted by Extension for the current contract cycle reflect this consensus, replacing "Master Gardener Program" with "Extension Volunteer Program" across all documents.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Functions in both programs provide direct contact with the public, providing education opportunities for all. The 4-H program allows youth development in 4-H clubs, camps, showcases and other experiences. 4-H programs have higher intensity, duration, and sustained involvement than other youth programs. 4-H participants have better school attendance, grades and test scores, work habits and interpersonal skills. In 2023, the program had 340 enrolled participants and 16% of these were Latine (ethnicity) and 46% of these participants were youth of color (race) These opportunities provide students with experience in cross-cultural events, programs, workshops, and immersive experiences that prepare them to thrive and develop confidence in who they are. The Extension Volunteer Program provides access to public education related to waste management for all in Ramsey County. In 2023 the Extension Volunteer Program had 381 certified volunteers and interns, with over 19,700 hours of volunteer time in the community. These numbers reflect the opportunities to serve in underserved communities by providing access to gardening education for future sustainability, such as growing neighborhood vegetables, fruits, and native plant gardens.
Community Participation Level and Impact
Ramsey County and Extension have combined the 4-H and Gardener Volunteer programs to coordinate outreach and education efforts more efficiently to Ramsey County residents. The 4-H program offers hands-on non-formal learning experiences where young people engage with peers and caring adults to develop a spark for learning while nurturing and growing their leadership, civic engagement, and life skills. The Extension Volunteer program strengthens community health and environmental stewardship through composting, recycling education at public facing events, online workshops, and learning, and through gardening projects with area schools and community organizations. The investment leverages 10,000 hours of volunteer time and reaches residents throughout the community to work on waste management efforts.
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☒ Involve ☒ Collaborate ☒ Empower
Fiscal Impact
The budget for a 2025-2027 agreement is as follows:
|
Program |
2025 |
2026 |
2027 |
|
4-H Youth Development |
$225,750 |
$232,523 |
$239,519 |
|
Gardener Volunteer Coordinator |
$110,750 |
$114,023 |
$117,419 |
|
TOTAL |
$336,500 |
$346,546 |
$356,938 |
The 4-H Youth Development Program and the Extension Volunteer Coordinator Program will be managed by Saint Paul Ramsey County Public Health. In 2025, the Communications and Public Relations department allocated $190,035 to support the 4-H Youth Development Program, with the remaining costs covered by Saint Paul Ramsey County Public Health. Beginning with the 2026-2027 budget, both extension programs will be included in the Environmental Health budget.
Last Previous Action
On December 19, 2023, The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners approved the Agreement with University of Minnesota Extension for Administration of 4-H Youth Development and Master Gardener (Resolution B2023-253)
Attachments
1. Ramsey MOA 2025-2027
2. 5a. 2025-2027 MOA Exhibit D _ydchart FINAL
3. 5a. 2025-2027 MOA Exhibit D _ydchart FINAL
4. 2025-2027 MOA Exhibit C_ University Recommendations 10.3.24 FINAL
5. Ramsey 2025-2027 MOA Exhibit B_ Program Deliverables 10.3.24 FINAL
6. Ramsey MOA 2025-2027 Exhibit A FINAL