Rural Youth Development Vision: The USDA Rural Youth Development grants are focused on developing leadership and life skills in youth so they can work in partnership with adults to improve their own lives and the communities in which they live.

Rural Youth Development Program Goals: Within the context of the intent of the funding, the issues facing rural youth, and the potential solutions, the broad outcomes addressed by the funding include:

• Rural children and youth with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors necessary to live productive, contributing, and fulfilling lives; and
• Rural communities have increased economic opportunities and improved quality of life in rural America.

National 4-H Engaging Youth, Serving Communities Objectives

• Youth will gain the life skills and experience needed to emerge as effective leaders and contributing members of society.
• Youth and adults will begin to have more positive attitudes toward the roles of youth in communities.
• Youth and adults will improve their abilities to collaborate with diverse community members to identify local issues and develop strategies for addressing these issue.
• The establishment for youth and families in rural communities for positive youth development experiences during out-of-school time.
• Community issues being addressed shall improve community capitals - human, social, civic, cultural, natural, financial, and built (infrastructure).

Reports

Official Quarterly Reports -- compiled by the state office and due every calendar quarter of the program period to the National 4-H Council.

• A summary of program activities, demographics and financial activity are required
• April 30 for the period of January 1 through March 31
• July 31 for the period April 1 through June 30
• October 31 for the period July 1 through September 30

Final Narrative Report -- compiled by the county to be turned in to the state office no later than July 6.

• A final budget report
• Aggregated summary of all significant activities undertaken towards achieving the outcomes and objectives of the project
• Aggregated target and outcome data
• Success stories
• Publicity samples
• Photographs with photo release on file with grantee
• Five (5) copies of all locally-produced educational materials funded by the project.

Final Output Measures Report --compiled by the county to be turned in to the state office no later than July 6.

• Background information on unversity grantee and local sites.
• Racial, ethnic, age and gender information on youth and adult program leaders and participants.
• Number and hours youth are involved in programming, emerging as leaders within 4-H, and as leaders in the community outside of 4-H.
• Community issues identified, activity(ies) to address issues, status of action plans.
• Community collaborations, number participating, types of organizations in collaborations.
• Collaboration between 4-H, FFA and/or Girl Scouts.
• Details in resources leveraged: kind and value of cash, in-kind and staffing resources.
• Curriculum or education resources development.
• Number of 4-H Clubs or 4-H ongoing community-based groups formed.

Community Action Plan Report -- compiled by the county to be turned in to the state office no later than July 6.

• Background information on local community(ies) served.
• Description of needs assessment process and issue addressed.
• Identity of community capitals and description of how the need was addressed.
• Number of youth and adults involved in developing, implementing and evaluating the action plan.
• Status of action plan activity(ies)/project(s).
• Description of immediate and long-time impact the project had on the community expressed in terms of Community Capital developed or enhanced.
• Community collaborations specific to the action plan: single organization or name of collaboration (with name of all organizations in group), purpose of collaboration, specific contribution to action plan, continuing status of collaboration.
• Sum total of cash and in-kind resources leveraged specifically for the action plan.