Central District 4-H:
Educational Tips for 4-H Agents

Annual Club Financial Reports

Club Financial Reports are required each year as part of the chartering process for clubs that have separate checking accounts.  Clubs should have their Treasurer keep the 4-H Treasurer’s book as part of their officer responsibility. These books should be turned in at a time designated by the 4-H Agent. At the end of the Treasurer’s book is a one page Annual Club Financial Report that must be completed and turned in each year as part of the Treasurer’s book - one suggestion is to have them turned in when project books are due, or at the end of the program year.  If any club has a checking account set up under a social security number, that account must be converted to the EIN before the club can be chartered. 

Permanent Status and Promotion Tips

As part of the reporting process, it is never too early in one’s career to begin keeping accurate records to include in to the Report of Accomplishment – then when ready to take the step for permanent status and promotion – you will have records and past reports that will make the entire process easier – maybe not totally painless but at least manageable. 
Some counties require agents to turn in monthly contact sheets for departmental reports to the commissioners or county manager.  Whatever the county requirements, keeping good records is a must for promotion and permanent status. 
Start now keeping track (by your major programs) of your telephone calls, office visits, visits to clients (volunteers or club meetings), e-mails responded to, etc.  To count these you must be giving out educational information to the individual on the receiving end.  Make sure to count the Program Assistant’s contacts as well as the secretary who may be giving out 4-H information.  You need to keep track of these contacts by race and gender.  Because of the diversity of county programming, there is no set form; however there are agents who have developed forms that work for them.  I will try to develop a simple form and post to this website in the near future.
As for creative works, publications, flyers, etc.  I would recommend you start a folder for the current reporting year, and put a copy in the folder – it doesn’t matter whether it is an electronic folder or a hard copy – as long as you have access to it when the time comes.  Keep a copy of all newspaper articles submitted – even if they are not printed in your local paper, you can count them as a written article. 
Talk with your CED and/or more experienced agents in your county to see how they keep track of their contacts – learn from their experience.  Good Luck!

 

If you have suggestions for topics you'd like to see here, please send them to Judy Butterfield and we will try to add them.