Golden Clover Awards
The Golden Clover Awards recognize outstanding achievements of members, volunteers, program staff, and groups within the 4-H Youth Development Program.
If you would like to make a nomination for one of these awards, please visit the Golden Clover Award page on the State 4-H website.
Eligibility
Individuals and groups may only win once in a category every three years. Individuals and groups may win in only one category per year, although individuals are eligible to win as an individual and as part of a group in the same year. 4-H academic staff are not eligible for any Golden Clover Award.
Individuals and groups may apply or be nominated in multiple categories. The selection committee reserves the option of moving applications to another category if they feel it would be a better match.
Applications are evaluated on how well the applicant meets the description of the category and overall participation within 4-H. Group applications consisting of youth and adults need to demonstrate strong youth-adult partnerships.
Awards
Golden Clover Award winners are awarded a small cash award, a medallion and lapel pin (group recipients will be awarded lapel pins for every group member and one medallion per group). Award winners will be recognized on the state 4-H website and through social media.
Golden Clover Award Categories
4-H Member of Excellence Award
Sponsored by the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation.
This category may be awarded to a member for personal achievement and improvement, setting goals and completing them, excelling beyond expectations and overcoming hardships, and for outstanding and long-term contributions to the 4-H Youth Development Program.
Eligible levels: youth
Member Mentoring Award
Sponsored by the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation.
This category may be awarded to a member for changing the life of another youth in a positive manner.
Eligible levels: youth
Spirit of Citizenship Award
Sponsored by the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation.
This category may be awarded to a member, volunteer, group and/or staff member for contributions that demonstrate living the definition of citizenship; “acting with informed concern for self and others” within one or more of California’s five focus areas of citizenship.
Eligible levels: youth, adult volunteers, groups
Beekeeping Award
Sponsored by the California State Beekeepers Association to educate the public about the beneficial aspects of honey bees, advance research beneficial to beekeeping practices, provide a forum for cooperation among beekeepers, and to support the economic and political viability of the beekeeping industry. More information is available at http://www.californiastatebeekeepers.com/. One member award or one group award may be given in this category for project work or special events related to beekeeping.
Eligible levels: youth, groups
Collaboration & Outreach Award
Sponsored by the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation.
This category may be awarded to a member, volunteer and/or group for increased public awareness of the 4-H Youth Development Program, involving new youth and adults in 4-H, reaching out to communities that have historically not benefited from 4-H, and creating partnerships with other youth development organizations.
Eligible levels: youth, adult volunteers, groups
Fundraising Award
Sponsored by the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation.
This category may be awarded to a member, volunteer and/or group for efforts in fundraising for both financial and in-kind donations generated for local, county, and state levels. Recipients share methods and processes to raise funds and educate others in the fundraising process.
Eligible levels: youth, adult volunteers, groups
Innovative Ideas Award
Sponsored by the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation.
This category may be awarded to a member, volunteer and/or group for new, fresh and creative 4-H work at the local, county and state levels. Innovative 4-H work includes inventive educational activities, research ideas, service-learning projects and other activities.
Eligible levels: youth, adult volunteers, groups
Special Events and Activities Award
Sponsored by the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation.
This category may be awarded to a member and/or volunteer for individual leadership roles within 4-H camps, conferences, and trainings. This category is awarded to a group for outstanding educational events or activities that involve youth-adult partnerships in planning and delivery, reach a wide array of youth, and strive to meet local needs.
Eligible levels: youth, adult volunteers, groups
4-H Lifetime Achievement Award
Sponsored by the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation.
This category may be awarded to an adult volunteer who has dedicated a significant portion of their adult life to the 4-H program. Those awarded are outstanding volunteers who demonstrate significant, statewide, positive impact for 4-H youth.
Eligible levels: adult volunteers
Volunteer Leader Mentoring Award
Sponsored by the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation.
This category may be awarded to a volunteer for being a trusted friend, counselor, or leader and changing the life of a peer or youth in a positive manner.
Eligible levels: adult volunteers
Emerging 4-H Leader Award
Sponsored by the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation.
This category may be awarded to a volunteer with five or fewer years of excellent 4-H volunteer service in the 4-H Youth Development Program.
Eligible levels: adult volunteers
Jack and Robert Clay Outdoor Adventure Award
Sponsored by the Friends of Jack and Robert Clay.
Jack Clay and his son, Robert, were enthusiastically involved in the 4-H camping and outdoor adventure projects as leader and junior leader in Alameda County. Following their tragic accidental death in September 1987, family and friends established this memorial. This category may be awarded to either a member or a volunteer for 4-H work in camping and outdoor adventures including camping, fishing, hiking, shooting sports, rafting, climbing, GIS/GPS, snow skiing, and others. This category also includes outstanding achievement, leadership, and promotion of outdoor adventures.
Eligible levels: youth, adult volunteers
Robert Brownlee Science Award
Sponsored by the Robert Brownlee Foundation.
The Robert Brownlee Foundation was established in 1987 to provide financial awards for creating and maintaining innovative programs for youth. Robert Brownlee (1942-1991) was a visionary, whose practical inventions were elegant solutions to complicated technical problems, and whose generosity continues to extend that vision to science education for young people. This category may be awarded to two members and one volunteer for utilizing science inquiry and experiential learning in 4-H work to help youth increase knowledge, skills and competencies and improve their attitudes about science. This category includes increasing science awareness and use in 4-H projects by testing predictions and making sense of observations.
Eligible levels: youth, adult volunteers
Ironstone Concours Service Dog Award
Sponsored by the Ironstone Concours Foundation.
The Ironstone Concours Foundation is proud that over the last decade it has contributed more than $500,000 to youth programs, which include state and local 4-H organizations This category may be awarded to 4-H members who have shown commitment, patience and outstanding work with service and guide dogs through 4-H.
Eligible levels: youth
Engaging Youth Award
This category is awarded to 4-H staff who have promoted and advanced youth members on a trajectory of thriving and reaching their fullest potential through direct work with youth or volunteer development.
Eligible levels: Program Staff only
Staff Team Award
This category is awarded to 4-H staff and academics who have worked in a staff team (2 or more people) to create a 4-H program, activity or event that has impact in multiple counties as evidenced by evaluation data and has potential for duplication throughout 4-H in California.
Eligible levels: Program Staff and Academic Advisors only
Staff Partnership Award
This category is awarded to 4-H staff who have created successful partnerships with 4-H volunteers, 4-H members and other community organizations.
Eligible levels: Program Staff only