Below are the constitution and by-laws for a club/group. To apply for a charter, you can download and fill out the accessible pdf here.

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Constitution

Article I

(4-H club name) 4-H Club shall be the name of this organization

Article II

The object of this 4-H club is to aid in the development of its members through practical research-based practices, club meetings, demonstrations, judging, tours, fairs and other activities.

Article III

Membership: Any youth who is 5 years old on or before Oct. 1 may join a 4-H Cloverbud group. Youth age 8 on or before Oct. 1 may join a regular 4-H club as a full member who can enroll in several different projects. If a youth is 19 years of age on or before Oct. 1, s/he is not eligible to re-enroll in 4-H unless still in high school. 4-H membership is open to all eligible youth. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and Montana State University Extension prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status.

Article IV

Officers: The officers of this club shall be president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, reporter, historian and recreational Leader. (these are the recommended officers, a club may add or change these to fit the clubs needs)

Article V

Leaders: The club will have Organizational leader(s) and as many other leaders as necessary to serve as project and activity leaders

Article VI

Meetings: There shall be a minimum of six (6) meetings of the club held each year.

Article VII

Amendments: It shall require a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular meeting to amend this constitution.

 

By Laws

Article I

Election of Officers: The officers shall be elected by ballot at the October meeting each year.

Article II

Duties of the Officers:

a. President will preside at all meetings of the club and have in mind at all time the best interests of the club. The president may call special meetings with the consent of the leader.

b. Vice President will perform the duties of the president when the president is absent. The Vice President will also chair the planning committee for the Yearly Program Plan.

c. Secretary will keep a record (minutes) of all proceedings of the club, shall act as club correspondent in matters pertaining to the business of the club and shall keep a correct enrollment of all members.

d. Treasurer will receive and take care of all money belonging to the club and shall pay out at the order of the president, after club action. And keep an accurate report of all receipts and expenditures.

e. Reporter shall write and report club news to the community and submit announcements for events planned to the local community as appropriate.

f. Historian organizes a scrapbook that keeps a record of the group’s accomplishments and activities for the year.

g. Recreation Leader shall be responsible for the recreation time at each club meeting and at special events.

Article III

Committees: Committees standing and special will be appointed by the president as needed

Article IV

Meetings: The regular meeting of the club shall take place on the

of each month. Special meetings can be called by the president with the consent of the leaders

Article V

Elections: A majority vote will constitute an election.

Article VI

Quorum: A Quorum will be a majority of the membership. A quorum is needed to hold an official business meeting.

Article VII

Order of Business: The order of business for regular meetings shall be as follows: Call to order, roll call, reading and approval of minutes, reading of communications, reports of officers, reports of committees, unfinished business, new business, announcements, adjournment of business meeting.

Article VIII

If a vacancy occurs during the year, members will vote on a replacement.

Article IX

Amendments: These By-laws may be amended by a majority vote of the members present at any regular meeting.

Article X

Compensation and Conflicts of Interest:

  • All persons associated with this chartered group are volunteers.
  • No adult or youth will use their

Article XI

Whistleblowers Protection: To maintain the highest standards of conduct and ethics, the (4-H club name)

4-H Program will investigate any suspected fraudulent or dishonest use or misuse of resources.Any allegations of dishonesty will be handled with sensitivity, discretion and confidentiality to the extent allowed for by law. The 4-H organization will use its best efforts to protect whistleblowers against retaliation.

Article XII

Document retention and destruction: The following procedures for the retention and destruction of Records will be followed.

  • Charter, Permanent
  • By-Laws, Permanent
  • EIN Paperwork, Permanent
  • 990 tax returns, 7 Years
  • Annual and Audits, 7 Years
  • Bank Records, 3 Years
  • Donor Records and Acknowledgement Letters, 3 Years
  • Grant Paperwork, 3 Years after completions
  • Minutes, 3 Years
  • Correspondence, 3 Years
  • Yearly Program Plans, 3 Years

Copies of all permanent records will be kept on file at the local Extension office. The Extension offices in collaboration with the organizational leader are the designated persons to identify the records that have met their required retention time and will oversee the destruction. All destruction will be by shredding.

Article XIII

Organization: This club is organized exclusively for educational and charitable purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the lnternal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Article XIV

Use of Earnings: No part of the net earnings of this club shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that this club shall be empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in this constitution.

Article XV

Limited Activities: No substantial part of this club's activities shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and this club shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.

Article XVI

Other Activities: Notwithstanding any other provisions of this constitution, this club shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the lnternal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the lnternal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Article XVII

Dissolution: Upon dissolution, this clubs' assets shall be distributed to (name of county) extension or Montana 4-H

Foundation or its successor, provided that this entity is recognized under § 501(c)(3) of the lnternal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

lf this entity is not so recognized, this club's assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the lnternal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state Montana 4-H Foundation, lnc. or local government, for a public purpose.

Any such asset not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the country in which the principal office of the club is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.