Raised bed gardens, building accessible picnic tables, creating outdoor classrooms and landscaping community buildings are a few of the community projects that 4-H and FFA youth will be doing this summer as recipients of a Shaping Rural Missouri Grant. Eighty 4-H clubs and FFA chapters received a $500 Shaping Rural Missouri Grant to complete a community improvement project in their local area.
This is the twelfth year of awarding the Shaping Rural Missouri Grants. The program has awarded more than $250,000 back to rural Missouri.
“It’s exciting to see the number of grant applications increasing each year,” said Rob Guinn, CEO. “These grants allow 4-H and FFA members to work as a team to enhance their local Missouri communities and build skills that will help them in the future.”
In 2023, FCS Financial awarded the following 4-H clubs and FFA chapters a Shaping Rural Missouri Grant in support of implementing the project listed:
Liberty 4-H Club (Adair County) – Replace trees and landscape the Northeast Missouri Fairgrounds.
Andrew County 4-H Council (Andrew County) – Maintenance and improvements at Andrew County Fairgrounds.
Be Bo Bouncers 4-H Club (Audrain County) – Landscape and tree replacement at Beagles Community Center.
F & L Hustlers 4-H Club (Audrain County) – Landscape around the Centralia R-VI District office.
Horner Ridge Runners 4-H Club (Barry County) – Create and install receptacles around Barry County for net wrap and hay twine.
Warsaw FFA Chapter (Benton County) – Build and install a new sign for the Warsaw FFA.
Ashland FFA Chapter (Boone County) – Build, install and maintain 10 flower planters at 10 downtown Ashland businesses.
Hallsville Go Getters 4-H Club (Boone County) – Floriculture project will build and install a native plant garden at Hallsville Primary School.
DeKalb FFA Chapter (Buchanan County) – Landscape the entrance of the DeKalb High School.
Polo Trailblazers 4-H Club (Caldwell County) – Provide maintenance and update items at the Polo Community Church where the club meets.
Eastern Stars 4-H Club (Cedar County) – Clean up picnic areas around Stockton City Park and Stockton Lake Picnic Area.
Brunswick FFA Chapter (Chariton County) – Build picnic tables and seating for the trap range.
Antioch 4-H Club (Clark County) – Build serving tables at O-Mak-O-Hak city park.
Ashton Cloverleafs (Clark County) – Build handicap accessible tables for Clark County Fairgrounds.
Blackwater Willing Workers & Clear Creek 4-H Clubs (Cooper County) – Assist with construction of new restrooms at Cooper County Fairgrounds.
Final Drive 4-H Club (Crawford County) – Assist with electrical upgrades at Crawford County Fairgrounds.
Everton FFA Chapter (Dade County) – Restroom renovation to make restrooms accessible to everyone.
Maysville FFA Chapter (DeKalb County) – Establish a school teaching garden.
Washington Middle School Jr. FFA Chapter (Franklin County) - Establish a school teaching garden.
Gilman City FFA Chapter (Harrison County) – Construct a rabbit show table and show cages.
Pawnee Peppers 4-H Club (Harrison County) – Assist with enclosing part of Wyant Park Youth Building.
Holt County 4-H Board (Holt County) – Provide new play equipment for Welty Park.
Iron County Arcadia Valley 4-H Club (Iron County) – Replace and perform maintenance on Arcadia Valley Lions Club.
Blue Springs South FFA Chapter (Jackson County) – Create educational garden at local elementary school.
Country Kicker 4-H Club (Jasper County) – Build and maintain flower boxes to place in front of Jasper Police Department.
Joplin FFA Chapter (Jasper County) – Plant and maintain flower boxes at Joplin Little League Softball Park.
Mt. Moriah 4-H Club (Jasper County) – Clean up and beautify the Jasper County Fairgrounds.
Mt. Moriah 4-H Club (Johnson County) - Clean up and beautify the Johnson County Fairgrounds.
Knox County 4-H Council (Knox County) – Construct wash rack at Knox County Fairgrounds.
Friendship 4-H Club (Laclede Cunty) – Landscape around little free library and add books to the library.
Lafayette County Range Masters 4-H Club (Lafayette County) – Construct a parking area at the shooting range.
Santa Fe FFA Chapter (Lafayette County) – Repair and refurbish food stand at Alma City Park.
Walkenezer 4-H Club (Lafayette County) – Construct and install a little free library.
Lawrence County 4-H & Mt. Vernon FFA Chapter (Lawrence County) – Create additional parking at Lawrence County Fairgrounds.
Lawrence County Stockmans 4-H Club (Lawrence County) – Place wreaths on veteran headstones at Springfield National Cemetery.
Lewis County Showboard (Lewis County) – Install fans to show barn and sale arena at Lewis County Fairgrounds.
Home Pioneer 4-H Club (Macon County) – Repair food stand at Atterberry Park.
Maries County Rising Stars 4-H Club (Maries County) – Assist in construction of accessible restroom facility.
Stockmasters 4-H Club & Vienna FFA Chapter (Maries County) – Assist in barn expansion at Maries County Fairgrounds.
Bullseye Shooting Sports Club (McDonald County) – Beautify Bethpage Community Building and build a retaining wall.
Miller County 4-H Council & Clubs (Miller County) – Replace roof on 4-H Building.
Montgomery County R-II FFA Chapter (Montgomery County) – Construct wash rack at Montgomery County Fairgrounds.
Neosho FFA Chapter (Newton County) – Repair and repaint picnic tables and barns at Newton County Fairgrounds.
Dora FFA Chapter (Ozark County) – Grow plants for educational and community use.
Lucky Ducky 4-H Club (Phelps County) – Build houses for bats at Coventry Park in Rolla.
Royal 4-H Club (Phelps County) – Repair show barn at Nelson Hart Park.
West Platte FFA Chapter (Platte County) – Landscape entrance of Platte County Fairgrounds.
Pleasant Hope FFA Chapter (Polk County) – Build picnic tables and landscape middle school playground.
Sunshine Kids 4-H Club (Putnam County) – Build raised beds and plant flowers at Putnam County Care Center.
Clever Clovers 4-H Club (Ray County) – Purchase and install fans at county fairgrounds.
Guys & Gals 4-H Club (Ray County) – Repair and renovate concession stand at Ray County Fairgrounds.
Hardin-Central FFA Chapter & Orrick FFA Chapter (Ray County) – Renovate and upgrade wash rack at Ray County Fairgrounds.
Lawson 4-H Club (Ray County) – Landscape and repair fire pit at local community space.
Olde Tyme 4-H Club (Ray County) – Construct benches for Lawson City Park.
Richmond FFA Chapter (Ray County) – Repair and expand storage at Ray County Fairgrounds Shooting Range.
St. Clair County Heroes 4-H Club (St. Clair County) – Repair and perform maintenance at St. Clair County Fairgrounds.
Eating From the Garden 4-H SNAC Club (Saint Francois County) – Landscape and make accessible Farmington Community Garden.
Farmington FFA Chapter, St. Francois County 4-H Council & Ste. Genevieve 4-H Small Animal Club (Saint Francois County) – Upgrade sheep and goat pens at St. Francois County Fairgrounds.
Glenwood Whistle Stop 4-H Club (Schuyler County) – Replace flagpole at Glenwood Park.
Schuyler County 4-H Shooting Sports (Schuyler County) – Purchase items that allow shooting sports members to participate safely.
Gorin Go Getters (Scotland County) – Landscape Scotland County Fairgrounds.
Current River Clovers (Shannon County) – Make the youth building accessible for all community members.
Twin Pines Clovers 4-H Club (Shannon County) – Install and construct a community lending library and community pantry.
Green City FFA Chapter (Sullivan County) – Construct improvements at the trap shooting range.
Green City Workers 4-H Club (Sullivan County) – Educate youth in area schools on embryology and hatching baby chicks.
Sullivan County 4-H Shooting Sports (Sullivan County) – Purchase items that allow shooting sports members to participate in the shooting sports project.
Winigan 4-H Club (Sullivan County) – Make improvements at community 4-H Show Barn.
Country Clovers 4-H Club, Lone Star 4-H Club, Milo-Oakdale 4-H Club & Vernon County Youth Fair Swine Committee (Vernon County) – Improvements and landscaping of Vernon County Youth Fairgrounds.
ALPHA Academy SPIN Club (Warren County) – Create and implement community garden.
Prairie View 4-H Club (Warren County) – Beautify and enhance the community meditation garden.
The Daniel Boone Afterschool 4-H Club (Warren County) – Landscape and enhance the garden beds outside the Special Education classroom of area elementary school.
Mountain Grove Schools 4-H Club (Wright County) – Create a school community garden.
The 2024 Shaping Rural Missouri Grant application will be available online on January 2, 2024.
