IVA

Supporting Documents and References

• Idaho 4-H Volunteer Association (University of Idaho Website)
• Idaho Volunteer Association Bylaws - File:I4HVA-BYLAWS-Revised-2019.pdf

Acronyms

Abbreviation	Meaning
IVA	Idaho (4-H) Volunteer Association
UI	University of Idaho
UoI	University of Idaho
DSA	Distinguished Service Award (see Distinguished Service Awards below)

Purpose

The specific object and purposes of this organization shall be as follows:

• Education. The Association will strive to provide tools and opportunities to educate and expand the knowledge of 4-H volunteers.
• Recognition. The Association will acknowledge the efforts and contributions of 4-H volunteers throughout the state.
• Advocacy. The Association acts as an advocate for the 4-H program to stakeholders and policy makers on behalf of the UI Extension 4-H program.
• Advise. The Association serves as a representative of 4-H volunteers to advise the UI Extension 4-H program.

Distinguished Service Awards

Distinguished Service Awards are granted at county, district, and state levels each year in Idaho.

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is the highest honor that a 4-H volunteer in Idaho can receive. This award recognizes outstanding volunteer service to the county and district. County award recipients are considered for district recognition and district winners for the statewide award.

Supporting Documents

• DSA Application
• DSA Selection Matrix Instructions
• DSA Selection Matrix

County Level

At the county level, the University of Idaho Extension Faculty/Staff may work with other volunteers in the county to establish and recognize a single volunteer in their county which is deserving of an award for outstanding support of youth, leadership, and the 4-H program. It is ultimately the responsibility for the Extension office to select a DSA recipient at the county level. Extension faculty and staff should be encouraged by the IVA to select a recipient, and the IVA will award said recipient with an item of recognition. Each county will promote their one (1) selected recipient to the district level.

District Level

Each of Idaho’s four districts will acknowledge an outstanding volunteer whose efforts are exemplary. These nominees are drawn from the respective volunteers who were selected as county-level DSA recipients. It is the role of each district’s volunteer association to select the district DSA recipient from this pool. Each district recipient will be promoted to the state level selection process.

Selection Process

The IVA will form a selection comittee whose task will be to review all nominations from each county in their respective districts and select a winner. This recipient will be awarded at the district level.

State Level

In furtherance of the selection comittee’s efforts, the IVA will select one of the four (4) district-level winners as the state-level DSA recipient. This individual may be nominated at a national level (as has been the case in the past) to be reconized in the Western Region of the United States.

E.T. Walker Memorial Opportunity Grant

nothing here, yet… coming soon! :construction:

What a New IVA President Needs to Know

Generally, the transition of leadership comes immediately following the annual business meeting (held in February). The Past President should act as a person to provide guidance, encouragement, and help answer questions for the active IVA President. Additionally, the 4-H Volunteer Development Educator will serve to support and educate the active President with University- or Extension-related questions.

Transitioning leadership of the IVA ultimately suggests a few things. These can often be broken out over a timeline as follows.

First Week

items to be completed within the first week under new leadership

• Confirm (tentative) dates for quarterly IVA meetings. These should (typically) be managed by the outgoing (Past) President, but it is useful to confirm that these dates have been scheduled.
• Discuss with the Past President whether there are any outstanding items which require follow-up or additional attention. Often, this is just a chance to visit, and discuss what’s been happening, and if there’s anything that the Past President percieves “on the horizon” but may be a chance for a “pass-down” of items that need to be addressed.

First Month

items to be completed within the first month (or so) of office

• Request an update to the UoI IVA webpage (linked above) to indicate updated officer standings. This request should be made to the 4-H Volunteer Development Educator; the liazon between the University and the IVA.
  • At time of writing (Aug. 2023), this person is Donna Schwarting
    • dschwarting@uidaho.edu
    • 208-454-6556

First Quarter

items to be completed within the first quarter as IVA President

• Hold first quarterly meeting! The first quarterly meeting should normally be held sometime in mid to late spring, and should discuss what areas the IVA can be helping volunteers across the state in the midst of 4-H activities.