Two Franklin 4-H Groups Get Grants

Image above from Canine Capers Facebook Page.

Two Franklin 4-H clubs, 4-H ALARM Robotics and the Canine Capers 4-H Dog Club, were awarded BOOST (Building Opportunities and Organizational Strength Together) grants from the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation in June.

4-H ALARM Robotics, which builds robots and participates in regional and national robotics competitions, riding, was awarded a $5,000 grant to start a First Lego League Challenge Team for fourth through eighth graders; to purchase kits for robotics workshops that the club conducts in the community; and to procure iPads to use in the stop animation workshops the club offers at libraries.

The Foundation awarded the Canine Capers 4-H Dog Club a $1,000 BOOST grant for dog agility jumps and gates needed for the club and the facility where the state dog show will be held this fall.

4-H ALARM Robotics expressed their gratitude for the grant. “Outreach has always been at the heart of 4-H ALARM Robotics’ mission. This $5,000 grant will significantly expand our ability to serve underresourced communities, introduce more students to robotics, and build the next generation’s technical skills,” said Pallavi Naravane, Outreach Mentor for the club.

“The funding will support our outreach programs by enabling us to purchase LEGO Spike Essential kits, which include programmable hubs, motors, LEDs, and sensors. These kits are vital to our FIRST LEGO League Explore program, which we’ve been teaching for the past two years. With this grant, we can reach even more students in grades two through four.”

“The BOOST Grant Program reflects the Foundation's deep commitment to strengthening the Massachusetts 4-H community by investing directly in the creativity and capacity of our clubs, fairs, and advisory councils,” said Robert Kordenbrock, Executive Director of the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation. “This year, we’re proud to distribute a record $45,000 to 21 recipients across the Commonwealth — each grant representing a powerful vision for youth development. These grants are not just financial support; they are votes of confidence in the next generation of leaders made possible thanks to the generosity of donors who believe in and support 4-H, and we are deeply grateful for their continued partnership.”

The Massachusetts 4-H Foundation launched its BOOST grant program in 2024. This year, 21 4-H entities, including 4-H clubs, advisories and fairs, were awarded grants totaling $45,000 in the areas of general operating, capacity building, and equity and inclusion.

The Massachusetts 4-H Foundation is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization committed to the mission of enriching and advancing of 4-H youth development programs throughout the Commonwealth. Established in 1955, the Foundation generates and provides resources to help expand the 4-H program in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts 4-H is a youth development program open to all young people ages 5 through 18 throughout the Commonwealth. It is part of a nationwide system connected to each land-grant institution of higher education and as such, has access to a wealth of resources and curriculum. In Massachusetts, 4-H is based at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and offers programming to youth in every county in the state.

In the United States, the organization is administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Its name is a reference to the occurrence of the initial letter H four times in the organization's original motto head, heart, hands, and health, which was later incorporated into the fuller pledge officially adopted in 1927. 

It had its origin earlier in the 20th century and, presumably as farm families have become less common, its mission and scope has grown.