Citizenship Washington Focus
For more than 50 years, thousands of high school youth from all across the country have traveled to Washington, DC each summer to partake in the preeminent 4-H citizenship experience – Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF). CWF is a national program designed for 4-H members and teen leaders ages 14-19. Sessions are offered throughout the weeklong program held throughout June and July each year. CWF provides youth with opportunities to:
- explore, develop, and refine the civic engagement skills they need to be outstanding leaders in their community, country, and world.
- engage in sightseeing tours throughout Washington, D.C., led by college-aged program assistants.
- learn the history of our nation and how leadership and citizenship skills can be applied in local community.
Program registration costs vary. Nebraska 4-H sends several regional groups each year that spend time visiting additional educational locations on the way to CWF. For more information, please contact your local Extension office.
Managing Your Citizenship Washington Focus Funds-Extension Staff
With the University’s movement to a Recovery Cost Management (RCM) model, there are new policies around funds coming into cost objects. While Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) funds had been exempt from the 5% fee, that will no longer be the case and that fee may raise. In order to best serve our 4-H families, we have explored other strategies for managing those funds and the Nebraska 4-H Foundation as graciously agreed to be the fiscal agent.
Beginning December 2019, Citizenship Washington Focus will be managed by the Nebraska 4-H Foundation. Current account balances in UNL Cost Objects will be transferred to Nebraska 4-H Foundation accounts.
Those counties/multi-county units who do not currently have dollars in the UNL CWF Cost Object will need to set up a fund with the Nebraska 4-H Foundation. These funds will be managed in a separate account from other foundation funds.
There are no charges to county offices to establish a Citizenship Washington Focus Fund with the Nebraska 4-H Foundation. Nor will the Nebraska 4-H Foundation assess fees on transactions related to these accounts.
Process to Establish a Fund
- A representative from the County Extension office must send an email to the Nebraska 4-H Foundation requesting that a Citizenship Washington Focus Fund be established for their county/multi-county unit. Please send the email to Stuart Shepherd at sshepherd3@unl.edu
- County offices are responsible for collecting CWF funds and sending them to the Nebraska 4-H Foundation. Checks should be payable to Nebraska 4-H Foundation. Mail to:
Nebraska 4-H Foundation
PO Box 4500
Lincoln, NE 68504 - The Foundation will keep a file for each county fund. All checks and county communication will be copied and filed.
- Funds will be managed by Union Bank and Trust. Counties are welcome to call or email the Foundation to obtain reports on the balance of their fund. The Foundation will not be sending financial reports to counties.
Process to Utilize Funds
- Many/most expenses will be incurred by the Travel Agency Coordinating the trips. They will work with vendors (museums, tour sites, group meal locations) on contracts and payment processes.
Trip Choices
Beginning in 2021, all 4-H sponsored Citizenship Washington Focus Trips will include National 4-H Council’s Citizenship Washington Focus experience and the Nebraska 4-H pre-trip curriculum.
Additionally, Nebraska 4-H will be utilizing one Travel Agency for the statewide coordination and management of CWF trips.
***Because of the unknowns nationally with CWF, Nebraska is moving to a one-year time frame for planning and fundraising. County-based Nebraska Extension programs may explore other ways to use the funds that have already been collected (example: Ignite Conference). In some cases, it may make more sense for counties to return the money back to each individual 4-H’er.
The Nebraska State 4-H Office will continue to share updates as we learn more about opportunities for 2025. We are encouraging county-based Nebraska Extension programs to continue brainstorming ways that the funds they had consistently raised could still be used for other opportunities (some of which are also offered by National 4-H).***
