Building a home for 4-H
Great spaces fuel great programs. Great programs change futures.
Minnesota 4-H is growing. Its reach has increased by 33% over the past four years, and it aims to expand that tremendous growth to reach 1 in 10 young people by 2030.
Imagine 100,000 4-H'ers connected to: mentors who believe in them, experiences that ignite their spark, learning that sticks and builds confidence — and a vision for their future that is positive and powerful.
When young people have confidence and drive — when they can envision who they want to become — they can change the trajectory of their community and our state.
The 4-H Building needs to evolve to meet that growth.
Building improvements
Health and safety
- Enhanced ventilation and building infrastructure (HVAC, lighting, plumbing, etc.)
- Updated safety and security features for youth to enjoy their home away from home
- Accessibility improvements for youth and fair guests
- Expanded electrical capacity and technology to meet the needs of youth and to improve the 4-H project-learning showcase experience for fair guests
Program spaces
- Innovation labs for STEM and agricultural education
- Teaching kitchens for food science and nutrition
- Improved spaces for youth-judge interaction both in-person and online
- New stages for performing arts, public speaking and demonstrations
- Technology-enabled classrooms and interactive learning studios
- Flexible spaces for workshops and community gatherings
These spaces enable enhanced learning at the fair, going beyond what youth bring to the fair to also allow youth to take new experiences and knowledge home.
When one 4-H’er has a great experience at the building, they take that passion back to their community. The next generation of 4-H’ers are inspired.
"4-H is about inclusivity and building all kinds of skills. Being a 4-H State Ambassador, for me that's building communication, building leadership, and learning about people from all over the state. I'm always so amazed when I talk to someone from Roseau County or Rock County — that we can come together from across the state and learn how to lead and develop our communities."
– John, 4-H State Ambassador, Wright County 4-H
A vision for transformation
Through inspiring spaces like media studios, teaching kitchens, performance stages and learning zones that flex from robotics to entrepreneurship, we can transform the 4-H Building into a modern hub of discovery and belonging that mirrors the creativity and diversity of the youth it serves.
Summer programming (June-July)
Minnesota 4-H will introduce specialized day camps and overnight immersions where projects become passion. Young people from Roseville to Roseau will discover their spark during 4-H summers, diving deeply into performing arts, leadership, STEM, natural resources, agriculture and more. Extended seasonal use will bring youth leadership conferences, weekend workshops and university connections.
State fair season (August)
More 4-H’ers will showcase their ideas to 2 million fairgoers in a venue that signals pride and achievement.
Projects once hidden in the 4-H Building’s corners will be recognized. Fair guests will see youth in action: cooking demonstrations, performing arts showcases, fashion on professional stages and youth-led innovations.
Above the public spaces, the 2nd floor will become an inviting community space where youth eat, play games and make friends between activities. The top floor will transform into a welcoming, comfortable dormitory with modern amenities – a home away from home where youth are excited to stay.
Extended season (May and September)
4-H leadership conferences will bring youth from across Minnesota for weekend workshops.
The building will become a gateway between youth potential and opportunity: UMN faculty will share research, high school seniors can explore college pathways, middle school youth will attend overnight STEM camps and youth-led community service projects will launch from gathering spaces designed for connection.
Sneak peeks
The center of 4-H at the Minnesota State Fair is the 4-H Building, one of the most recognizable buildings on the fairgrounds.
Built by the WPA, the building is largely unchanged since the Great Depression and needs significant renovation to continue to empower youth into the future.
Need help visualizing the future? Check out our vision for the 4-H Building.
Support for the 4-H Building campaign
Support for the 4-H Building renovation is growing!
Community members who value the 4-H Building as a space to grow future leaders are stepping forward to share their time and resources, helping make this vision a reality.
They're building a future. Let's build a home for it.
4-H'ers are turning their projects into passions, leading into careers and futures imagined. Through 4-H, they are building a future. Let's build a home for it.
There are many ways to support the transformation of the 4-H Building and strengthen Minnesota 4-H for generations to come.