The Kentucky Volunteer Forum (KVF) celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2020. KVF 2020 offered 183 workshops, organized in 18 tracks. The most well-attended tracks included livestock, horticulture, leadership, FCS, other animals, crafts, shooting sports, and horse.) 1138 people from 112 counties registered for KVF 2020, making it the largest volunteer forum in Kentucky’s history, and the largest 4-H volunteer forum held anywhere in the world during this year, to date. Thirty-eight (38) counties broke or tied their 20 year historic attendance records and Leslie County was one of these counties. Three districts (1, 2, and 4) had 100% county participation. Leslie County's 4-H Horse Club Leader completed recertification to continue for Leslie County.  Eleven states were represented, including Colorado, Indiana, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Additionally, 37 Family Resource Youth Service Center Directors attended the KVF, receiving Continuing Education hours. Finally, 42 youth completed Leadership Boot Camp.

Determining the factors that motivate volunteers to participate in the Forum is important in order to more effectively market and recruit for the event. Respondents indicated that their primary motivator for attending the Forum included:

· The workshop offering (20.99%)

· Attended previous forums (17.15%)

· 13.72% attended because their 4-H agent encouraged them to do so.

· Becoming motivated and re-energized (11.80%),

· To network (10.43%).

· Recognition events (9.60%)

When asked what components of the forum they most enjoyed, the two most popular responses included workshops (29.97%) and networking opportunities (17.69%).

When asked to identify what they had gained from attending the KVF, 21.40% of attendees reported “learning about new programs” 19.74% gathered new information, 17.71% developed new skills, while 17.53% were “motivated or inspired,” and 16.24% benefitted from “networking.”

A total of 350 answers were collected in response to the question “what are your plans for the information, tools, knowledge and skills that you collected at the 2020 KVF?” Of these, 36.29% indicated that they would teach new information at a 4-H Club meeting, 33.43% planned to share information with other 4-H volunteers, while 26.86% planned to introduce a new project, program, or activity in their club or county.

Conference attendees were asked to respond to six agree-disagree statements, that queried their aspirations following the forum. (1 = Strongly Agree, 5 = Strongly Disagree). These included:

I am more likely to continue volunteering. (86.13% SA or A; mean = 1.65)

I am more likely to develop or offer a new program, project or activity.

(84.17% SA or A; mean = 1.73)

I am more likely to increase my level of involvement in my county program.

(78.99% SA or A; mean = 1.77)

I am more likely to feel more energized and motivated to volunteer.

(89.06% SA or A; mean – 1.95)

I have increased my level of knowledge. (96.43% SA or A; mean = 1.77)

I have developed a new skill. (83.57% SA or A; mean = 1.75)

Working with volunteers is a long-standing Extension tradition (Patton, 1990) as well as the primary method of delivering 4-H and Extension programs. Volunteer leaders have been central to the success of the 4-H Youth Development program since its inception in 1902 (Wessel & Wessel, 1982). Extension professionals from all program areas volunteer by involving them in a variety of roles and delegating to them responsibility for projects, programs, events and activities (Culp, McKee & Nestor, 2007). Volunteers are an essential component of the Cooperative Extension Service in the United States. Nearly 625,000 volunteers deliver 4-H Youth Development programs to American youth annually (National 4-H Headquarters, 2002.)   Extension professionals need to effectively work with volunteers to fulfill the goals of Extension programs

The Kentucky Volunteer Forum provides varied and targeted ongoing education and networking opportunities. For those counties who take advantage of its benefits, the KVF is a critical component in preparing, energizing, and retaining the volunteers who are integral to the success of 4-H and Extension.