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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> NORTH CAROLINA <br /> TO: Board of County Commissioners <br /> FROM: Jonathon Smith, County Extension Director <br /> DATE: May 21, 2024 <br /> SUBJECT: Transfer of Master Gardener Funds Held by County to Master Gardener Volunteer <br /> Association of Orange County North Carolina <br /> The Orange County Extension Master Gardeners" program recruits,trains, and engages people to serve <br /> as volunteer educators who strengthen Extension's delivery of science-based horticultural knowledge to <br /> North Carolinians. <br /> The Orange County Extension Master Gardeners"" program connects people with the benefits of <br /> consumer horticulture through research-based information, educational programming, and community <br /> outreach that empowers North Carolinians to cultivate healthy plants, landscapes, ecosystems, and <br /> communities. <br /> In the interest of furthering the Orange County Extension Master Gardeners' impacts and programming, <br /> volunteers of the Orange County Extension Master Gardeners' Program formed a non-profit 501(c)(3)to <br /> attain eligibility to receive philanthropic grants from potential partners in support of new and ongoing <br /> gardening demonstration projects administered by the Orange County Extension Master Gardeners'" <br /> program. 501(c)(3) classification was found to be necessary in order to meet eligibility requirements for <br /> many grants and to further the community development work of volunteers.The new Association will <br /> continue to coordinate closely with Mart Bumgarner, County Extension Agent, though the Association <br /> will be led by Master Gardener volunteers. <br /> The County currently houses and manages funds collected by the Orange County Extension Master <br /> Gardeners"' program volunteers from previous fundraisers and events (PlantFest, bulb sales, and others) <br /> that support the projects of the Orange County Extension Master Gardeners"" program. Cooperative <br /> Extension, in coordination with the Finance Department, intends to transfer about$26,777.18 (entirety <br /> of funds in the Master Gardener fundraising account)from the non-appropriated Master Gardener <br /> county account to the Master Gardener Volunteer Association of Orange County North Carolina to allow <br /> the Association to manage its own funds. Funds being transferred are not county appropriated and are <br /> funds solely raised by and managed by the Orange County Extension Master Gardeners"" program <br /> volunteers. Until all county-transferred funds are exhausted, the non-profit will be required to undergo <br /> a biannual audit of funds to ensure funds are spent according to purposes outlined in the Memorandum <br /> of Agreement. <br /> 300 W.Tryon Street, Hillsborough,NC 27278 1 www.orangecountync.gov 1 919.732.8181 <br />