Program of Activities
Resource Guide
Get every member involved!
The Program of Activities (POA) serves to define chapter goals,
outline steps needed to meet those goals and act as a written guide
to provide a calendar of events the chapter will follow in the year
ahead. For more information, visit www.FFA.org/nationalchapter.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Page 1
Step 1: Plan
Page 2
Step 2: Develop
Page 5
Step 3: Do
Page 7
Step 4: Reflect
Page 8
Appendices
Page 9
2
Introduction
PURPOSE OF A PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES:
The Program of Activities (POA) serves to define chapter goals, outline steps needed to meet those goals and act as a written
guide to provide a calendar of events the chapter will follow in the year ahead for administrators, advisory committees,
alumni and other stakeholders. Every year each FFA chapter takes time to plan ways to provide engaging opportunities
focused on growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture.
A well-planned POA will ensure chapter activities meet the needs of its members, provide direction from year to year, lead to
a workable budget, provide experience in planning and serve as a reference point throughout the year.
Success is the result of creative planning and detailed preparation. In order to invest in chapter success, students set goals
and plan the necessary steps to accomplish these goals. The POA provides a structure for student committees. By engaging
in the development and delivery of a quality POA, students develop leadership and planning skills which are essential in all
careers. The key to a quality POA is getting every member involved. In this guide, the steps to develop and implement a
successful Program of Activities are outlined in four steps:
ORGANIZING A PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES:
Divisions
Each chapter builds its POA around three major areas called divisions. Divisions focus on the types of activities a
chapter conducts. The three divisions include:
Growing Leaders
Building Communities
Strengthening Agriculture
Quality Standards
Each division in the POA has five quality standards that typically function as student committees within the chapter.
Quality standards and dedicated student committees guide the planning, preparation and delivery of activities in
each quality standard area. All chapter activities should provide:
A balance of experiences inside and outside the classroom
Opportunities for developing self-confidence, responsibility, citizenship, cooperation and leadership skills
Authentic, engaging activities
Relevant, educational experiences
Accessibility for all students
Flexibility that will allow chapters from various environments and with various levels of resources to be
successful
Multiple levels of participation and experiences
Appropriate recognition for all participants
Exposure to opportunities and educational experiences for food, agriculture and natural resources
Quality Standards include:
Growing Leaders
Leadership
Healthy Lifestyle
Scholarship
Personal Growth
Career Success
For quality standard definitions and example activities, see Appendix A.
3
Step 1: Plan
ORGANIZING STUDENT COMMITTEES:
For successful planning, preparation and delivery of chapter activities, the POA
should be organized by using student committees. The number of committees
varies by chapter. The chapter vice president coordinates the work of committees and
every member should serve on at least one committee.
TYPES OF COMMITTEES:
There are three types of committees: standing, executive and special.
Standing committees: Function all year long and conduct activities that take place every year.
Executive committee: Consist of the chapter officers. In some chapters, chairpersons of standing
committees also serve on the executive committee. The executive term lasts for one year and changes when new
officers are elected.
Special committees: Function for events that do not occur every year or are not part of a standing committee. These
committees are formed to carry out a special event. A special committee only lasts until the specific event assigned
is completed.
SIZE OF COMMITTEES:
Each standing committee should have a minimum of three and a maximum of eight members. Three members may be
enough for some committees to operate smoothly. Other committees may require more than three members because of the
assigned responsibilities. Organization and size of committees will depend on:
Chapter size – the larger the chapter, the more members per committee
Number of activities – more activities require more members to plan, prepare and deliver
Number of advisors
Attitude and involvement of members
Community and stakeholder support
STANDING COMMITTEES:
The number of committees a chapter has will depend on the size of the chapter. Since there are three divisions in the
program of activities, small chapters may choose to have only three committees. These three committees would be: The
growing leaders committee, the building communities committee and the strengthening agriculture committee.
Larger chapters may choose to have more than three committees. Each division has five quality standards identified to help
focus chapter activities. If the chapter has one committee for each quality standard, the chapter will have 15 committees.
Chapters may have as many committees as they wish, and they may name them anything they choose. Regardless of the
number and names of the committees, it is important for chapters to address each quality standard in each division. A
chapter may organize student committees around the three divisions (see example #1), the quality standards (see example
#2) or local needs:
Suggestions on Organization of Committees Include:
EXAMPLE #1: ORGANIZING COMMITTEES BY DIVISIONS
Division
Possible Committees
Growing Leaders
Growing Leaders Committee
Building Communities
Building Communities Committee
Strengthening Agriculture
Strengthening Agriculture Committee
4
EXAMPLE #2: ORGANIZING COMMITTEES BY QUALITY STANDARDS IN EACH DIVISION
Division
Quality Standards/Possible Committees
Growing Leaders
Leadership
Growing Leaders
Healthy Lifestyle
Growing Leaders
Scholarship
Growing Leaders
Personal Growth
Growing Leaders
Career Success
Building Communities
Environmental
Building Communities
Human Resources
Building Communities
Citizenship
Building Communities
Stakeholder Engagement
Building Communities
Economic Development
Strengthening Agriculture
Support Group
Strengthening Agriculture
Chapter Recruitment
Strengthening Agriculture
Safety
Strengthening Agriculture
Agricultural Advocacy
Strengthening Agriculture
Agricultural Literacy
SELECTING STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS:
Chapter officers coordinate the overall activities of a chapter. Committee chairperson positions provide other students with
opportunities to serve in leadership roles.
It is an honor to serve as a committee chairperson, and the chapter should recognize those members serving as
chairpersons. The officers appoint committee chairpersons based on the members’ skills and interest in the committee.
ASSIGNING MEMBERS TO STANDING COMMITTEES:
After deciding on chairpersons, each member in the chapter should be assigned to serve on a committee. Consider the
following:
Members’ interests
Members’ talents
Suitable meeting times
Desired representation by agriculture course, grade level, experience, etc.
Some chapters assign members to committees by agriculture course. This helps members participate by reducing issues
when scheduling meetings. Another way to assign members is to have them rank their top three committee choices. The
chapter vice president and committee chairpersons make their final assignments considering the members’ rankings.
SUPPORT GROUPS AND STAKEHOLDERS:
Other groups and stakeholders may add to the success of the chapter’s POA. These groups could include FFA alumni,
agriculture boosters or other organized groups dedicated to supporting active FFA chapters. Other entities that strengthen
agriculture are also great resources – for example: Corn Growers, Young Farmers, Farm Bureau, Farmers Union, Grange,
chambers of commerce, service clubs, extension, fair boards, local advisor committee, parent-teacher organizations, etc. By
utilizing support groups and stakeholders, ideas, funding and additional resources can be made available for chapter
activities and projects.
REVIEWING THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES:
Committees should review the previous year’s POA to note the types of activities conducted. This is a great way to gather
ideas, improve the POA and prevent repeating activities that were unsuccessful.
WORKING ON THE PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES:
Each chapter must determine when its activity year begins and ends. Some states set the months included in the academic
year. Common chapter years are July 1 to June 30 or September 1 to August 31. The chapter year tells committee
chairpersons when their responsibilities begin and end. Chapters should consider state FFA deadlines and information in the
national chapter award program handbook when setting time lines for their activities. The months covered by the POA should
be the same as the chapter’s year of operation.
5
TIMELINE FOR POA DEVELOPMENT:
Chapters should establish a timeline for POA development. A chapter may organize the timeline by date (see example #1) or
perhaps by a calendar schedule (see example #2).
Example #1: Organizing Timeline by Date
Date
Assignment
May 1
Appoint committee chairpersons
May 10
Assign members to committees
June 1
Complete POA initial drafts
June 10
Obtain chapter approval
June 13
Secure administrative approval
June 20
Complete activity planning worksheets
July 1
Decide what will be included in the chapter handbook
July 15
Complete final copy of chapter handbook
August 1
Print chapter plans
November 30
Submit POA and chapter budget to state office
All year
Carry out the plans
All year
Evaluate
Example #2: Organizing Timeline by Calendar Schedule
Date
Assignment
Two-four weeks after new chapter
officers are elected
Appoint committee chairpersons, assign members to committees
Two weeks prior to the last FFA meeting
of the school year
Complete POA initial drafts
At the last meeting of the school year
Obtain chapter approval
Prior to the last day of school
Secure administrative approval
Prior to chapter officer retreat
Complete activity planning worksheets
At officer retreat
Decide what will be included in the chapter handbook
Two weeks prior to the beginning of the
school year
Complete final copy of chapter handbook
One week prior to the beginning of the
school year
Print chapter plans
One week after Thanksgiving break
Submit POA and chapter budget to state office
All year
Carry out the plans
All year
Evaluate
6
Step 2: Develop
WRITING THE PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES:
Once chairperson(s) and committee members are selected, the POA can be developed.
POA forms are available to aid in the development of the POA. These forms make it easy to:
Write the rough draft by hand
Present the plan to the chapter for approval or amendment
Prepare the POA for distribution
COMPLETING POA FORM 1:
Each committee should meet and discuss activities that relate to the purpose of the committee. Once the committee selects
an activity, use POA Form 1 to plan. Be sure to pay attention to special notes when completing the form. For a sample draft
of POA Form 1, see Appendix B.
The committee chairperson presents a summary of the completed POA Form 1 to the membership. The chairperson informs
the members of the planned activities and discusses the goals, completion dates and budget information.
Following the presentation, the chairperson should move for acceptance of the report. After a second to the motion, the
chairperson and/or committee members may respond to questions or suggestions related to the report.
The chapter membership has three ways to act on the motion. They can:
Approve the motion as presented
Approve the motion with amendments
Reject the motion and return it to the committee for revision
If the plan is rejected, the committee must go back to the drawing board to consider why it was not accepted and discuss
how to make changes that will be acceptable to the chapter membership. Upon agreement, the committee should rewrite
POA Form 1 and present it to the chapter again.
After the chapter membership approves all committee reports, the chapter vice president presents the activities to the school
administration.
ACTION AFTER COMMITTEE APPROVAL:
Once approved by chapter membership and the school administration, it is now time to edit and prepare the final copy of the
chapter POA. The chapter has three options:
Option 1: Standing Committees
This option has members of each standing committee complete POA Form 1 sheets for the division. This is a great way for
committee chairperson(s) and committee members to be most familiar with the plans for the year ahead and spreads the
workload among many members.
Option 2: Use Executive Committee
The vice president is in charge of committee work, therefore the vice president finishes the POA with the help of other
executive committee members. This provides a good opportunity for the executive committee to become familiar with all
plans for the coming year.
Option 3: Appoint A Special Committee
The chapter president may appoint a special committee to finish the POA. This is a great way to get more members involved
in the overall development of the POA. It also offers an opportunity to take advantage of members’ skill sets.
Before sharing the POA, make sure the final version:
Has correct grammar, spelling punctuation and sentence structure
Involves all chapter members
Is organized well and easy to understand
7
ITEMS TO INCLUDE IN THE POA AND CHAPTER HANDBOOK:
The POA includes POA Form 1 sheets and a calendar of events. The chapter handbook includes the POA as well as a number
of other items. The contents of the chapter handbook will vary among chapters. The executive committee decides what to
include in the chapter handbook. Usually chapters include those items they believe that every member should have. They, or
a special committee, collect and arrange the items to share. The chapter should share the POA and/or the chapter handbook
with every member and important stakeholders.
Items to Include in the POA:
Suggested Items to Include in the Chapter Handbook:
POA Form 1 sheets for each committee
Table of Contents
Calendar of major events for the coming year
Should include activities involving large number
of members, events that are interesting to the
public and activities requiring outside approval
such as chapter meetings, district CDEs and
LDEs and national FFA week
Should not include committee meetings or
routine items such as executive meetings or
CDE or LDE practices.
Message from the chapter president
List of officers and members
Chapter budget
Chapter Program of Activities
Award program point system
Chapter constitution and bylaws
Chapter history including:
State and American FFA degree recipients
State and national officers
Honorary members
Outstanding award winners
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Step 3: Do
PUTTING THE POA INTO ACTION:
Once the POA is developed and approved by members, the next step is for committee
members to plan each activity using POA Form 2. What steps are necessary to achieve the
goals approved by members? The committee should complete a POA Form 2 sheet for each
approved activity. Large committees may assign activities to smaller groups of members or
subcommittees. If the committee is small, all members can develop the POA Form 2 sheet
for each activity.
COMPLETING POA FORM 2:
This form is similar to the POA Form 1 used for initial planning. Use POA Form 1 to fill out some parts of POA Form 2. For a
sample draft of POA Form 2, see Appendix C.
KEEPING COMMITTEES UP TO DATE:
A timeline that includes a complete list of target dates for all committees will ensure all items are accomplished on time. This
will also promote collaboration between committees.
The timeline can be arranged by committees or by months. With either method, start by listing each event with target dates
in the first month of the chapter’s year.
Method 1: Timeline Organized by Committees
Division: Strengthening Agriculture
Committee: Safety
Month
Day
Event
September
15
Set date for ATV safety event
October
1
Schedule facility for ATV safety event
October
15
Discuss plans for ATV safety event with FFA Alumni
November
1
Brainstorm potential partner organizations for texting and driving
campaign
November
15
Post job sign-up for ATV safety event
December
15
Contact principal to schedule texting and driving school assembly
Method 2: Timeline Organized by Months
Month: September
Date
Division
Committee
Event
September 1
Growing Leaders
Leadership
Promote public speaking LDEs to
generate interest in members
September 15
Strengthening
Agriculture
Safety
Set date for ATV safety event
September 18
Growing Leaders
Healthy Lifestyle
Conduct interest survey of members
September 25
Strengthening
Agriculture
Support Group
Set up a meeting with alumni
president to discuss BBQ Bash
September 25
Building
Communities
Human Resources
Decorate boxes for Toys for Tots event
in December
MAKING THE POA WORK:
When planning is finished, smooth delivery is key. Successful chapters:
Give every member a copy of the POA and/or chapter handbook
Give a copy of the POA to support groups and stakeholders
Give each committee a copy of the national chapter award application
Hold regularly scheduled committee meetings
Report committees’ actions to the executive committee
Report committee’s actions to the chapter membership at chapter meetings
Evaluate each activity
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Step 4: Reflect
WHY REFLECT ON THE POA?
Plans are useless without implementation. The POA is a tool used to help
the chapter meet members’ needs and interests. Reflecting on the POA involves looking at
each activity after implementation and deciding if the event was successful in completing
its goals.
Reflection is an ongoing process. A well-planned and well-implemented POA will grow leaders, build
the community and strengthen agriculture. To save time and effort, the POA should be reviewed and
reflected upon regularly.
STEPS TO REFLECT ON THE POA:
Reflection is simple. First, committee members should fill out the results/notes section on POA Form 2 as each step of the
activity takes place.
To make the process simple, use POA Form 3 and POA Form 4 to help reflect on and evaluate the results. Keep the following
questions in mind:
Should the activity continue in the future?
Did all members take part in and benefit from the activity?
Were all goals achieved?
Were the estimated costs correct?
Was the activity based on a quality standard?
What changes would improve this activity?
What percent of the members participated?
Was it an integral part of the agriculture program?
How could we encourage involvement?
COMPLETING POA FORM 3:
Each committee may use POA Form 3 to summarize actions. This will assist the committee in preparing a report for the
officers and the chapter members. This also serves as a good reference for next year’s committee. For a sample draft of POA
Form 3, see Appendix D.
COMPLETING POA FORM 4:
After each activity is implemented, committee members should reflect on accomplishments and make recommendations for
the future. The committee may use POA Form 4 for this purpose. The committee chairperson may use the form as a report
for the chapter. For a sample draft of POA Form 4, see Appendix E.
National Chapter Award Program
PROGRAM PURPOSE
The national chapter award program is designed to recognize FFA chapters that actively implement the mission and
strategies of the organization. These chapters improve chapter operations using the National Quality FFA Chapter Standards
and a Program of Activities that emphasizes growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture. Chapters
are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership. This application process assists chapters in
assessing their accomplishments. For more information about the National Chapter Award Program, please visit
www.FFA.org/nationalchapter.
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Appendix A
GROWING LEADERS
Quality Standard
Definition
Example Activities
Leadership
Activities that help the individual
develop technical, human relations
and decision making skills to grow
leaders.
Leadership conferences, public speaking experiences, team
demonstrations, team and individual leadership
competitions, new member mentor program, state
leadership camps, chapter officer leadership trainings
(COLT), hosting international students, 212° and 360°
conferences, Washington Leadership Conference, state and
national conferences
Healthy Lifestyle
Activities that promote the well-
being of students mentally or
physically, in achieving the positive
evolution of the whole person.
Substance abuse prevention and education, personal
wellness choices and consequences, personal image
projection, diversity/inclusion programs, recreation/leisure
activities
Scholarship
Activities that develop a positive
attitude toward lifelong learning
experiences.
Scholarship awards, tutoring, elementary reading programs,
school and college tours, FFA scholarships, leadership
conference scholarships, study skills seminars for members,
chapter/school honor roll and recognition for students across
school departments, academic mentoring
Personal Growth
Activities conducted that improve
the identity and self-awareness of
members. These activities should
reflect members’ unique talents
and potential by reinforcing their
human and employability skills.
The activities should strive to
enhance the quality of life and
contribute to members’ life goals
and development.
Time management activities, self-help workshops, facing
your fears, money management, financial planning, anti-
bullying, diversity/inclusion programs, personal organization
skills, member degrees
Career Success
Activities that promote student
involvement and growth through
agriculture related experiences
and/or entrepreneurship and
promote career readiness.
News stories, career day, guest speakers, displays of
exemplary programs, facility tours, mentor programs,
international seminars, shadow experiences, agricultural
skills and judging events, test plots for the school agriculture
department, agriscience fairs, science fairs for elementary
students, computer literacy activities, SAE tours, SAE fairs
BUILDING COMMUNITIES
Quality Standard
Definition
Example Activities
Environmental
Activities conducted to preserve
natural resources and develop
more environmentally
responsible individuals.
Urban and rural conservation programs, collaborative efforts to
raise game for release/biological control, water and air quality
programs, green practices, provide water testing, recycling
programs, National FFA Living to Serve Grants
Human Resources
Activities conducted to improve
the welfare and well-being of
members and citizens of the
community.
PALS (Partners in Active Learning Support), special populations
involvement, at-risk programs, cultural awareness and
diversity programs, provide an after school program for
younger children, setup a community garden, food/toy drives,
National FFA Living to Serve Grants, Farm to School Initiative
Citizenship
Activities conducted to
encourage members to become
active, involved citizens of their
school, community and country.
Volunteerism, community service, civic duties, internships with
government agencies, roadside/area cleanup, legislative
breakfasts, work with local chamber of commerce, organize a
charity concert, networking with governmental agencies
Stakeholder
Engagement
Activities conducted to develop
teamwork and cooperation
between the local chapter and
stakeholders.
Working with another entity to strengthen agriculture – for
example, Corn Growers, Young Farmers, Farm Bureau,
Farmers Union, Grange, chambers of commerce, service clubs,
extension, fair boards, local advisory committee, parent-
teacher organization participation, etc. (Cannot include alumni
or boosters.)
Economic
Development
Activities conducted to improve
the economic welfare of the
community.
Member entrepreneurship, community scavenger hunt,
enhanced tourism, international development, historical
preservation and community relations, SAE economic impact
11
Appendix A (Continued)
STRENGTHENING AGRICULTURE
Quality Standard
Definition
Example Activities
Support Group
Activities conducted to develop
and maintain positive relations
among FFA, parents and
community leaders interested in
supporting agricultural education.
Any activities with FFA Alumni, agriculture boosters or other
organized groups dedicated to supporting active FFA
chapters
Chapter
Recruitment
Activities conducted to increase
agricultural education enrollment
and/or FFA membership and
encourage greater participation.
Career class visits, agricultural demonstrations, visits to
lower grades, program information mailings, petting zoos,
member barbeques, National FFA Week exhibits, new
member picnics, camping and fishing trips, create a mentor
program for new members, a complimentary subscription to
FFA New Horizons magazine
Safety
Activities that enhance
safety in the community.
Firearm safety programs, ATV safety, equipment operation
safety, mock crashes, general farm safety, texting and
driving campaigns, safe animal handling demonstrations,
pesticide application safety awareness activities, producer
and consumer safety programs, personal safety programs
Agricultural
Advocacy
Activities conducted to articulate
and promote agricultural
programs, practices, policies
and/or education to elicit action.
Agriculture issue presentations, National Agriculture Day
activities, parent/student orientations, advocating for
agricultural legislation, Teach Ag! campaigns, engaging
policy makers to promote action on hunger, engage in policy
supporting agricultural education as an ideal delivery method
for STEM, student representation on influential agriculture
boards, interacting with local media to promote agriculture
and FFA, use of social media to support agricultural causes,
encouraging animal welfare practices, advancements in
biotechnology and technology in agriculture
Agricultural
Literacy
Activities that help consumers
become better informed about the
production, distribution and daily
impact of food, fiber and fuel.
Food for America, Agriculture in the Classroom, Food
Checkout Day, activities centered around national food
promotions (i.e., dairy month), agriculturally related
educational events and/or displays, educating consumers
about hunger, food cost and food safety, Our Food Link
activities, Food, Land & People, partnering with local fair or
festival boards to include food related educational
components in events, alternative fuel education, product
awareness as it relates to agriculture (i.e., clothing,
medicines, paper, etc.)
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Appendix B
13
Appendix C
14
Appendix D
15
Appendix E