Applications will open December 11, 2024 and close January 27, 2025.

The Foundation's teen philanthropy committee, Youth for Community Improvement (YCI), awards annual project grants in areas they deem as critical in our community. 
 

2025 Priorities

The 2024-25 YCI cohort has identified the following priorities for this year's grant cycle:

1) Arts & Culture

Support for projects and programs that help expand access to arts and cultural institutions for underserved communities, foster inclusive cultural experiences and result in increased participation. 

2) Health & Wellbeing

Support for projects and programs that raise awareness around mental health, provide resources both in and out of school and tailor resources and program delivery to support diverse community needs. 

3) Basic Needs

Support for projects and program that connect individuals and families to programs they may be eligible for like SNAP, HIP, financial assistance and housing initiatives. Also, support for food distribution efforts.  

4) Economic Opportunity

Support for projects and programs that help prepare young people for postsecondary education and/or the workforce. Examples include job training, internships, college readiness programming, and workshops on financial planning.

Youth Voice

All proposals must speak to youth voice, meaning that the project/program/organization engages young people in an authentic manner on the scope of work.

Youth voice is the empowerment of young people through leadership roles, holding decision making power, and/or involvement of youth in program organization.

Eligibility, Scope & Limitations

• Applicants must be registered 501c3s or have a fiscal sponsor.
• Applicants must be doing their work within Worcester County.
• Grants are for related project/program costs. Operating and capital requests are not eligible.
• Grants will not exceed $5,000. Total project budgets may not exceed $40,000.

How to Apply

The application form is online. The first time an organization applies to the Foundation through our online application system, it creates an Organization Account to use for each application going forward. Please use the same account you have previously used, or create a new one if this your first time applying online. You may contact Foundation staff to find out if your organization already has an account in our system.

The deadline to apply is Monday, January 27.

Finalists will be invited to participate in a 20-minute conversation with the YCI committee on either February 25 or March 4. You will be notified if you are a finalist by Friday, February 14.