YOUTH GRANTMAKERS

Youth Grantmakers was created to empower youth to address issues that are important to them by participating in the grantmaking process.

In 2009, the Youth Grantmakers (YG) program was launched in Riverside to cultivate young philanthropists who will follow the learned traditions of giving and serving their community throughout their lives.  It is a program designed to provide authentic opportunities for young people to develop skills and knowledge that will raise the chances that they will commit to lifelong civic engagement, give them a stage for their voices to be heard, and make change in meaningful ways.  The YG Education and Training is a college- level leadership development program, employing a “for youth, by youth” model.  The platform is Philanthropy; the context is the Nonprofit Sector (particularly those that address youth issues); and the practicum is Grantmaking.  Embedded throughout the program’s education and training curriculum is the Social Change Model of Leadership Development, the crux of deep learning.  Awarding a modest amount of money, average $15,000 per year, to multiple nonprofit organizations that address youth issues is the capstone of the program.

Fast forward to May 2015. Since inception, 150 Youth Grantmakers awarded over $200,000 to nearly 100 nonprofits that serve young people!

The YG program reached a milestone in September of 2014 when The Community Foundation “quietly thundered” into the High Desert region (Apple Valley), the Coachella Valley region (Palm Springs), and the City of San Bernardino and launched three regional Youth Grantmakers.  The High Desert Young Adult Grantmakers  involves young people ages 18-21. The YG participants in our other programs are high school students.  Back in 2012, the Idyllwild Youth Grantmakers began with middle school students.  Six years later, five regional Youth Grantmakers exist so that they can fulfill their role as social change agents, improving the conditions for youth in their respective communities, and thereby the Inland region.

Every academic year, each YG sets out on a journey to:  1) Increase their awareness about the people and conditions outside the confines of their own community; 2) Improve their skills in conflict resolution, teambuilding, diversity, and communication; 3) Increase their knowledge about grantmaking, nonprofits, and community foundations; 4) Increase their social, leadership, and civic skills; and 5) Increase their interest in and involvement in the community.  Tremendous expectations to meet, but every year they deliver with flying colors.  Our youth are caring, smart, thoughtful, analytical, and gregarious. It is a privilege to engage with them, learn from them, ponder over their perspectives, marvel at their decision-making, and watch them develop into incredible leaders. Most importantly, we help them become young philanthropists.

Coachella Valley
High Desert
Riverside
San Bernardino

The Idyllwild Youth Grantmakers program was started in February 2013 as a three (3) year pilot program The program was a joint collaboration between The Community Foundation and the Idyllwild Community Fund, a geographic component fund of TCF.  The Idyllwild Youth Grantmakers program was unique in that the student Grantmakers were middle school students (6^th – 8^th grade) attending Idyllwild School.  The curriculum outline and grantmaking component was reflective of the high school philanthropy model established with the Riverside Youth Grantmaker program.  The middle school students were able to learn about nonprofits and issues specific to the Idyllwild community, as well as create community impact through grantmaking to address their identified needs.  The program is now under the direction of the Idyllwild Community Fund.  The Idyllwild Community Fund advisory committee members volunteer their time and services to facilitate the student learning sessions with The Community Foundation providing curriculum and grantmaking oversight.  

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