KEYS:Kids Empowering Youth in Service

Apply for Grants

Social Venture Investors (SVI)

Nonprofit Technical Assistance Fund

KEYS is a new program at the Grand Rapids Community Foundation’s Youth Grant Committee designed to provide high-school age teens with funds to carry out community service projects that benefit other area youth.

Application Requirements

A group of at least two teens must be responsible for planning and carrying out the project.
The grant application must be written by a high school student.
The project must be carried out on behalf of a non-profit organization.
The youth benefited can be up to 21 years old.
An adult advisor (a member of the benefiting organization) must be willing to provide support.

What can the grant be used for?
Grants will be awarded for creative community improvement projects planned and implemented by local youth, and benefiting local youth.

Examples of eligible youth groups: church youth groups, youth leadership groups at non-profits, after school youth clubs or groups in the Grand Rapids area.
Examples of eligible service projects: Making hats, scarves, or blankets for homeless youth, painting a mural with a positive youth message, coordinating a “reading buddies” program in the Grand Rapids area. Be creative!

$5000 is available for KEYS grants!

Who can apply?
Any youth ages 13-18 that lives in the Greater Grand Rapids area. The adult contact should be a representative of the non-profit either receiving the service or participating in the service.

Payment:
Grant checks will be made payable to the benefiting non-profit organization for the approved project.

Follow-up Reports:
Recipients will be asked to submit a brief follow-up report upon completion of the project.

Questions regarding applications and application submission should be directed to: Cris Kooyer at 616.454.1751 or click here to email her.

Application Form

Please note that you will not be able to save this form. We suggest you compose your application in a word processing program and then cut and paste into this form.

Please fill out the following form to submit your application.

* denotes a required filed

Youth Contact/Coordinator 1:*
Coordinator 1 Phone:*
Coordinator 1 Email:*
Youth Contact/Coordinator 2:
Coordinator 2 Phone:
Coordinator 2 Email:
Youth Advisor:*
Organization:*
Organization's Tax ID Number:*
Street Address:*
City:*
State:*
Zip:*
Youth Advisor Phone:*
Youth Advisor Email:*
Amount Requested:*
Total Cost of Project:*
Describe Your Project (including timeline and specific steps):*

What inspired you to do this project (include some background on the issue)?*

What youth issue are you impacting and how does your project directly address that issue?*

How many youth will benefit from your project?*

How do you plan to involve other youth in the project*

What is your advisor’s role in the project?*

If you don't recieve the grant, how you plan to carry out the project?*

Detail how the grant money will be spent. Be very specific.*