Youth Grant Committee
Engaging Students in Philanthropy
Students from public, private and home-school high schools throughout greater Grand Rapids make up Grand Rapids Community Foundation's Youth Grant Committee. During the school year, Youth Grant Committee members meet and assess youth issues, develop a request for proposals process to address those needs, follow up with previous grantees, conduct interviews and site visits and award grants.
Youth Grant Committee
Youth Grant Committee presents an awesome opportunity for local high school students to gain leadership experience while working as part of a diverse team to make decisions that make a real impact.
Youth Grant Committee, explained by its members. Produced by Sparsh Aiyar.
informed by students
2022 Needs Assessment Survey Results
The Youth Grant Committee at Grand Rapids Community Foundation conducts a Needs Assessment Survey of high schoolers in Kent County every other year. View the full report here.
Meet the Committee Members
YGC 2023-2024
We are thrilled to have this great group of teens as part of our Community Foundation!
- Krish Agarwal, Forest Hills Eastern High School
- Sparsh Aiyar, City High Middle School
- Kaitlynn Araujo, The Potter's House Middle School
- Alexander Bartish, West Catholic High School
- Caebre Baty, Grand Rapids Christian
- Jerry Benedict, Grand Rapids Christian
- Christian Boyce, Forest Hills Northern High School
- Kimani Brame, East Kentwood High School
- Jazpe Cano, Southwest Community Campus
- Kenna Charbauski, Forest Hills Northern High School
- Lendy Chavez-Aguilar, Catholic Central High School
- Hannah Chun, Grand Rapids Christian
- Orli Dujovny, East Grand Rapids High School
- Ronen Dujovny, East Grand Rapids High School
- Syncere Hobson, CA Frost Environmental Science Middle High School
- Claire Jones, East Grand Rapids High School
- Elaina Juarez, Godwin High School
- Beatrice Kilburn, Northview High School
- Isabel Landero, Lee High School
- Lia Lin, City High Middle School
- Juan Manuel Lopez Zamudio, Byron Center High School
- Cydney McKinney, Godwin Heights High School
- Ram Reddy, City High Middle School
- Karina Rodriguez, City High Middle School
- Alexandria Smith, Grandville High School
- Halima Suleiman, Union High School
- Isabelle Underhill, Godwin Heights High School
- Julian Wilson, City High Middle School
- Andrew Wu, City High Middle School
Grants Awarded March 2024
Youth Grant Committee Awards
Recipient
Amount
Date
Purpose
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African Collaborative Network
$2,000
Mar. 2024
The Youth Internship Program emphasizes the importance of education and increases college entrance and completion rates for area African students.
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Baxter Community Center
$2,000
Mar. 2024
Baxter Community Center’s Out of School program aims to impact youth employees with meaningful, transformative work experience that implements participant feedback and provides teens with new resume building skills.
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Blessed by Brookelyn
$4,900
Mar. 2024
Providing job training and community support for youth involved in the juvenile justice system.
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Chosen Academy
$1,600
Mar. 2024
Supporting Chosen Academy’s summer basketball camp, which provides a safe space for youth athletes of color to learn about mental health through guest speakers and interactive programming.
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Code on Wheels
$2,500
Mar. 2024
This grant supports 5 monthly student enrollments in Code on Wheels’ programming course, using GDevelop as a low-code tool for game creation at the YMCA.
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FitKids360
$2,500
Mar. 2024
FitKids360’s On the Move program encourages establishing physical activity habits. This grant will help develop and incorporate mindfulness techniques and formalize the youth mentorship component of the program.
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Girls Growing II Women
$1,000
Mar. 2024
Sisterhood in Schools Thriving Everyday II Reach Success program brings youth together to learn life skills, focus on mental health, develop relationships, and build self-esteem, all in an environment that promotes creative freedom.
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Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities
$3,000
Mar. 2024
This grant supports the Teen Leaders program, including teen internships for work experience and an “Adulting 101” series of workshops.
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Hispanic Center of Western Michigan
$3,500
Mar. 2024
Supporting immersive arts and cultural experiences for refugee and special-resident status youth that fosters a sense of belonging.
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Hope Link of West Michigan
$1,500
Mar. 2024
This grant will be used for youth academic support and to provide learning opportunities for entire families.
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MUSED
$1,950
Mar. 2024
Supporting Freestyle Fridays, a 4-week youth art initiative providing high school students in Grand Rapids with creative social experiences.
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New Destiny Pathways
$3,000
Mar. 2024
To provide teen girls who are facing traumatic life challenges with resources and experiences to support their physical and mental health needs, as well as providing career path support and learning valuable life skills like financial literacy.
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No Surrender Running Club
$1,775
Mar. 2024
No Surrender Running Club's Youth Board aims to use social media to promote their programming to engage youth of color, to support mental health and wellness through running.
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Osofomaame
$2,500
Mar. 2024
Abundant Life Academy provides wholistic culturally competent and equitable empowerment programming for Black, African American, and/or African youth in the 49507 area.
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Positive Impact for Life
$5,000
Mar. 2024
Supporting the Summer of Success tutoring program, which utilizes teen mentors for 1st – 8th grade students. The program combines academic tutoring with mental health resources and social-emotional development opportunities.
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The Hunt Chapter
$3,500
Mar. 2024
The Girls Taking Action program provides education and mental health support to promote success by building self-esteem and healing from generational trauma.
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The PlaygroundGR
$2,225
Mar. 2024
Supporting the Healing Through Play foster care programming, which teaches play-based therapy strategies.
Youth Grant Committee FAQ
Thinking About a YGC Grant for Your Organization?
Here's everything you need to know about youth grants from Grand Rapids Community Foundation and how to apply for funds.
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501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, government entities (including schools), or community groups willing to obtain a fiscal sponsor (with help from the Community Foundation) may apply for grants for programs that benefit youth in the greater Grand Rapids area. Proposals should address one of the youth needs identified in the fund guidelines, be creative and well-defined, and demonstrate equitable community impact. A project budget and plans for program evaluation should be included as well. Call the Grand Rapids Community Foundation at 616.454.1751 if you have questions.
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Grant applications are available online each year. Past applicants will receive an email notification when future grant application timelines have been established. Please contact Chantal Pasag, YGC advisor, at CPasag@GRFoundation.org if you wish to be notified when the application opens.
The money available for grants comes from income generated by a $1.8 million Youth Fund, which is held in permanent endowment by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. The Youth Fund was established in 1994 with $1 million in matching funds from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Approximately $45,000 in grants is available annually.
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In the last two decades, we have awarded more than one million dollars to local nonprofits. We particularly like to support programs that are unique, address racial, social and economic justice, and incorporate youth leadership.
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Membership in YGC is open to any Grand Rapids area high school student interested in serving their community and willing to volunteer their time. Hundreds of area students have served on the Committee since YGC began, with many of them serving through all four years of high school. Membership applications are available each March and new members are selected in May. For more information, click here, or contact Chantal Pasag, YGC advisor, at CPasag@GRFoundation.org.
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Youth across the state of Michigan are active serving their communities and addressing issues of concern. Learn more about Michigan's many Youth Advisory Committees by visiting the Michigan Community Foundation Youth Project's website.