Youth Philanthropy Project

What is the Youth Philanthropy Project?

The Youth Philanthropy Project was started in 1998 by The Community Foundation to encourage student volunteerism and philanthropy by engaging young people in decision-making about the distribution of grant dollars.  A steering committee, comprised of local high school students, is responsible for awarding grants that will support community service projects planned and implemented by their peers. Our motivation is to encourage young people from across the region to develop leadership skills through participation in and promotion of community service.

Grantmaking Skills

Youth participants have the opportunity to:

  • Assess the needs of their community, as perceived by their age group.
  • Review and discuss grant proposals submitted by school clubs, youth groups, and nonprofit organizations.
  • Participate in site visits to applicant organizations.
  • Award up to $40,000 a year in grants to support youth-driven service projects.
  • Participate in service projects that reflect their interests.

Leadership Skills

Through participation in the Youth Philanthropy Project, middle and high school students are learning about the local nonprofit community, how to build consensus and how to make difficult grantmaking decisions. We also strive to nurture these young philanthropists by providing opportunities for them to share their knowledge, thereby enhancing their leadership skills.  Our members are available to speak with youth groups about what it takes to plan a successful project.  On occasion, they are given an opportunity to serve as spokespersons for the project at local, regional and national conferences, and when speaking with media representatives.

Volunteerism

Youth Philanthropy members also lead by example by becoming involved themselves in hands-on community service projects.  Over the past few years, the program has formed a mutually beneficial partnership with HandsOn Greater Richmond.  Our members have participated in HandsOn Greater Richmond Day (region-wide day of service) for two consecutive years, serving as team leaders for youth-only and family-friendly projects.  They are also helping to expand the youth service component by assisting HandsOn Greater Richmond in the planning and promotion of future service projects geared towards youth.