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DCF’s New Castle County Youth Philanthropy Board Invites Grant Applications

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New Castle County nonprofit organizations are invited to apply for grants from the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) Youth Philanthropy Board (YPB). The board will award $15,000 in grants to one or more New Castle County schools and qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, in accordance with its designated area of focus. Requests for up to $2,500 will be accepted.

This year, the YPB Board will consider funding requests for:

  • Mentoring programs focused on promoting healthy lifestyles for at-risk (e.g. pregnant or parenting, struggling with substance abuse) middle school through high school students, OR
  • Programs that provide extracurricular activities for middle school through high school students with developmental and/or physical challenges.

Grant requests must be submitted on a 2014 YPB Grant Application Form for the appropriate county. Forms are available at www.delcf.org/grants and can be submitted directly via email. Forms also may be printed and mailed. Completed applications must be received by 4 p.m. on December 15, 2014. Applications received after this time will not be considered. Grant recipients will be announced in May 2015.

The Delaware Community Foundation sponsors a YPB in each Delaware county to encourage youths to become more involved in philanthropy. Each board, composed of high school students, is allotted a pool of money to give as charitable grants. The students learn about philanthropy and effective grantmaking, study youth issues in their neighborhoods and schools, solicit grant proposals, and award grants to those they determine to be most deserving.

Retired Delaware educator Phyllis Wynn established the Youth Philanthropy Fund in 1999 because she wanted to encourage youth to become more involved in philanthropic ventures. Students who serve on the YPB are nominated by their principal or guidance counselor.

“Every year, we are honored to have outstanding high school students join the YPB to learn about and enjoy charitable giving,” DCF President and CEO Fred Sears said. “By enabling these students to learn about and experience giving now, we’re preparing the next generation to keep philanthropy strong in Delaware.”