Media Coverage: Delaware Today – Youth Philanthropy Boards Allow Delaware Teens to Give Back

For a quarter of a century, the Delaware Community Foundation has empowered high school students to make a positive impact through Youth Philanthropy Boards.

With the Youth Philanthropy Board program, high school students have the opportunity to design grant programs. The students study issues in their neighborhoods and schools, identify a focus area for grantmaking, learn about philanthropy and effective grantmaking, solicit grant proposals, conduct site visits not nonprofit organizations and ultimately select recipients of the grants.

“I think it fair to say that very few organizations allow teenagers to make all the decisions about granting funds, but that’s exactly what the Delaware Community Foundation does through this program,” says Stuart Comstock-Gay, DCF President and CEO. “We are investing in the next generation of young people by teaching them how philanthropy works and providing them with the experience of making funding decisions. It is a “win-win-win” for the students, the organizations receiving grants and the community.”

During the last 25 years, more than 700 students have served, representing nearly every high school in the state. The program has granted over $800,000 to 165 different organizations. At this year’s celebratory dinner, the organization celebrated 25 years.

Remarks were given by Delaware’s First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney and Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester through a video.

Read more: Delaware Today – Youth Philanthropy Boards