Grants Available from DCF’s Youth Philanthropy Boards
The Kent and Sussex County boards will award $10,000 each. The New Castle County board will award $15,000. Applications must be submitted by Jan. 1, 2019.
Each county’s board will award grants to programs supporting a unique focus area:
Kent County will consider organizations that enhance and support youth development in Kent County, with preference for those which focus on mental health, the arts, hunger and/or agriculture programs. Typical awards are $1,000 – $5,000 per year.
New Castle County will consider post-secondary readiness and/or mentoring programs that serve teens and young adults in New Castle County, with special consideration for initiatives that:
• build leadership opportunities,
• address specific challenges (including homelessness, substance abuse, or violence), or
• target traditionally underserved populations (including low-income and immigrant youth).
Typical awards are $1,000 – $2,500 per year.
Sussex County will consider nonprofit organizations that focus on mentoring at-risk youth in Sussex County with a preference toward programs supporting those affected by substance abuse, sex trafficking and/or mental health issues. Typical awards are $1,000 – $5,000 per year.
Organizations may apply for grants from each county’s YPB. To be eligible, the program for which funding is requested must directly benefit residents of that county and fall within that county’s unique focus area.
Grant requests must be submitted online beginning Dec. 4,. Applicants will be notified in each county in April 2019.
The DCF sponsors the YPBs to encourage younger generations to become more involved in philanthropy. Each board, composed of high school students from public, private and parochial schools, is allotted a pool of money to give as charitable grants. The students learn about philanthropy and effective grant-making, 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.
“The Youth Philanthropy Board program gives students an opportunity to enjoy the pleasure and the challenges of charitable giving, including determining how to make the greatest impact on quality of life with the limited resources available,” said DCF President and CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay. “It’s an important program because we are cultivating the philanthropists of tomorrow.”
Photo: Sussex County Youth Philanthropy Board