$30,000 Available for Youth-Led Projects! Youth Making Change Announces the 2024-2025 Grant Cycle

The FUND FOR SANTA BARBARA’s Youth Making Change (YMC) program is a year-long, youth-led grant-making program that was launched in 2008 to provide young people with the opportunity to engage directly in organized philanthropy. Board members are youth ages 13 to 19. Each YMC Board gives grants to projects that address issues and challenges directly affecting youth in Santa Barbara County. Each YMC Board (one in Santa Maria and one in Santa Barbara) gives out a total of $15,000 in grants of various sizes ($500 to $3,000) to projects that impact youth.

The Youth Making Change grant application is available now at the Fund for Santa Barbara website fundforsantabarbara.org/youth-making-change/

Youth Making Change Grant Eligibility Criteria

• Must be youth-led (age 12-24) Youth are leaders in all aspects of the project, including the writing of this grant application.
• Must meet the Funding Guidelines
• Must operate in a democratic manner, responsive to and directed by the group of people you aim to serve; Teens in the community must benefit from your project, not just the planning team
• Must attempt to fix a problem affecting youth by providing a solution
• Must be located in Santa Barbara County
• Must have a sponsoring organization, such as a school or community group with a Tax ID Number or Employer Identification Number (EIN) and an organizational bank account
• Budget and Planned Activities must fall within the funding timeframe for which the proposal is submitted
• Must not be a currently funded grantee (Racial Equity Fund & Mickey Flacks Social Housing Fund grantees excluded)

A strong project also includes:

• Research to find out the most pressing needs in your community.
• An opportunity for you and the other youth planners to develop valuable skills and knowledge.
• An opportunity for other youth in the community to develop valuable skills, knowledge, or experience.
• A plan to keep your project running for a year or more.

Interested groups are encouraged to attend a free YMC Grant Application Workshop:

YMC North County Grant Application Workshop Wednesday, September 25th, 5:00 – 6:30 pm Santa Maria Public Library – Sheppard Hall

421 S McClelland St, Santa Maria, CA

YMC South County Grant Application Workshop Thursday, September 26th, 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm The Fund for Santa Barbara South County Office

1528 Chapala St. 3rd Floor Conference Room, Santa Barbara, CA

Learn more and RSVP for a workshop at https://fundforsantabarbara.org/ymc-workshops/

Groups must submit their applications by Friday, October 11th, 2024 at 11:59pm. No Exceptions.

Questions about the application submission process should be directed to Cristal Roblel, Fund for Santa Barbara YMC Coordinator, at 805-387-6357, cristal@fundforsantabarbara.org

Santa Maria Office: 120 East Jones Street, Suite 110, Santa Maria, CA 93454 Santa Barbara Office: 1528 Chapala St. Suite 303 Santa Barbara, CA 93101