Youth in Philanthropy Students Award $10,000 Grant to Empowerhouse

Youth in Philanthropy or "YIP" was established by The Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region in 2003 on the principle of participatory philanthropy– a power-shifting ethos and process that places the communities a foundation aims to serve at the center of decision-making. This program YIP is a program empowers young people to connect to the needs in our community, build their leadership skills, develop creative and analytical thinking, and encourages their community involvement. Students in grades 10 - 12 learn about the overwhelming needs in our community, the available resources to meet those needs and to work to find solutions through good grant making and program evaluations. Each year, students are challenged to practice leadership, study proposals, manage budgets, work together and present their views to an audience of peers and adults.

This project will expand the nonprofit's current educational offerings by providing age-appropriate programming for kids 12 and younger. The new program will be developed with input from members of the Teen Girls Support Group before it’s delivered to over 400 students in local elementary and middle schools. Additional tools and resources will also be created for the adults who support youth like teachers, parents and community members. Youth in Philanthropy student grant reviewers appreciated this resourceful model for meeting student needs and are looking forward to the program helping even more youth in our area.

Over 250 area youth have participated in YIP and these students have awarded 101 grants to more than 60 regional organizations, distributing over $205,000 to area youth projects throughout the region.