Youth Action Council
The Youth Action Council (YAC) is a hands-on grantmaking program comprised of youth from numerous MetroWest communities. They are entrusted with reviewing and granting up to $10,000 in funds to nonprofit organizations serving children and youth.
In 2009-2010, YAC distributed $7,000 to three organizations. They are:
$1,750
The program aims to increase foster parents' competency, decrease post-traumatic symptoms in foster children, facilitate the development of meaningful, healing relationships, and increase school performance. The program will help train ten new foster families in the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) model of understanding and helping behaviorally challenging children.
$1,750
To offset increased expenses due to our 33% increase in annual intake of students to this mentoring program at Framingham High School.
$3,500
To support a scholarship fund used to pay for free or reduced fee respite care for children with significant disabilities from low income families.
YAC, a part of the Youth in Philanthropy program, teaches youth about the needs of our community, what a nonprofit organization is, how to evaluate a nonprofit for funding, fundraising strategies, and working with others to make an impact on our community.
The activities that YAC engages in are:
- Grantmaking: After training, YAC members evaluate requests for grants that support local programs serving children and youth. Youth visit the organizations applying for funding and, as a group, decide which ones they wish to fund. Members present the grant recommendations to Foundation for MetroWest’s Distribution Committee.
- Service Days: YAC members spend one or two Saturdays doing hands-on volunteer work with local nonprofit organizations.
- Giving Ceremony: YAC members present grant checks to the nonprofit organizations they choose to fund at a ceremony in the community.
- Fundraising: As a group, YAC members collectively raise $1,000 towards their grantmaking budget. The remaining funds are provided by donors to Foundation for MetroWest.
Applications for the 2010 - 2011 program will be available soon. If you have a high school student, not attending a school with an existing program, who would be interested in applying for the Youth Action Council, please email Jennifer Ubaldino at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
See our calendar, for upcoming YAC dates and events.
Support Our Youth in Philanthropy Program
We have established the Youth in Philanthropy Endowment Fund to finance this wonderful program. Several schools in the Concord area already have endowed Youth in Philanthropy programs — meaning that we can run them in perpetuity — but in order to extend YIP to other MetroWest high schools — we must continue growing. When you give to the Youth in Philanthropy Endowment Fund, you are contributing to a service program that not only helps local constituencies in need, but makes a mark on the next generation of MetroWest residents.Make a Gift to the YIP Endowment Fund >
Participating in the Program?
Keep up to date with what’s going on in the YIP program.View our YIP Events Calendar >
Volunteer
We’re always looking for people committed to keeping MetroWest a wonderful place to live.
Learn More >
Featured Nonprofit
The Organization for Assabet River is working to conserve a local resource.
Learn How >