Our Impact | Education & Youth

Overview

Our Education and Youth Impact Area works with nonprofits in the Triangle serving youth ages 5-24 that are helping to educate and empower youth leaders. We know that the future of our community depends on the strength of our future leaders—but also that youth are capable of being leaders now, and often already are!

This year, the Foundation’s Education & Youth grant will support nonprofits serving youth ages 5–24 that are prioritizing advancing youth-led and youth-informed initiatives, increasing the number of youth successfully completing their current educational track, and increasing the percent of youth who are able to access and complete post-secondary education.

Grantmaking

Grants will be for $40,000 over 2 years ($20,000 per year) and will provide general operating support to organizations doing work aligned with the Impact Area goals:

• Increase the number of youth-led and informed initiatives
• Increase the percent of youth completing their current educational track
• Increase the percent of youth able to access and complete postsecondary education

We anticipate making up to 15, two-year awards this grant cycle, and it is our intention to continue this program in the coming years with an every-other-year call for proposals.

Eligibility Criteria

• Nonprofit, 501c3 youth-serving organizations based in and serving one or more Triangle counties (Wake, Durham, Orange, Chatham). (Projects with a 501c3 fiscal sponsor are eligible to apply.
• Organizations must meet the Foundation’s non-discrimination policy.
• Only one application per organization will be considered.

Evaluation Criteria

Foundation staff work with volunteer advisory committee members to review proposals and reach grantmaking decisions. For Education & Youth, we are committed to having representation of high school and college-aged youth. In reviewing grant proposals, the reviewers will use the following evaluation criteria:

• Alignment with one or more of the Education and Youth program goals:
  • Increase the number of youth-led and informed initiatives
  • Increase the percent of youth completing their current educational track
  • Increase the percent of youth able to access and complete postsecondary education
• Commitment to youth engagement – How does the organization involve participants and/or family members in informing their programming? How does the organization create opportunities for youth leadership?
• Demonstration of programming to support physical, mental, social, and/or emotional well-being and academic needs to help students thrive in their current academic program and pursue their chosen post-graduation plans
• Organization’s financial health

Important Dates

A virtual information session was held on Monday, September 15th at 2pm.

Call for proposals opens:	Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025
Application deadline:	Monday, October 6th, 2025 at 11:59pm
Target decision date:	Thursday, January 15th, 2025

Reporting Requirements

Grantees will be asked to submit an interim report during the mid-point December 2026 and final grant report due February 2028.