Youth Grantmakers of Arizona - Directory of Programs

AFP Youth in Philanthropy

The Southern Arizona Chapter of AFP provides programming to schools in Tucson, and the curriculum includes basics of philanthropy as well as a four-week grant development and fundraising process component. The students develop a request for proposal, which is distributed to local nonprofits for consideration. When returned, the proposals are translated into Spanish and reviewed by the students, who review each proposal diligently. The AFP Southern Arizona Chapter supports the program by offering to match funds raised up to $500. Part of the project requires students to raise as much money as possible to distribute to the nonprofit of their choice. Over the years, students have conducted walk-a-thons, car washes, bake sales, and other activities to raise money. Through their fundraising efforts, past grants have been as large as $1,500.
Contact: Nancy Jones, AFP YIP Chair
Phone: 520-624-5034, Email: njones @ stlukeshometucson.org

B'Nai Tzedek Youth Philanthropy

The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix has two youth philanthropy programs:
B'Nai Tzedek provides matching funds of $320 for teens who establish a charitable fund of at least $180. Once a year, teens are encouraged to distribute 5% of their fund to local charities. Teens also meet throughout the year to explore social issues and learn more about local nonprofits.
The Youth Philanthropy Board offers monthly sessions for the 21 teen board members. These teens have been entrusted with $10,000. They must design and administer their own competitive grant making process. In addition, they hear presentations from local agencies; make site visits, and participation in financial literacy sessions.
Contact: Andrea Cohen, Director
Phone: 480-699-1717 ext. 1404, Email: acohen @ jcfphoenix.org 

Change for Change

Change for Change is a program of the Youth Volunteer Corps of Yavapai County. Youth participants provide competitive mini grants to youth or youth organizations for community service projects. Applications must be youth written, youth initiated, and youth implemented.
Contact: Cindy Craig, Youth Program Director
Phone: 928-708-0100, Email: youthvolunteers @ cabelone.net

Every Voice in Action Youth Crew

The Youth Crew (a diverse group of 15-17 high school and college-aged youth) researches community problems and assets, surveys hundreds of their peers, and then selects a topic for their grant round. The group then writes a RFP, evaluates proposals, conducts site visits and makes funding decisions – granting $50,000 annually.
Contact: Ed Mercurio-Sakwa, Program Director
Phone: 520-615-2100, Email: ed @ everyvoicefoundation.org

Greater Tucson Youth Leadership Program

The Greater Tucson Youth Leadership Program is a collaboration between the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona, Greater Tucson Leadership, Every Voice in Action Foundation, Pima Community College, and the Blue Chip Program at the University of Arizona. During the first semester, students learn about issues in their community through field trips, speakers, and exploration, and also go through a process to choose a topic for a grant round. During the second semester, they write an RFP, review proposals, and ultimately grant $20,000 to non-profits. In addition, students are trained to sit on a Board of Directors of a non-profit organization, and are placed on actual Boards at the end of the class.
Contact: Dave Chandler, Senior Manager, Youth Services
Phone: 520-881-3300, Email: dchandler @ volunteersoaz.org

Phoenix Youth Commission

The Phoenix Youth Commission is comprised of Phoenix high school students and focuses on issues that are of concern to youth. The youth members support and fund youth programs as solutions to problems youth see in their communities based on recommendations from Youth Town Hall report. These funds provide youth community service leaders with funds in order to carry out volunteer projects that benefit or create a lasting positive impact on the people of Phoenix. They also support programs and activities that provide constructive activities for teens, including more opportunities for youth to be involved in the community and/or to express themselves artistically and creatively.
Contact: Joyce Adams, Assistant
Phone: 602-495-0314, Email: youth @ phoenix.gov

Raza Youth Philanthropy Project

Through the Raza Youth Philanthropy Project, youth are able to invest funds around the social justice issues that the core group identifies as being crucial to our community’s development.  University and college students have made grants in support of art murals focused on social injustices, exploration of personal identity, and healthcare inequalities among different cultures and socio-economic groups since 2005. The Raza Youth Philanthropy prides itself in funding organizations that are not highly institionalized. More importantly, they fund those groups that are youth-led and working directly on their project. Therefore, many small grassroots efforts have been able to take action because the Raza Youth Philanthropy believes in the importance they have in the betterment of our community, and the impact of youth voice.
Contact: Kim Domiguez and Selina Rodriguez, Co-Directors
Phone: 520-808-3919, Email: selrod18 @ yahoo.com

Social Venture Partners Teens

Social Venture Partners Teens started in Phoenix five years ago as a way for teens (ages 11-18) to have the same grant making experience as their parents in Social Venture Partners Arizona (SVPAZ). SVPAZ is a venture philanthropy organization pooling resources, time and talent then investing them into building the capacity of nonprofit organizations. The Teen program organizes fund raising activities, learns about important social issues and has a formal grant process to award money to organizations. Other activities include community service, team building and nonprofit awareness.
Contact: Amber Schoenberger, Associate Director
Phone: 602-224-0041 ext. 102, Email: aschoenberger @ svpaz.org

Unidas

Unidas, a feminization of the Spanish word unidos (united) teaches girls about leadership, philanthropy, and social justice issues. Unidas is a program designed to give high-school aged girls hands-on experience in grantmaking. Participants have $10,000 to grant to community organizations that serve girls. Under the auspices of the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona, Unidas participants research and analyze the social justice issues facing girls in their community, and walk through a grantmaking process, including creation of a request for proposal, application review, site visits, and allocation of funds to local agencies totaling $10,000.
Contact: Hillary Rosenfeld, Program Director
Phone: 520-622-8886, Email: hrosenfeld @ womengiving.org

Youth Racial Justice Program Small Grant Committee

The Youth Racial Justice Program holds a Small Grants Committee to award $5,000-10,000 to individuals, schools, youth organizations who attend the YWCA Youth Forum on Race. Participants are encouraged to take on-going action in their communities by applying for small grants. The committee is comprised of youth who make the decisions of awarding the grants. Grants are awarded to around 10-15 groups per year and last year over 8,000 people were impacted by those grants in Pima County. Projects must be youth led and address issues of social justice.
Contact: Sarah Gonzales, Racial Justice Program Director
Phone: 520-884-7810 ext. 107, Email: sgonzales @ ywcatucson.org

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