African Immigrant Youth Career Development Grant Program

Overview

_Note: Applications are now closed. Please check back for updates on when applications will re-open._

African Immigrant Youth Career Development Grant Program

Grant Program Overview

Youthprise envisions a Minnesota where outcomes for youth are no longer predictable by race, geography, or socioeconomic status. In commitment to our vision, we have partnered with Ka Joog, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)\*, and young people to design and host year two of the newly expanded African Immigrant Youth Career Development Grant Program.

\*Funds for this project are appropriated from the 2023 Minnesota Legislature.

Minnesota is home to a large and growing African immigrant population with many concentrated communities spread throughout the state. These communities have greatly contributed to the cultural and economic fabric of Minnesota, and yet, many face barriers that make it difficult to achieve economic prosperity. The African Immigrant Youth Career Development Grant Program will partner with and invest in nonprofit and community-based organizations, through reimbursement-based grants, that have demonstrated experience offering culturally relevant, career development/work readiness programming to African immigrant youth.

Grant Priorities

Through focus groups with African Youth and Youthprise staff, we have identified the following grant program priorities.

We are seeking proposals that address the diverse needs of African immigrant youth, knowing that African immigrant youth are not a monolith. African immigrant youth are multidimensional and are looking for programming that meets their emotional, mental, and physical needs. They want programming that is culturally relevant and youth-led. As you are shaping your grant proposals, please consider the following priorities:

Youth-Informed

Young people are most interested in career development and work readiness programming that fosters, prioritizes, and acts on youth voices. Specifically, in our work with youth who identify from African Immigrant communities, they named wanting opportunities to inform and lead.

Community

Young people are looking for a place to be themselves, relate with others, and build peer-to-peer connections and networks within their cultural communities and across different communities. They are interested in celebrating together, learning together, and growing together.

Mentorship & Support

Young people are looking for trustworthy and invested adults that share cultural contexts and connections, to help guide their personal and professional growth. They are interested in internships, apprenticeships, and fellowships that allow them to gain experience in a supportive environment.

Navigating Systems & Cultural Norms

Young people are seeking support in navigating complex white dominant cultural systems and norms that come into tension with their cultural norms and beliefs. These include but are not limited to job searching, post-secondary education, industry credentialing, finances, transportation, housing, and community services.

Identity & Values

Young people want to have the space to dream, explore possibilities, and experiment with different career paths and professions. They want to grow in their leadership and clarify their personal values, strengths, and unique skill sets.

Skill Building

Young people are interested in setting goals, both big and small, and creating plans to work toward them. They are also interested in strengthening their networking and public speaking skills, as well as job application and interviewing skills.

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines and information.

Award Amounts

* Organizations with operating budgets greater than $750,000 can request up to $75,000 for their project or program.
* Organizations with operating budgets of $750,000 or less can request up to $50,000 for their project or program.
* We anticipate making about 20 grant awards. This number is subject to change based on the requests received.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3)\ youth, community-based, and economic development organizations, as well as local units of government and public school districts.
* Organizations must be located in Minnesota and serving populations within Minnesota.
Organizations must have a demonstrated history of serving African immigrant\ youth or communities.
\Eligible applicants also include organizations described above that have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor in lieu of a 501(c)(3).
\For the purposes of these funds, we are defining “African Immigrant” as populations who have recently moved from the continent of Africa.